Final answer:
Special conflicts of interest for government officers and employees seek to maintain ethical governance by setting regulations such as lobbying restrictions and preventing the abuse of public positions for personal gain. These include 'revolving door' laws, gift regulations, and the creation of agencies to oversee ethical behavior within the federal workforce.
Step-by-step explanation:
Special conflicts of interest for former and current government officers and employees are regulations that aim to prevent the misuse of public office for personal gain and to ensure the integrity of governmental decision-making. These may include prohibitions on lobbying by both former and current public officers, restricting them from using their previous positions to influence current policy or legislation for compensation.
For instance, there are 'revolving door' laws that require a 'cooling off' period before former legislators can engage in lobbying activities. The intention behind such laws is to prevent former officials from immediately leveraging their government connections for private lobbying interests. Moreover, legislation like the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act intensifies the consequences of illegal gift giving to deter such actions, while Executive Orders, such as the Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel, establish additional ethical guidelines for federal employees.
Conflicts of interest laws are also intended to prevent public officers from abusing their position to obtain personal benefits and mandate that federal officials turn over titles and gifts from foreign nations to eliminate potential conflicts of interest. The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, which created the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), aims to reinforce the ethical boundaries between civil service employees and political influences. These agencies serve to recruit and hire government employees based on merit and to address agency wrongdoing, respectively.
Lastly, there are considerations regarding how much freedom should be allowed for unpatriotic or critical speech, especially from government whistle-blowers or employees who leak sensitive information. The balance between government interests, individual rights, and the public's right to know is complex and important in discussions about conflicts of interest and ethical government behavior.