Family of US ambassador Woody Johnson bought London properties, sources say

While U.S. ambassadors are subject to strict rules and established norms, it's unusual for the families of diplomats to do business where they're posted. Conflict of interest rules can apply to assets owned or acquired by a spouse or dependent children, but not other family members, said Delaney Marsco, a lawyer at the Campaign Legal Center, a Washington non-profit organization that advocates for restricting the influence of money in politics. But she says that the deals don't look good. "There's an appearance issue here," said Marsco, who specializes in ethics. "We should expect folks who are representing the United States to avoid even the appearance of a conflict."

Read the full article here.