Scott Gessler v. Matt Smith…

Summary

The court held that the Independent Ethics Commission had jurisdiction to adjudicate allegations that the Secretary of State misused public discretionary funds for partisan and personal purposes. It interpreted the constitutional reference to other standards of conduct as encompassing ethical standards concerning improper financial benefit from public employment, and held that the public-trust statute supplied such a standard. The court rejected the Secretary’s vagueness and procedural due process challenges and affirmed the judgment below.