Disclosure is not up to the city attorney, ... He should be disclosing, disclosing, disclosing.

We are not disclosing these targets at this time.

But this report shows that, in case after case after case, grantees — without disclosing who was paying them — took taxpayers' money and used it to promote controversial policies. Department officials allowed this practice to continue with such frequency and such consistency that they cannot now claim that they were ignorant that it was happening. Either the Department is grossly incompetent when it comes to awarding grants and contracts, or it is misleading investigators and engaging in a cover up of the misuse of taxpayer dollars.

As city attorney, my client is the city of Monticello. The actual conflict of interest would not have arisen until the city determined to pursue action against Mr. Donaldson. Once I disclosed the potential conflict in my memorandum dated Dec. 13, the only other action I took was at the instruction of the City Council to prepare the request for an opinion from the Municipal League. Once I received Mr. Rodgers letter informing me of his disagreement with the way I framed my questions I forwarded his letter to the Municipal League.

Even our attorney in Valley City is a volunteer.

It is disappointing that the ethics commission punted on this issue rather than requiring strict disclosure of attorney referral fees.