{"href":"https:\/\/www.lawhub.org\/podcasts\/i-am-the-law\/oembed\/159\/regulating-ethics-in-politics-advisory-opinions-and-agency-operations","version":"1.0","provider_name":"LawHub","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.lawhub.org","width":640,"height":280,"type":"rich","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"280\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lawhub.org\/podcasts\/i-am-the-law\/player\/159\/regulating-ethics-in-politics-advisory-opinions-and-agency-operations\" title=\"I Am The Law Episode 159: Regulating Ethics in Politics: Advisory Opinions and Agency Operations w\/ Katya Valasek\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" frameBorder=\"0\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\"><\/iframe>","title":"I Am The Law Episode 159: Regulating Ethics in Politics: Advisory Opinions and Agency Operations w\/ Katya Valasek","description":"Amanda Arriaga is General Counsel for the Texas Ethics Commission, the state agency that oversees campaign finance, lobbying, and financial disclosure. In this episode, she explains what it means to represent an institution rather than any individual official, and how her office answers questions from the public through an informal helpline and through formal advisory opinions that people can rely on afterward. Amanda also describes why most of her day goes to operations rather than legal research: reviewing agency contracts from initiation through management, training staff on procurement rules, and managing a team. She talks about the scrutiny that comes with spending money that belongs to the public, and why management is a skill more lawyers should build. Amanda is a graduate of the University of Texas.","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300,"thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/artwork.captivate.fm\/408311f5-699d-4121-a896-7de08b7143fc\/blue-logo-odd.jpg"}