San Diego’s Ethics Commission lost a bid to get more power Wednesday at a city council committee verb. The committee heard the arguments but did not act on the issue.
The Ethics Commission executive director was hoping the council’s Rules Committee would agree the commission needs greater subpoena power. But the argument didn’t get any support. Councilman Todd Gloria says there were some concerns about giving the commission more power.
“One of the questions was, is this really necessary? There seems to be a successful Ethics Commission,” he says. “Is additional power necessary to accomplish what they’re already accomplishing rather successfully?"
Gloria says there were also concerns about making the commission both the investigator and judge when looking into ethics violations. Gloria says the city council doesn’t have subpoena power, so he questions whether an appointed board needs it. The Ethics Commission can reintroduce the issue, but for now it won’t be getting more power.
