Kansas Attorney General Resigns - Ethical Choices Yeild Consequences

According to the Wall Street Journal Law Blog:

Paul Morrison, Kansas’s AG, said he would resign on Friday after he admitted to an affair with an ex-employee who says the AG also sought information from her about a political rival. “I have held others accountable for their actions, and now I must be held accountable for my mistakes.” He said he was resigning “not because I have ever done anything contrary to the laws of this state or the ethical standards of my profession, but because law enforcement should be the focus of this office, not my personal life.”

“My actions caused pain and sadness to many people I love,” Mr. Morrison said at a press conference Friday. “I have been working for some time to get right with God, to get right with my family and to get right with friends and address my personal problems — and I’ll continue to do so.”

Every choice has a consequence.

As a business ethics speaker, I can’t tell the readers how many times someone has lost their career and/or been forced to resign do to questionable choices. Morrison says that he did not violate the ethical standards of his profession and technically he may be right. However, ethics go beyond just the specific standards of a given profession.

If you violate your marital vows, have you committed an ethical violation?

If you take home office supplies from work or use the copier for personal purposes, have you committed an ethical violation?

If you teach your children one set of values and violate them yourself, have you committed an ethical violation?

The consequences of Mr. Morrison’s choice has not only brought about his resignation, but has subjected him to public scrutiny. Often I have counseled individuals who are facing prison due to their choices (as I have been an inmate in federal prison for unethical choices) and find, across the board, that none of them find that the benefit they once had from their choices is worth the consequences that follow.

What choice have you made that have had unintended consequences?

Guilty - 2.5 Million Mortgage Fraud - Business Ethics Speaker Chuck Gallagher Reviews

 

It began as a quest for money.  Easy money it seemed, as all was needed was documentation that was fake.  Inflated income, false loan documentation, those are the items that can change a life. 

It was the prime of life for Leslie Saunders, age 34, who plead guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.  This was part of a $14 million dollar mortgage fraud program that focused on low income borrows.

Saunders admitted in his plea that he conspired with others (a federal indictment against six others was handed down in November 2007) to obtain loans fraudulently through submitting false information to lenders mostly through inflated property appraisals.  

Saunders stipulated that he participated in fraudulent acts that led to losses of $2.5 million.  Sentencing is scheduled for February 2008 and Saunders could face as much as 20 years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines.

While it is unlikely that Saunders will get the maximum sentence, reality is for him, this will be his last Christmas season free for a while.  And, speaking from experience, Christmas in prison isn’t fun.  I know, I’ve been there.

As a business ethics speaker and senior sales executive for a public company today, I often have the opportunity to speak to corporate executives about choices and consequences.  All to often, good people find themselves faced with mounting temptation and make choices that have grave unintended consequences.

Every Choice Has A Consequence!

Saunders soon will experience the consequences of his actions.  While, for a short while, his actions might have provided financial pleasure, the longer-term consequences will have lasting and far-reaching implications.

Almost daily there is information about mortgage fraud and prosecutions that are following.  It is important if you serve in the mortgage industry to apply clear ethical standards to actions taken.  Too often those so-called, “grey areas” tend to lead to the “grey” metal beams of a prison bed.  And they aren’t comfortable!

Comments? 

Prostate Cancer Claims Dan Fogelberg’s Life - So Long “Leader Of The Band”!

At age 56, Dan Fogleberg, singer of the hits “Leader of the Band” and “Same Old Lang Syne” died at his home in Maine - following an illness with prostate cancer.

“Dan left us this morning at 6 a.m. He fought a brave battle with cancer and died peacefully at home in Maine with his wife Jean at his side,” read a statement posted on the singer’s Website. “His strength, dignity and grace in the face of the daunting challenges of this disease were an inspiration to all who knew him.”

According to e-online, Fogleberg was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2004. An article in e-online states: “At the time of his cancer diagnosis, he was planning a fall tour, which he was subsequently forced to cancel. He later urged others to be tested regularly, writing on his Website, “I promise you, you DON’T want to go through what I’m going through if you can avoid it.”

As a survivor of prostate cancer and having watched my father-in-law die of that dreaded disease, I know the agony that Fogelberg experienced and share his feelings.

At 47, quite by accident, I was disgnosed with prostate cancer. Fortunately, mine was caught in its early stages and hence the prognosis was outstanding. Fogelberg was not so lucky. His cancer was detected in advanced stages at his age of 52. Likely, he had prostate cancer (like myself) at an earlier age - likely his 40’s.

Prostate cancer can go undetected for years before one experiences any signs - and when those signs appear the cancer my have spread to a point that it cannot be contained.

A WARNING TO MEN: In your early 40’s get a simple blood test (PSA test). While this may not be a fail safe it will do two things that might be life saving: (1) it will provide a base line for future tests to be compared against. If you levels remain relatively low you have some comfort in knowing that prostate cancer might not strike you and your family. (2) if, like me, you find that you have elevated levels, you have perhaps the time to determine if you, in fact, have prostate cancer.

As a professional speaker, I have had the opportunity to talk with many men about this dreaded disease and the prospects for recovery. While that is not my speaking topic, it certainly garners attention as most men would like to avoid this at all costs.

To answer the question - what treatment method did I use - I elected to have robotic surgery using the DaVinci system and the outcome was excellent. There have been no lasting side effects and my PSA remains at zero.

Back to Dan Fogelberg - his voice was silky and his music divine. We will miss him but appreciate the musical legacy he leaves behind. As a prostate cancer survivor, I will hear his music differently now - knowing that the leader of the band has died!

Comments about Fogelberg are welcome!