News from
STATE SENATOR Liz Krueger
New York State Senate, 26th District
Events of the last month have once again highlighted the failings of too many of those who are in public service, as well as the pervasiveness of domestic violence in our society. The consequences of the actions of my now-former colleague, Hiram Monserrate, came to a head on February 9, when the Senate voted 53-8 to remove him from office in the wake of his conviction for domestic violence. After his conviction in October 2009, I immediately called on him to resign, but his unwillingness to take that step made it clear that the Senate had to act to remove him.
Unfortunately, the removal of Mr. Monserrate did not end the revelations of misbehavior by members of government. The recent allegations of domestic violence by a senior aide to Governor Paterson, as well as what appears to be inappropriate interference with that case by the State Police and the Governor, are beyond disturbing. At present these are only allegations, but if they are true, they represent a profound misuse of power. I await the completion of an investigation by the Attorney General to further comment upon the Governor's situations. And these incidents were not the end--this month, the Mayor of White Plains, a former Assemblymember, is also facing domestic abuse allegations involving attempted cover up by local police.
Beyond the issues of abuse of power in these cases, all these events highlight how far we still have to go in addressing domestic violence. New laws have expanded rights and protections, and services have improved for domestic violence victims, but the violence continues. We all hope that increased awareness of the issue has made it easier for victims to come forward, but these cases bring attention to the obstacles women and men who are abused face in getting the help they need. Perhaps these high-profile cases will help re-energize efforts to reduce domestic violence and encourage law enforcement at all levels to treat these incidents with the same seriousness they treat violence outside the family. And the consequences faced by both the perpetrators and their enablers will encourage better behavior on the part of those in positions of authority.
Meanwhile in the maelstrom which is Albany, we still have to address the budget crisis--that is our primary job, and I am focused on making sure that these other serious issues do not interfere with the budget process. When allegations regarding Governor Paterson and his staff first broke, I called on him to empower Lieutenant Governor Ravitch to take the lead role in daily budget negotiations for the administration. It was immediately clear to me that the issues facing the Governor, including multiple investigations, would distract him from government focus at a critical time for the State. We cannot afford to let this situation undermine the already difficult negotiations on how to address our $9 billion budget deficit. The crisis we face, and the functioning of a democratic model of government is bigger than any one of us, and I firmly believe that the Lieutenant Governor's experience and lack of involvement in current investigations will enable him to move us forward.