Ethics Enforcement and Sanctions

Ethics enforcement is how government catches and punishes breaches of ethics rules by officials and employees. Sanctions can include fines, disciplinary action, removal from a post, and referral for criminal charges. Agency ethics offices, inspectors general, congressional ethics committees, and the Justice Department each have a part, depending on who broke the rules.

People usually ask who enforces ethics rules for presidents, members of Congress, and ordinary employees, and what happens after a violation. They also ask how enforcement for top officials compares with enforcement for other employees and how oversight bodies decide when to act.