The new Governor of New York was sworn in yesterday. He immediately established new ethical rules for state workers:

Yet Mr. Spitzer’s work began hours before the speech: He signed five executive orders before 9 a.m., including directives establishing new ethical guidelines for state workers, among them a ban on accepting almost any gifts, as well as new restrictions on lobbying and the use of state resources. He also barred elected officials or candidates from appearing in advertisements paid for by state entities, a frequent practice of Mr. Pataki.

Spitzer made ethics a top priority for his administration. Hi's actions apply only to state workers -- although he issued a challenge to the other branches of government in his state:

In signing his executive orders, Mr. Spitzer said he was fulfilling a promise “that one of the first acts I would take as governor, officially, was to put in place a series of ethics guidelines and strictures that would begin the process of restoring government to what it should be, which is responsive, open, transparent, available to the public.

“I am hoping that others in other branches will join me in this,” he added.

Mr. Spitzer prohibited nepotism in hiring and contracting, and barred former state workers from lobbying the agency or authority where they worked for two years after their departure. State employment officials were also barred from asking job candidates about their party affiliation.

Mr. Spitzer also prohibited state workers from making contributions to the campaigns of the governor or lieutenant governor, or affiliated political action committees.