Ethics Matters, Inc.

Three former members of the QAC Ethics Commission have joined with other County citizens to launch a volunteer group to promote ethical, accountable governance in Queen Anne’s County.  The new organization, Ethics Matters, Inc., is a member of the CHARACTER COUNTS!_SM Coalition and will be advised by former Maryland Attorney General Stephen Sachs. <br><br>The Ethics Matters, Inc. (EMI) Board of Directors includes three former Ethics Commission members Liz Broderick of Chester, Mary Campbell of Centreville, and Stan Ruddie of Stevensville. Mary Campbell will serve as Chairman. The other founding directors are Terry Babb of Stevensville and Fred Kurst of Centreville.  There is a growing list of “Friends of Ethics Matters” who support the goals of EMI.<br><br>Ms. Broderick stated, “When Mary and I resigned in protest from the Ethics Commission, we said that we were ‘not giving up….that this is not the end.’  We remain committed to the cause of ethical governance, and Ethics Matters is our way of fulfilling that commitment.”<br><br>The widely-respected CHARACTER COUNTS! program used  in Queen Anne’s  County Schools is a program of the Josephson Institute of Ethics in Los Angeles, CA.  The Institute has also developed a manual of government ethics, “Preserving the Public Trust - Five Principles of Public Service Ethics,” modeled on the “Six Pillars of Character”.  Ms. Campbell explained: “There should be a connection between the standards and culture we are promoting in our schools and the standards and culture we are promoting in our government.  Ethics Matters will seek recognition of, and commitment to, these Five Principles by County officials and employees.”<br><br>Former Attorney General Stephen Sachs represented the Ethics Commission in an investigation initiated, and subsequently terminated, by the County Commissioners.  Explaining his willingness to serve as counsel to EMI, Mr. Sachs stated:  <br>"I welcome the opportunity to be of help to citizens who are seeking a stronger ethics code in Queen Anne's County --- which currently has the weakest in the State--- and who will work in many different ways for accountable, transparent governance."<br><br>Assisting Mr. Sachs in providing counsel to Ethics Matters, Inc. will be Avery Aisenstark, a Baltimore attorney with an expertise in public ethics law.<br><br>“What Ethics Matters is about,” said Ms. Campbell, “is having ethical standards and an ethical culture in our County that the public and our government workers can take pride in.  We are particularly pleased to have the knowledgeable and experienced counsel of Mr. Sachs and Mr. Aisenstark to assist us in our efforts.” <br><br>EMI founding directors Liz Broderick and Mary Campbell have both served as Chairs of the County Ethics Commission.  Ms. Broderick served on the County School Board for ten years, and Mary Campbell is currently President of the Queen Anne’s County League of Women Voters.  Mr. Ruddie is a civic leader on Kent Island, where both he and Ms. Babb have been active volunteers in citizen-initiated conservation efforts.  Mr. Kurst was for fourteen years a member of the elected borough council of his former hometown of Yardley, Pennsylvania, serving most of that time as its President. <br><br>Ethics Matters is a nonpartisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. It maintains a website at www.ethicsmattersinc.org.   <br><br>Persons interested in becoming a Friend of Ethics Matters, Inc. can do so by email at ethicsmattersinc@toadmail.com or by writing to P.O. Box 93, Centreville, MD 21617.  There are no dues.  Being a Friend of Ethics Matters, Inc. indicates support of EMI’s mission to promote and preserve the public’s trust in County government through an ethical culture of accountability.<br><br>

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