Conservatives Call for Stronger Ethics Reform

Ft. Hamilton Station, NY – Chairman Michael R. Long put the 212 Legislative Members on notice that the “comprehensive” reforms to strengthen New York’s Ethics and Lobbying Laws should include the following outlined in the legislative memo below:

We are not opposed to reforming the method of doing business in the Legislature. In fact, there are many ideas put forth in this proposal that should be incorporated…after there is serious discussion on the proposal.

Shining a light on how things are accomplished in Albany is a positive step.

Many of the items addressed in this bill are based on relationships between a lobbyist and legislators or their staffs as well as statewide officials and their staffs regarding gifts that may be given or solicited and steep penalties if either is done. The media has made an issue as to how, without strict limits, relationships can corrupt the system and those who have succumbed to a level of giving and accepting. It is the person that is weak and succumbs to the temptations…even if they are set at the lowest possible denominator. Laws, while well intentioned for the most part, are broken every day by those who have no regard for the law.

If this is to be considered a serious piece of legislation, we believe it would include provisions that a legislator would lose his pension if he continually violates the newly revised public officers law,
intentionally violates public trust or uses their office for personal financial gain.

We also believe that if this new Commission on Public Integrity is to be independent that the
Commissioners would not be appointed by the Governor (7) and one each by the Attorney General, Comptroller and each legislative leader. By our count, the Governor would control the Commission and while this Governor may be well intentioned, we believe it is only shifting the power to one person while creating another bureaucracy that will eventually be just like all the rest.

We urge you to reject what three men in a room agreed to and to put forward proposals that will allow for the free exchange of ideas between lobbyist and legislators without the perception of being bought.
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LM 2007-01