$2-3$d$.$ Buying Influence or Engaging in Conflict of Interest

A company awards a construction contract to a firm owned by the father of the state attorney general while the state attorney general$$s office is investigating that company. A county official who has the responsibility for selecting the contractor who will build the county$$s new baseball stadium travels around the country at the contractor$$s expense to view existing stadium sites. The county official should see as many sites and samples of work as there are bidders on the new stadium, but when the contractors pay, there is an ethical issue. A physician researcher whose work was funded by Coca$-$Cola concluded that the major influence in childhood obesity was lack of exercise, not enough sleep, and too much television. Other experts believe that soft drinks, such as those produced by Coca$-$Cola, are a major contributor to childhood obesity. The issue of the $$29$ million for the research coming from Coca$-$Cola resulted in questions about the study and its conclusions.

Those involved in conflict situations such as these often protest, $$But I would never allow that to influence me$.$ That they have to insist they are not or would not be influenced is evidence of the conflict. Whether the conflict can or will influence those it touches is not the issue, for neither party can prove conclusively that a quid pro quo was not intended. The possibility exists, and it creates suspicion. REPHRASE