It is better to take the harder right than the easier wrong.

This concept, which comes from a saying at West Point Military Academy, was the basis of the speech former FBI agent Oliver Halle gave to MPA students Sept. 6.

Halle, an FBI agent for 28 years, specialized in investigating white collar crime during his last 17 years with the bureau. He noticed a disturbing pattern among the people being convicted of extortion, bribery, fraud and other white collar crimes. The majority had professional licenses and degrees and were the people wearing coats and ties to work every day. They were regular people, living in suburbia, whose neighbors would never have suspected would commit a felony.

Halle explained to students that these ordinary people once considered themselves to be honest and morally sound, just as most students do now. They just felt some kind of pressure that ended up pushing them over the edge and into crime. In order to avoid this happening to future business leaders, Halle urged the MPA students to do two things:

1. Have a personal code of ethics, so that you always know where you draw the line.
2. Remember that it is better to fail with honor than to succeed with fraud.

A Criminal's Regret

Joining Halle was Josh Kenyon, the former chief of staff to the commission chairman of the largest county in Georgia. A self-described nerd, Kenyon never thought he would end up being a felon. He even reported an attempted bribe on himself to the FBI. However, a few years later Kenyon’s position switched as he found himself as a defendant in a bribery scheme. 

At first, when Kenyon’s former boss began asking him to do things that seemed slightly unethical, Kenyon didn’t want to say no because he thought he was creating an important relationship with the commissioner. Like any employee, Kenyon said he also refrained from speaking up because he didn’t want to risk losing his job or not being seen as a team player. However, as Kenyon’s wife became pregnant with twins and unexpected expenses began coming his way, Kenyon found it harder and harder to say no to the possibilities of extra money, even if they were illegal.

Kenyon described how it felt to lose his family after being convicted, and Halle recalled hearing Kenyon’s voice on the phone as he awaited trial with nowhere to live and no friends left in his rolodex to help him out.

While taking the harder right can often upend your life, Halle and Kenyon want students to know that it is the better and more ethical choice. Taking the easier wrong may seem easy now, but it will surely catch up with you.