That’s Gov. Mike Whatshisname’s working definition of ethics in government: Don’t Get Caught.

What a slimeball.

Recall the attempt to game — to fix, to rig — energy policy by setting up the governor’s former utilities commish as a consultant go-between for energy companies and enviros. Now Whatshisname has come down hard on his staffers involved in the scheme.

“Guys, we’ve got to be smarter than this.” Thanks, guv.

No doubt.

Bonus observation: We have perhaps, what, a year or two until these rubes in state government figure out that putting their little schemes in email message results in the little schemes becoming public. Without email we would know next to nothing about recent scandals in Raleigh.