Senate Democrats Introduce Ethics Reform (Updated)
Senate Democrats released their own ethics reform bill today after Gov. David Paterson proposed his own measures last week.
Sponsored by freshman Sen. Daniel Squadron, D-Manhattan, the legislation is backed by 18 other Democratic senators and calls for the creation of an independent Commission on Governmental Ethics, which would oversee both the legislative and executive branches.
The nine-member commission would be made up of three appointees from the governor and one from the comptroller, the attorney general, Senate majority leader, Senate minority leader, Assembly speaker and the Assembly minority leader.
Paterson last week proposed a five-member panel that would be picked by a 10-member “designating commission” for five-year terms. Legislative leaders didn’t back Paterson’s plan.
But in a statement, Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, applauded Squadron for “taking the lead on ethics reform to create an independent body with the strength and authority to bring real change to Albany.”
Updated: Blair Horner at NYPIRG put together this handy chart that shows the various proposals on ethics and legislative reforms. Also, he said that Assemblyman George Latimer, D-Rye, plans to sponsor Squadron’s bill in the Assembly.
Reforming New York State Ethics
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They should submit this stuff to Woody Allen for use in a comedy. Politicians appoint political operatives to oversee the politicians who appointed them. The song may be gone, but the malady lingers on. I’d like to be mayor and appoint my brother police chief and see if he tickets me.