An ethical double standard

A political scandal that erupted in San Diego 16 years ago indirectly established a peculiar — and unseemly — ethical double standard regarding local ballot measures.
Simply put, while it may be legal for public officials to mislead the public in seeking approval of bond and tax measures — which they often do — it’s illegal to mislead bankers when those measures are implemented.
The San Diego case involved a $500 million bond issue that city officials were