Did Rex Elass’ Strategy Group Violate the Code of Ethics of the American Association of Political Consultants?
Here is the here is the Code of Ethics from the American Association of Political Consultants. I will put in bold the ones Rex Elass and the other folks at The Strategy Group may want to pay closer attention to:
* I will not indulge in any activity which would corrupt or degrade the practice of political consulting.
* I will treat my colleagues and clients with respect and never intentionally injure their professional or personal reputations.
* I will respect the confidence of my clients and not reveal confidential or privileged information obtained during our professional relationship.
* I will use no appeal to voters which is based on racism, sexism, religious intolerance or any form of unlawful discrimination and will condemn those who use such practices. In turn, I will work for equal voting rights and privileges for all citizens.
* I will refrain from false or misleading attacks on an opponent or member of his or her family and will do everything in my power to prevent others from using such tactics.
* I will document accurately and fully any criticism of an opponent or his or her record.
* I will be honest in my relationship with the news media and candidly answer questions when I have the authority to do so.
* I will use any funds I receive from my clients, or on behalf of my clients, only for those purposes invoiced in writing.
* I will not support any individual or organization which resorts to practices forbidden by this code.
It is confirmed that The Strategy Group used video that they did own for an attack at against Steve Buehrer. But since Buehrer is a former client of The Strategy Group, this raises a major ethical question that all of Rex’s clients and potential clients should take careful note of.
Did The Strategy Group violate the AAPC’s code of conduct, which says “I will respect the confidence of my clients and not reveal confidential or privileged information obtained during our professional relationship?” I think so, but, as they say… we report, you decide. And I can see why Paul Wilson would want more specifics in these rules about using clients’ videos against them, since “information” may not be “video footage.” But re-using such video is hardly respecting the private confidence of clients.
The interesting fact is, if you say that The Strategy Group clearly violated that specific ethics rule, then it would also be an ethics violation for any member of the AAPC to conduct business with, or provide support to, The Strategy Group. Ethical card-carrying members of the AAPC should keep that in mind.
In a business loaded with scumbags, Elsass is amonmg the most vile. It would be nice to see Rex finally get what’s coming to him, but I’m equally sure it won’t happen
Well there are plenty of perfectly friendly political consultants. I imagine it would be awful trying to support a family while working on campaigns because the hours are long and the income, while possibly large, is not consistent.
But you’re right, it takes a certain person to stay alive in this business. I think that, unlike the private sector where trade and markets end up being positive sum gains (McDonald’s gets what they want, Burger King gets what thy want, consumers get what they want, and everybody is probably happy), elections are zero-sum gains… where you only win in politics at the expense of someone else. So instead of profiting by improving efficiency and meeting consumer demand, the political consultants earn money by (politically) assassinating the opposition. It is a rare person who enjoys such work… I certainly don’t.