News flash: Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz has been fined $20,000 for taking his wife with him on a series of overseas junkets.Disclosure: I would probably not be examining this particular ethics issue were it not the depths of the summer news doldrums. Very little newsworthy happens in New York in August this time of year except for weather and crime. This year we've also had the arrival of gay marriage, which is a huge story, but one that has not exactly been under-reported.More... (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-collins/marty-markowitz-fined-junketeering_b_909656.html)