2008-02-13 Board of Ethics Minutes Regular Session

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do it on a case -by -case basis. But what I'd hate to do is all of a sudden someone now comes up and says, having your name is an advantage in the newspaper. Should we now tell Tribune Herald — Tribune- Herald, when you write an article, do not put Mr. Yagong's picture in the front page of the paper. Do we say Mr. Yagong, but we don't want Harry Kim's picture in the front of the paper. CHAIR: Mr. Yagong, may I say something? YAGONG: Yes. CHAIR: You and I both know that these ads have been going on for years and years in the County Council, and there has never been an objection to this. The only thing we're discussing is something brand new, something not done before, in placing an elected official's photograph in these ads. That's the issue. 1 mean, is this what we want our taxpayers to be paying for? YAGONG: Yes. CHAIR: And you've entered new ground, you have to admit that. Now- YAGONG: - -I'll answer your— CHAIR: - -Now ifyou could cite to me all the years you've been in the Council, how many elected officials have used their photographs in ads. YAGONG: Mr. Joseph, that's why I mentioned to you, you've got to be very careful with that assessment, simply because just because it hasn't been done before, it doesn't make it wrong. Just like cell phones. We never had cell phones before, but the guy that came up with the idea, should he be knocked for that? I mean, there's things that just because it hasn't been done doesn't mean that it's wrong. But you should question— CHAIR: - -No, I agree- YAGONG: - -You should question the use of the money, though. That's what you should be doing. And that's where your decision should be based, on whether or not, you know, the use of that County fund does violate that Ethic Code. And certainly in my case, I don't think it did. But you would have that opportunity on a case -by -case basis, as suggested by Mr. Dill, to come forward on other instances. I would seem to me that probably any other elected official will be very hesitant now to put their picture in an ad. CHAIR: I thought they were always hesitant. YAGONG: And —well, I don't think it was so much always hesitant, Mr. Joseph. Like I mentioned, just because —I've done text ads before as well, you know, I've done it. But — and other peoples have done it. But at the same time, by doing it —by being first, again doesn't constitute a wrong. CHAIR: Absolutely. And I agree with that. And I agree with that. But the issue - 38