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KRUEGER ON ETHICS REFORM

Policy Spotlight

 

Ethics Reform

 

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In January both the Governor and the Legislature introduced competing ethics reform packages, and the Senate and Assembly later passed their bills, which Governor Paterson has since vetoed.While the inability for all sides to come to an agreement on how best to reach ethics reform was disappointing, I am hopeful that at least all parties' acknowledging the need to address reform may finally result in positive change.

 

I have been an advocate for ethics reform since the day I first campaigned for Senate.I know our government can and should be held to higher standards.  And I voted for the ethics reform bill because I could not reject the clear incremental improvements over existing law contained in the legislation.

 

The bill was also largely supported by Good Government groups including the League of Women Voters, NYPIRG and Citizens Union.

 

Some key aspects of the bill included:

 

*        Restoration of an independent State commission on lobbying and an expanded definition of lobbying;

*        Creation of an independent executive ethics and compliance commission;

*        Full public access to legislative financial disclosure filings;

*        Creation of an Legislative Office of Ethics Investigation empowered to investigate ethics complaints brought by the public or other government entities;

*      New enforcement powers for the Board of Elections in investigations of violations of campaign finance laws; and

*       New substantial penalties for candidates and committees found to violate those laws.

 

Given how long I have been fighting for ethics reform, I simply cannot see the value in sacrificing these real improvements because the legislation did not go as far as I would like.  The bill reflected a "down payment" on the ethics reform which New Yorker's truly deserve.  In spite of the Governor's veto, we must now continue our progress and pass legislation which will limit lobbyist contributions, reform campaign finance rules, revoke the pensions of elected officials convicted of crimes while in office, and restrict how campaign funds can be spent.

 

I carry a number of additional bills that the Governor indicated he wanted to see as part of the reform package, and I will be working to convince my colleagues in both houses of the legislature that these reforms should be adopted, particularly since the Governor already supports them and therefore would not be expected to veto them.  The bills I sponsor are:

 

*       S743, which would strengthen laws to ensure that campaign funds not be used for personal expenses;

*       S744, which requires disclosure of business relationships between lobbyists and public officials and dramatically lowers the campaign contribution limits for lobbyists; and

*      S1733, which prohibits public officials convicted of crimes connected to their office from receiving State pension benefits.

 

The reforms the Senate and Assembly passed and the Governor vetoed must not be not the end of the road.  I will continue to push for the adoption of a comprehensive ethics reform package, as well as for meaningful campaign finance reform which is another

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