Should Politicians Convicted of a Crime be Removed From Office?

This is a question which runs through the core principles of serving the public. It is important to state that elected individuals, appointed individuals or government employees accused of a crime should have no action taken against them until our justice system has taken its course. An individual in our society is innocent until proven guilty. We should hold our government officials at any level to a high standard and when they have been proven to violate the law they should either be removed from office or resign. Removal or resignation from office should be applied if the crime affects the confidence of the public for an individual to do their responsibilities.

Politicians such as governors make decisions every day regarding their responsibilities to ensure the proper use of taxpayer funds. Any governor who is acting within his responsibilities and authority should not be criticized nor put on trial as in the case of Governor Rick Perry. The concept and principle of this case if it goes forward and the governor is convicted will change the political spectrum as we know it today.

Any elected official, appointed official or government employee who is convicted of a felony or greater crime should be removed from office. The standards for any government official should be one above reproach and if the confidence of the public is impaired in any individual that individual should be removed or resign. This is especially true if it impacts the integrity of the office or position which they hold. The latest incident involving Governor Rick Perry and an individual in Travis County Texas is not the first example. Through the years a number of individuals in Congress have been removed or at least investigated for violating the rules to which they have taken an oath to abide including the Constitution.

Our constitution and the constitution of each of the states must be honored by all individuals who are serving their citizens. The ultimate decision to remove individuals from office which have been convicted of a felony or greater crime may ultimately reside in our votes on Election Day. In the past some individuals have been re-elected to office when common sense tells you they should be voted out. Requirements for holding office if not already should include the condition if an individual has been convicted of a felony they are ineligible to run for that office. Granted sometimes individuals serve their time but they should not have the right to hold public office if they cannot comply with the laws which they violated. If they violate one law we need to ask ourselves will they violate other laws which are applicable to the office which they seek. We need to make better choices when we cast our votes and replace individuals who have violated our trust in living up to their responsibilities. Public officials seem to get away with some things where us as individuals would be prosecuted and put in jail. Politicians should not be above the law and we need to make sure this is the case by whatever means is available to us as voters.