Newtown Lawyer Appointed To State Ethics Board

By Nancy K. Crevier

Newtown resident Martin Margulies, a Quinnipiac University professor emeritus of law and longtime champion of the First Amendment to the United State Constitution and its Connecticut Constitution counterpart guaranteeing freedom of speech, exercise of religion, and assembly, has been selected by House Majority Leader Denise Merrill (D-Mansfield, Chaplin) for a seat on the Connecticut Citizens’ Ethics Advisory Board.

He and his wife, Beth, an assistant attorney general for the State of Connecticut, have lived in Newtown since 1983. They have two sons, Max, a Newtown High School graduate and a senior at McGill University in Montreal, and Adam, a graduate of Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor and a freshman at Union College in Schenectady. Mr Margulies is the tennis coach for the Newtown High School varsity tennis team.

As majority leader, Ms Merrill can appoint a member of the board, which oversees the Connecticut Office of State Ethics, the independent agency ensuring honesty, integrity, and accountability in state government.

“Martin Margulies is a great fit for this important position,” said Ms Merrill in a recent press release. “His background and experience will be a tremendous asset for the board.”

Mr Margulies earned his AB from Columbia University in 1961, his LLB (Legum Baccalaureus) from Harvard in 1964, and his LLM (Master of Laws) from New York University in 1966. He also studied from 1964 to 1965 at University College in Dublin, Ireland. He specializes in federal and Connecticut constitutional law.

From 1994 to 2008, Mr Margulies served on the board of directors for the Connecticut Center of First Amendment Rights, and on the national board of directors for the American Civil Liberties Union from 1987 to 1994. He was on the board of directors for the Connecticut ACLU from 1983 to 1994.

 “[Serving on the Connecticut Office of State Ethics board] is an opportunity to render what I feel is a very important service, and I’m honored,” said Mr Margulies. The responsibility of the Connecticut Citizens’ Ethics Advisory Board in overseeing activities of lobbyists and state officials who have any business with lobbyists is a valuable function of the board, said Mr Margulies.

“I think that integrity in government is very important, and I worry how improper lobbying activities can distort and thwart the democratic process,” Mr Margulies said. “I believe in an open government, not backroom government,” he said.

He emphasized that there is nothing wrong with lobbying, which is a protected form of political activity that both state and federal constitutions expressly protect.

“There is a need to ensure that lobbyists, working out of the public eye, don’t engage in secret dealings, or offer improper inducements,” he said. He cited as an example the recent case of former Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who was sentenced earlier this year to nearly six years in prison for fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy to bribe public officials. Closer to home is the example of former governor of Connecticut John Rowland, who stepped down from office and served time for accepting gifts from state contractors, said Mr Margulies.

“There can be a thin line between bribery and other forms of improper behavior on the one hand, and legitimate political contributions which are a constitutionally protected political activity. My understanding is that this is what the Ethics Advisory Board oversees,” Mr Margulies said. “In addition to overseeing lobbying, the board’s remit extends to monitoring all conflicts of interest on the part of public officials; in fact, the board polices lobbying as a subset of this overall remit,” he explained. “Conflicts of interest include, besides trafficking in improper gifts or favors, accepting employment that might compromise your independence as a public official — say, if you’re the commissioner of a state agency and you work for an employer who does business with that agency,” he said. Even when an activity does not involve actual corruption, it can still sap the public’s trust in the integrity of government, and that is why Mr Margulies believes it is vital to control.

“I understand, too, that if issues arise, a member [of the board] will serve as a fact-finding officer, and in extraordinary situations, the alleged violator would come before the entire advisory board. I’m still bringing myself up to speed,” said Mr Margulies, who only accepted the invitation the week of April 5.

Mr Margulies’ appointment is effective immediately. He will serve the remaining term of Rebecca Doty, who recently resigned. The term ends September 30, 2011.

“I’m looking forward to this, and will do my best,” he added.