Ohio Ethics Commission opinion

The Ohio Ethics Commission released an opinion this morning respective of situations in which a state department director has a conflict of interest. The Commission stated:

Syllabus by the Commission:

(1) Division (D) of Section 102.03 of the Revised Code prohibits a director of a state department from participating in any matter before the department that results in a definite and direct benefit or detriment to the director, or to a family member or business associate of the director;
(2) In such a situation, R.C. 102.03(D) also prohibits the director from delegating the matter to a subordinate official or employee at the department;
(3) When a department director withdraws from a matter before the department because R.C. 102.03(D) prohibits the director from acting on the matter, the director will be considered absent from the department and the person described in Section 121.05 of the Revised Code can act in the director’s place.