A Fond du Lac Ethics Board ruling that Fond du Lac city councilmember Ben Giles violated a section of the Ethics Code has been dismissed. At a hearing Friday a Winnebago County circuit judge agreed with Ben Giles’ claim that his right to due process was violated because he did not receive any advance notice at an Ethics Board hearing in February that he could be found in violation of the Code for consulting outside counsel, and that the violation was not set forth in either complaint against him. The Ethics Board found that Giles violated the Dedicated Service section of the Ethics Code when he sought outside counsel after the city attorney advised him not to participate in council debates and votes concerning the Lakeside Park Master plan placing the city at potential risk for liability . But at Friday’s hearing the judge said there was nothing in the ethics code that prohibits elected officials from contacting outside counsel. Giles’ attorney Dan Bach told WFDL news he thinks “Its unfortunate that Ben had to go through this whole process.” “He didn’t do anything wrong.”
