Ethics and Morality

When someone is lobbying they are trying to influence another person to see something their way.   Bribery on the other hand is paying a person to go along with them.   Lobbying is actually legal whereas Bribery is not legal. Basically, to better understand the difference of lobbying and bribery is that lobbying is the request for a donation without having get anything for the donation.   Bribery includes quid pro quo, an absolute swap for one good or service for another is the best way to understand the differences.

The anti-bribery prohibition act has an exception which makes a distinction between bribery and enabling or “grease payment” and maybe allowable under the FCPA, however still may violate the local laws.   Primarily the distinction is that “grease payments” is made to a representative for expediting the performance of the duties already under his purview.   Payments to foreign officials may be legal under the FCPA if the payments are permitted under the written laws of the host country. Certain payments or reimbursements relating to product promotion may also be permitted under the FCPA (Foley & Lardner, n.d.).   With this in mind, is the argument that the Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC) members can make to show payments made didn’t fit the definition of illegal bribery.

The appropriate punishment that the members could face is dependent on the severity of the crime against the ethical and legal violation of the state.   However, the individuals should face stringent punishment, whether it is expulsion from their post or face jail time and again dependent on the severity the crime.

Only enforce the remedies against those who have violated the obligation thereby placing the expulsion on them.   The community did not have anything to do with the breach of the crime therefore should not have any obligation to remedy the crime they did not cause.  

References
Foley & Lardner LLP. (n.d.). The FCPA Explained. Retrieved from...