What's wrong with this sentence?

[fingertrouble]

Mrs Palin's lawyer said that the report had not been conclusive.

"In order to violate the ethics law, there has to be some personal gain," said Thomas Van Flein.

"Mr Branchflower has failed to identify any financial gain."

Sorry to be Logics and Ethics 101 to the Palin camp; but personal gain does not only mean financial gain. There are many ways (most of which exploited by fraudsters and politicians, not saying those two groups are exclusive) you can gain something without actually gaining monetarily.

Shows you their mindset though - money and only money first.

Comments

[userid1999.livejournal.com]

He might actually be right...

My mother used to be on the city council in my small town. At one point, one of my uncle's neighbors applied for a variance to build closer to a lot line than allowed by city ordinances. Because her brother would be affected, when it came up for a vote, she attempted to abstain. However, the city attorney told her that she could not because she had no personal financial interest in the matter. Although to casual observers, abstaining might appear to be the best course of action to avoid any appearance of impropriety, that might not be how the law sees it. You may indeed need a direct financial interest for ethics laws to be violated.

That's my story. The End.

[fingertrouble.livejournal.com]

Well I'd have to ask my dad, but when he was a local councillor and on the planning committee for many years I think conflict of interest wasn't just monetary - just being related to the person meant you had to stand down for that part of the meeting, even if you were Chair.

That was in the UK though, but I thought it was pretty standard?