Stricter ethics rules for state employees could be on their way after the Indiana Inspector General released a report on former INDOT Chief of Staff Troy Woodruff.
Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Brandon Smith reports on the Inspector General’s recommendations.
Troy Woodruff was cleared of all wrongdoing in an investigation related primarily to allegations of improper actions involving land owned by him and his family that was acquired by the state through eminent domain for use in the I-69 project. But Inspector General David Thomas says Woodruff’s failure to publicly disclose the land deals unnecessarily fueled the accusations. Thomas recommends a legislative change to ethics rules that would require state agencies to publicly disclose deals in which the agency acquires a state employee’s property. He also recommends INDOT set up a screening policy stricter than what’s required by state law for its employees to avoid conflict of interest. Governor Mike Pence says he’s ordered his administration and leadership at all state agencies to begin implementing Thomas’ recommendations:
“The people of Indiana have every expectation that we’re going to have government as good as our people, that reflects the character and integrity of our people and we would welcome the opportunity to work with members of the General Assembly to strengthen those ethics laws in state government," says Pence.
In a statement, State Democratic Party Chair John Zody says he hopes the Republican-controlled legislature works to fix what he calls the “culture of corruption” within the GOP. For Indiana Public Broadcasting, I’m Brandon Smith.
