Editorial: Ethics Commission is lucky to get Bible

Thursday, Sept. 24, 1998 | 10:11 a.m.

The state Ethics Commission has been a lightning rod for controversy this past year -- some of it deserved -- and it definitely could use a steadying hand. Gov. Bob Miller on Tuesday appointed Bill Bible to the state Ethics Commission, succeeding Helen Chisolm of Las Vegas.

Bible probably thought he had it tough when he was the state Gaming Control Board's chairman, a position he retired from last week after nearly 10 years in that job. He not only had to deal with complex financial and investigative matters, he also had to contend with the egos of some powerful casino executives, a training that definitely will come in handy when dealing with public officials.

Serving on any ethics panel can be a thankless task, with elected officials complaining that enforcement of ethics laws is too tough and reformers barking that the panel isn't tough enough. But Bible's intelligence, coupled with his strong sense of fairness and understated nature, should help an ethics panel that could use a soothing influence during a stormy time.

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