Abstract:
What would prompt an elected official to take on what appears to be a moral cause with little immediate political benefit? That is the implicit political ethics question raised by this case, which describes the somewhat quixotic, decade-long effort of Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy to block, through legislation, the export of so-called "unregistered" pesticides -- that is, agricultural chemicals that were not approved for sale in the United States. As chairman of the Senate Agricultural Committee when he began his crusade, Leahy sought to make reform of U.S. pesticide export policy a centerpiece of his tenure, notwithstanding the hostility of commercial interests with close ties to the committee and the indifference of the public.
Learning Objective:
The case is meant to stimulate discussion of the moral and ethical dimensions of public office, including not only the question of an official's motivation but of the appropriateness of an elected official advancing causes which are not of any evident moment to his constituents. Is this self-indulgence or leadership? The case can also be useful as a window into the committee structure of the U.S. Congress and the ways in which proposals rise or fall.
