September 19, 2008
Spotlight on outside earnings of state lawmakers
Perhaps it was the federal indictment on Assemblyman Tony Seminario. Or a case of getting religion on the eve of Election Day. Whatever the cause, leaders of the state Legislature now say they favor requiring lawmakers to publicly disclose more about their outside income.
Seminario was indicted September 9 on bribery charges. The U.S. Attorney alleges that during eight-year period he took $500,000 in bribes, funneling the payments through a consulting firm based in his home.
Neither Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, or Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, a Republican, has said how far their disclosure plans would go (here, here). For example, are they willing to publicly list their outside earnings as attorneys and identify their legal clients?
When the New York Sun asked them to do so this week, Silver and Skelos, through spokesmen, declined. The Sun reports:
In Albany, it's hard to find a lawmaker defending the current system. In theory, most are supportive of stricter reporting requirements...In practice, few are willing to share information beyond what the law requires.
On Thursday, Common Cause, New York Public Interest Research Group, League of Women Voters and Citizens Union called for an overhaul of the state ethics law (here, here and here).
The New York Times writes:
"The Seminerio case, however it plays out, reminds voters Albany is an ethical mess," said Blair Horner, legislative director of the New York Public Interest Research Group. "We don't think self-regulation works. Clearly the evidence shows it doesn't work."
The groups seek creation of an independent ethics agency overseeing both legislative and executive branch employees. They also want legislators to disclose more details of their outside income.
Legislators must file annual financial reports, listing earnings exceeding $1,000 within six broad ranges, the top being over $250,000. The ranges are redacted when the reports are made public. So constituents know, for example, only that a legislator owns at least $1,000 in IBM stock, but not whether the stock is worth $1,000 or $1 million.
« Previous |
Main
| Next »
|
