CURRAN CALLS FOR MAJOR ETHICS OVERHAUL FOR STATE ASSEMBLY

Editor’s Note: Click here for an .mp4 file of Assemblyman Curran speaking about today’s proposed reforms.

Assemblyman Brian Curran (Lynbrook – 21st A.D.) joined Assembly Republican Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C-Canandaigua) and their Assembly Republican colleagues at a press conference today in Albany to present a major ethics reform overhaul for the New York State Assembly. The press conference discussed 17 rules changes for the Assembly that would make the chamber more transparent, accountable, and representative of all New Yorkers throughout the state; the toughest ethics package in the country, the Public Officer’s Accountability Act (A4617); pension forfeiture; ending Albany’s practice of “three men in a room”; and term limits for legislative leaders. Curran called the announcement a major break from status quo state government. Preceding the press conference, Curran and his colleagues introduced the amendments on the floor of the Assembly that were then defeated and blocked by the Assembly Democrats.

“What the majority of New Yorkers want is real change to a broken and self-service way of government. These changes are common-sense solutions that will bring greater transparency and accountability to our institution, which has suffered for decades due to corruption and unethical behavior,” said Curran, the five-year Ranking Member on the Assembly Ethics Committee who has exposed seven Assembly members of corruption and is a sponsor of the proposals. “It’s really sad that the public has no trust in its government, but we still have Assembly Democrats and their leadership continually blocking these proposals in the Assembly. If their leadership was serious about making reforms and changes to the way Albany operates, then they would work with us and support these measures.”

Some of the reforms being proposed include:

· Instituting eight-year term limits for legislative leaders and committee chairs, including Speaker of the Assembly;

· Requiring the return of campaign funds to donors or charity upon felony convictions;

· Creating a new crime for failure to report corruption;

· True pension forfeiture of elected officials who are found in violation of the public’s trust;

· Limiting use of campaign funds to campaign activities and prohibiting use of those funds for criminal defense fees;

· Replacing the Joint Commission on Public Ethics with a truly independent investigative panel;

· Allowing each member of the Legislature, during each two-year term, to bring one substantive piece of legislation of his or her choosing to the floor for a vote;

· Requiring a two-thirds majority vote for Messages of Necessity submitted by the governor to be accepted; and

· More.

“There is no better time to address the issue of corruption in our government,” said Curran. “If the past is any indication, however, we will watch the Assembly Democrats vote down or block each of these proposals that would help prevent the abuse of power by elected officials and give the public greater access and awareness on how the Assembly conducts its business.”

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