The State Ethics Commission is composed of five volunteer Commissioners, one appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; one appointed by the League of Women Voters of Vermont, who is a member of the League; one appointed by the Board of Directors of the Vermont Society of Certified Public Accountants, who is a member of the Society; one member appointed by the Board of Managers of the Vermont Bar Association, who is a member of the Association; and one member appointed by the Vermont State Council of Human Resource Management, who is a member of the Association. Commissioners are independent of their appointing authority and do not represent the interests of any third party while serving on the Commission.
To preserve the independence of the Commission, Commissioners may not hold any office in the Legislative, Executive, or Judicial Branch of State government or be otherwise employed by the State; hold or enter into any lease or contract with the State, or have a controlling interest in a company that holds or enters into a lease or contract with the State; be a lobbyist; be a candidate for State, legislative, or elected judicial office; or hold any office in a State, legislative, or elected judicial office candidate’s committee, political committee, or a political party.