DOI 10.1515/cjpp-2013-0018 Calif. J. Politics Policy 2014; 6(4): 577–598 Theodore Patrick Byrne* Ethical Dilemmas in a California City: Lessons in Leadership, Transparency, and Accountability Abstract: Ethical conduct is essential in order to promote and build organizations of integrity. This case study examines ethical transgressions that occurred in Bell, California, which significantly jeopardized the principles of democratic govern- ance. Ethical leadership, transparency, and accountability are effective tools which can be used to reduce the potential for future unethical conduct. Keywords: accountability; corruption; democratic governance; government; leadership; transparency. *Corresponding author: Theodore Patrick Byrne, CSUDH – Department of Public Administra- tion, 1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson, California 90747, USA, Tel.: 3107149483, e-mail: tbyrne@csudh.edu, byrnetheo@hotmail.com 1 Introduction Government organizations and their leaders are expected to act within the best interests of their constituents and promote beneficial public policy. Government organizations usually provide essential services initiated through the efforts of dedicated public servants. Ideally, these public servants collectively conspire toward achieving their unique goals and strategic objectives while avoiding con- flicts of interests and self-promotion. Each member of government in a demo- cratic society has the obligation for ensuring ethical conduct through effective leadership, thus strengthening the overall integrity of government. Though this is the way government should function, at times internal corruption is present which threatens the very dynamic of democratic governance. A case study can be used to focus on the role of democratic governance and the importance of ethical leadership within the context of city government. When high-level members of city government fail to exercise the principles of ethical leadership and/or ensure government transparency and accountability, there is a disruption in the balance of democratic governance. The failure to exercise principles of democratic governance in the city of Bell, California, resulted in cor- ruption that threatened the integrity of an entire city. Ensuring ethical principles