Stanowe komisje etyki w USA jako przykład organów obywatelskiego audytu etycznego - ustrój, kompetencje, znaczenie

Abstract

State ethics commisions are an interesting example of political ethics control exercised by the citizens. Politicians prefer self-monitoring committees. They are rather reluctant to independent commisions, as evidenced by their attempts to limit its powers, or even to terminate it. Pleas of unconstitutionality made by persons subject to the jurisdiction of the commisions led to a questioning by state supreme court the powers of the commission. Commissions, however, have had some success. State ethics commissions are almost absent in the Polish constitutional legal literature. Objective of this paper is to present political issues related to activities of the commissions – the principles of creation, the constitutional status and competence. At the end the author has evaluated the activities of the commissions on the basis of their practical functioning. The author also attempts to look at this interesting institution from the Polish perspective, as possible source of inspiration for particular Polish solutions and regulations.