You shouldn’t be able to leave government on Friday and get paid to lobby your former coworkers on Monday.

And you shouldn’t be able to learn something confidential because you work for the public — then use that information to place a bet and make yourself richer.

Seems obvious, right?

Well, until this week, San Diego County’s rules didn’t fully stop either one.

Now they will.

This week, the Board of Supervisors approved my proposal to close two ethics loopholes before somebody here gets the chance to exploit them.

Government Isn’t a Casino

Prediction markets are exploding.

Apps like Kalshi and Polymarket let people bet on elections, government decisions — even what public officials are going to say!

And yes, people with inside access have already figured out how to make money from it. One former White House staffer reportedly made more than $100,000 betting on what the President would say in his own speeches.

Think about that.

Someone gets information because of their government job — information you don’t have — and turns it into a payday.

That is not public service.

So we’re making clear that County officials cannot use confidential government information to gamble for personal profit.

And We’re Slamming the Revolving Door

There was another loophole that needed closing.

County officials could leave government and quickly turn around and get paid to lobby the same institution — monetizing relationships and access they built while taxpayers were paying their salary.

That’s changing too.

Our new rules establish a two-year lobbying ban for former County officials and employees.

Because working for the public should not be a networking opportunity for your next private-sector payday.

Why This Matters

Most ethics laws exist because somebody did something outrageous first. A scandal happens. Everyone gets angry. Then government finally closes the loophole.

I’d rather close the loophole first.

That’s the same principle behind the broader accountability reforms I’ve been pushing at the County — including an Independent Ethics Commission and stronger transparency around how taxpayer dollars are spent.

You make government more trustworthy by making the rules clear.

You make those rules apply to everyone.

And you make sure somebody independent is watching.

That’s how you make abuse harder in the first place.

And this November, San Diego voters will have an opportunity to weigh in on major reforms to strengthen independent oversight and accountability at the County.

So stay engaged. Ask questions. Demand receipts. And if you believe public office should actually mean public service, share this email with someone who does too.

We shouldn’t need a scandal to know right from wrong.

Today, we acted before we got one.