Well, here's a novel idea, from one of Milwaukee County's public servants, Sup. Joe Rice: Let's make it illegal for people who work for the taxpayers to tell the people what they know.
It's prompted, although he says it's not, by Sup. Lynn DeBruin's disclosure of shocking comments made at a closed meeting by the guy who was running the county's mental health complex.
Her whistle-blowing set off all sorts of outrage, discussion, and proposals to correct the deplorable situation.
The county board -- I am not making this up -- censured her for disclosing what was said behind closed doors. But the guy who made the outrageous statement that sexual assaults of women were a "trade-off" to reduce the violence likely in an all-male ward, has been demoted and is no longer in charge, although County Exec Scott Walker has refused to fire him.
Now Rice wants to fine elected officials or county employes who disclose what happens behind closed doors.
Oh, and it would be part of the Ethics Code. What's unethical, in real life, is withholding information the public has a right to know by holding secret meetings and writing confidential reports. Rice's proposal belongs in the shredder.