“Ethics reform” has been a buzz phrase heard in Albany and around the state a lot over the last few years, and for good reason. Lately, there have been several high profile cases of wrongdoing by state officials. However, as is often the case in state politics, what is meant by “ethics reform” depends who is providing the rhetoric.

The Governor, for example, has advocated that ethics reform should include public financing of campaigns. A number of left-leaning advocacy groups, the Speaker of the Assembly, and other NYC politicians have also come out in favor of public financing of campaigns. Interestingly, no one has demonstrated how public financing of campaigns would have prevented any of the scandals that have rocked Albany as of late. Certainly, it is difficult to argue that public financing of campaigns would prevent sexual harassment, misappropriation of legislative per diems or member items, or straight out bribery--the core charges that have ensnared various legislators over the past decade.

There was a push by the governor and others to get public financing of campaigns for all state elected offices in this year's budget. Fortunately, that did not happen. Rather a compromise was reached and public financing was adopted only for the Office of the State Comptroller. Interestingly, the comptroller, who has long advocated for public financing and voted for it when he served in the State Assembly, has indicated that he will opt out of the system this election year. Apparently, it is a good system other than when it applies to him. There also has been hypocrisy from other supporters of public financing such as Jonathan Soros, the son of billionaire NYC financier George Soros, who has spent tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions in an effort to get public financing enacted in New York State. Apparently, it is non-corrupting when he spends money to influence the legislature, but it is corrupting when others do so.

I am of the belief that there are other “ethics reforms” that could be enacted that would be much more effective in fighting public corruption and other misdeeds. In fact, I was happy that some of these measures made it into this year's state budget. For example, there were provisions in this year's budget that increased penalties for bribery and created more serious crimes of government corruption. There was also a provision that created a chief enforcement counsel within the State Board of Elections to head a new Division of Elections Law Enforcement. The chief enforcement counsel will have the sole authority within the state board to investigate on his or her own initiative, or upon complaints, alleged violations of campaign finance and other statutes governing campaign, elections and related procedures. Finally, the budget also establishes a new compliance unit within the Board of Elections to examine campaign finance statements.

While this is a start, there is more that we can do. Amazingly, in New York, a person who served in office and is convicted of a felony related to his or her official duties (e.g., taking a bribe) still can draw their state pension. In fact, according to news reports, in 2011, the state was paying $2.6 million in pensions to former state lawmakers convicted of bribery, corruption, racketeering, mail fraud, and/or burglary. I sponsor common sense legislation that would amend our state constitution to end this ridiculous practice and prevent a crooked politician convicted of a felony from collecting his or her state pension.

In addition, I have drafted and introduced legislation that would create an independent Assembly ethics committee as opposed to an ethics committee that the Assembly currently has. The current committee is indirectly controlled by the Speaker of the Assembly and, therefore, is subject to, or at least has the appearance of being subject to, political manipulation. My legislation requires that any complaint made against an Assembly member or a staff member would have to be referred to the committee. The committee will have the power to investigate the claim or refer it to another appropriate investigative entity such as the district attorney's office. This ethics committee will also be able to impose various penalties or, in certain cases, recommend penalties be imposed by a vote of the full Assembly. The committee would be made up of an equal number of Assembly Majority and Minority members and would be co-chaired by members of both parties. In addition, committee staff would be hired by the co-chairs as opposed to the Speaker.

The latest scandals in Albany are an embarrassment and, unfortunately, delegitimize the legislature as a whole. Voters should demand that Albany be cleaned up and that "ethics reform" includes actual reform that directly addresses some of the many and, unfortunately, recurring scandals that have infected our state government as of late.

If you have any questions or comments, or if you would like to be added to my mailing list or receive my newsletter, please contact my office by mail at 200 North Second Street, Fulton, New York 13069, by e-mail at barclaw@assembly.state.ny.us or by calling (315) 598-5185.