Corruption in New York
By Pat Gareau
The Chairman of the Commission, William Fitzpatrick, said in a radio interview , “If we discover criminality, and I can tell you without being tantalizing, I can tell you that we have, then we will refer that to the proper prosecutorial agency.”
Elected officials in New York have been involved in scandal after scandal in recent years. According to the New York Times, 32 office holders in New York have been indicted or charged in the last seven years.
Governor Cuomo has launched a series of initiatives as an attempt to clean up Albany. In addition to the Moreland Commission, he proposed the Public Trust Act earlier this year, which would have made ethics laws for elected officials stricter and offenses more punishable. The Public Trust Act hasn’t made it through the legislature.
Assemblymen and Senators have been at odds with Cuomo over the probe. The Moreland Commission has requested records of all outside income from the legislators through its subpoena power, which has been met with the accusation that Cuomo is abusing his executive power.
The State Senate Republican Campaign Committee feel that the Moreland Commission has been used as a political tool and has filed their grievance in the Supreme Court. It believes that Cuomo is directing the investigative team, which was supposed to be independent, and that its findings will be used as reason to reintroduce the reforms from the Public Trust Act as well as a campaign finance agenda.
Republicans also alleged that they have been targeted more throughout the investigation than their Democratic counterparts.
Democrats have joined the Republicans in a joint action, filing papers in the Manhattan Supreme Court on Friday, claiming forced disclosure of outside income is unconstitutional.
It’s hard to tell whether this is all a genuine attempt to clean up corruption or a political ploy to enhance the notion that the Democratic Party champions ethical reform. Throughout the process, leaders in New York have essentially admitted that our government is severely corrupted. How do we take a leap of faith and trust that any of them are above the fray?
All sides have been dirty. Pedro Espada, Democrat, former State Senate President, was indicted in 2010 on charges of embezzlement and theft. Espada’s ethical breaches as an elected official are numerous. He was convicted in 2012 and faces a lengthy jail sentence.
On the Republican side, just look at our baseball stadium. Although Joe Bruno has not been found guilty, the former Senate Majority Leader has been a center of controversy and was indicted in 2009 for defrauding New York State of millions of dollars. His legal matters are still ongoing.
That’s the top Republican and top Democrat in the Senate both being accused and indicted on major corruption charges in recent years.
Other notable scandals in the politics of New York State include Malcolm Smith, Hiram Monserrate, and Shirley Huntley, among others. Don’t forget Eliot Spitzer, former governor and prostitute connoisseur.
The Center for Public Integrity has given New York State a grade of “D.” Surprisingly, they have ranked 13 states as more corrupt than New York.
It will be interesting to see whether or not Cuomo’s efforts produce any real change in the culture of state politics. My best guess is that until there is a more diligent and engaged electorate to keep lawmakers on a tight leash, then there will be a serious lack of accountability.
If the Moreland Commission creates a shakeup, then the public’s attention might be grabbed to the point of demanding change. Improvement has to come from the people. Don’t expect our corrupt government to change on it’s own accord.