What is, "ethics plagued," really?

We appreciate Matt McBride and The Lens for reporting on the Mayor's last minute withdrawal of Kimberly Thomas's nomination to a new term at Sewerage and Water Board.  Thomas has served previously in that capacity from 2014 to 2017. But during that time, she racked up citations from the state ethics board for failing to file financial disclosure forms. 

I don't know how seriously we should take that. I mean, failure to fill out a form isn't the worst sort of offense one can conjure. I haven't renewed my brake tag since 2019. Maybe I'll get around to it.  Or maybe the legislature will simply do away with the requirement before it becomes a problem.  There have been bills proposing to do that in successive sessions.  Those haven't passed yet. But was has passed is a general weakening of the ethics board and its power to enforce its rules against minor violations like Thomas's.  So one can understand why she might me a bit cavalier. According to McBride's article, she only recently paid her $1500 fine almost as a technical prerequisite to her reappointment.  The article also points out that 47 of 51 SWB members since

2014 have incurred some sort of ethics citation for similar delinquencies.

So maybe none of this matters.  The mayor and council didn't seem to think so until Thursday.  It's likely Thomas's nomination will be resubmitted soon anyway.  

On the other hand, maybe we should find out more about whether/when/why she lives/works at Harlan Crow's house in Georgia. 

The June 30, 2023 letter from Kimberly Thomas included an additional curiosity. While it was faxed from an Office Depot in Harvey, the header of the letter was her name and address: 542 East 32nd Street in Savannah, Ga, a house that had made headlines because of its 2014 sale from Kimberly Thomas’ uncle, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and his relatives to Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow. Justice Thomas was forced to amend his 2014 financial disclosure when the sale, originally undeclared, was exposed by ProPublica. ProPublica also reported Leola Williams, Justice Thomas’ mother, was living in the house rent free as of April 2023.

Is there a form to fill out that would tell us that?