While it’s not out of the ordinary for Washington power couples, the arrangement posed by Sen. Evan Bayh and his wife, Susan, warrants full transparency.

Sylvia A. Smith details Susan Bayh’s work as a member of eight corporate boards in a package of stories published today. The senator’s wife earned more than $1 million last year.

Melanie Sloan of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington points out that even though there are no Senate rules barring a spouse from serving on a corporate board, there is still an appearance that the elected official could be voting to benefit a spouse’s employer.

Barring limits on spouses’ job opportunities, members of Congress should note that an upfront acknowledgment of the potential conflict and full disclosure is the best way to ensure that the public’s interests are not ill-served.