Our new Virginia Governor, Robert McDonnell, is making some rational moves that everyone can approve, for example, the announcement that he will scale back spending on his inaugural to save money and set an example in these lean times. Word is that he also intends to try to remove the one-term limit on Virginia governors, which makes a lot of sense. The latter initiative is a bit ironic, in the sense that if there had been no term limit, McDonnell's predecessor Tim Kaine probably would not have been selected as Democratic National Chairman, would have run again, and would have beat McDonnell.
On the other hand, news of McDonnell's decision to allow his newly named Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Robert Sledd - not to mention all other cabinet appointees - to continue to serve on corporate boards of directors falls into the "what was he thinking?" category. Sledd serves on at least three boards, and said he wouldn't serve if he had to give them up. The Governor and Sledd argue that the latter can just recuse himself if an issue arises involving one of companies on whose boards he sits.
Granted there is no current Virginia law against this practice; conceding that there's nothing amiss with Sledd's qualifications; and even admitting that recusal is one conceivable way to deal with any potential problems; the Governor's decision nevertheless seems short-sighted.
I don't have any problem believing that a mid-level bureaucrat in Sledd's department could (for example) own stock in, or be a prior employee of, a company that might have significant dealings with the commonwealth. That person would not usually be in a position to sway policy in major ways. It's different at the Secretary level, where it's not just the actuality of conflict of interest that should be avoided, but the opportunity and the appearance thereof. McDonnell should rethink this one and consider adding a law to forbid it.
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