As an American ambassador in South Africa, I was confronted with questions about the governance of private resources by public servants. There was a sense that the United States, with its history of transparency in finance and plethora of Good Government groups, had a contribution to make in the fight against corruption.
My audiences were surprised by my candor about our ongoing struggles to restore public confidence in our institutions. I believed that true change was only possible if grounded in a sober recognition of just how difficult it is to establish and maintain integrity in elected office.
The above excerpt was originally published in MarketWatch.
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