The New York Times - EDITORIAL - January 31, 2010
Gov. David Paterson is preparing to veto an ethics package passed almost unanimously by New York’s Legislature. The reforms were not nearly strong enough to address Albany’s serial lawbreaking, influence-peddling and conflicts of interest. But the veto must not mean the end of ethics reform this year. Albany desperately needs scouring. And if Mr. Paterson and lawmakers don’t come up with better rules, the voters should turn them all out this fall. For Mr. Paterson, running against the Legislature is certainly tempting. But New Yorkers should not be fooled. If the governor is truly committed to ethics reform, he needs to negotiate his own more robust changes quickly and press lawmakers — his party controls both the Assembly and the Senate — to turn them into law. The veto also does not let legislators off the hook. Their original package had some improvements but not enough. And ultimately it was hugely self-serving. The legislation called for independent commissions to oversee the behavior of the executive branch and lobbyists — including reports of any contacts between state officials and lobbyists. But it didn’t call for an independent ethics commission to oversee the Legislature. The bill gave more enforcement clout to the Board of Elections, but it didn’t clearly bar candidates from spending campaign funds for their own personal use. The bill required legislators to reveal more detail to the public about their private businesses — but exempted lawyers, citing attorney-client privilege. The first obligation of lawmakers who are lawyers is to the public. If reform dies now, all 212 legislators and the governor are to blame. Press releases do not count. One-house bills do not count. And vetoes do not count. The only thing that will matter is whether New York has sound rules — and a system to enforce them — that have a real chance of cleaning up a dirty state government.
Gov. David Paterson is preparing to veto an ethics package passed almost unanimously by New York’s Legislature. The reforms were not nearly strong enough to address Albany’s serial lawbreaking, influence-peddling and conflicts of interest. But the veto must not mean the end of ethics reform this year. Albany desperately needs scouring. And if Mr. Paterson and lawmakers don’t come up with better rules, the voters should turn them all out this fall. For Mr. Paterson, running against the Legislature is certainly tempting. But New Yorkers should not be fooled. If the governor is truly committed to ethics reform, he needs to negotiate his own more robust changes quickly and press lawmakers — his party controls both the Assembly and the Senate — to turn them into law. The veto also does not let legislators off the hook. Their original package had some improvements but not enough. And ultimately it was hugely self-serving. The legislation called for independent commissions to oversee the behavior of the executive branch and lobbyists — including reports of any contacts between state officials and lobbyists. But it didn’t call for an independent ethics commission to oversee the Legislature. The bill gave more enforcement clout to the Board of Elections, but it didn’t clearly bar candidates from spending campaign funds for their own personal use. The bill required legislators to reveal more detail to the public about their private businesses — but exempted lawyers, citing attorney-client privilege. The first obligation of lawmakers who are lawyers is to the public. If reform dies now, all 212 legislators and the governor are to blame. Press releases do not count. One-house bills do not count. And vetoes do not count. The only thing that will matter is whether New York has sound rules — and a system to enforce them — that have a real chance of cleaning up a dirty state government.
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11 comments:
VOTE THEM ALL OUT!!
VOTE FOR A CIRCUS CLOWN BEFORE YOU VOTE FOR ANYONE WHO NOW HOLDS ANY OFFICE.
VOTE THEM ALL OUT !!
DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW WRITE IN VOTES WORK?!?!
I agree. Let your vote make the needed changes.
And this includes anyone who is currently the elected attorney general and who wants to be a governor. I blame much on Cuomo, who has done nothing as far as corruption is concerned. Don't vote for Cuomo for anything. Out, out, out. With the bath water.
They should do like NASCAR.
They just wear who they are working for. Just give tnem patches to put on thier jacket.
NASCAR, the spot with more exposure the sponser pays more.
This way we know who they are working for for because it is not for the voters.
Dear Gov. Paterson: Call their legislative bluff. NY corruption flourishes because the penalty isn't equal to the crime. We don't need the feds; we need local law with teeth. The first step is to change
§ 195.00 Official misconduct.
A public servant is guilty of official misconduct when, with intent to obtain a benefit or deprive another person of a benefit:
1. He commits an act relating to his office but constituting an unauthorized exercise of his official functions, knowing that such act is unauthorized; or
2. He knowingly refrains from performing a duty which is imposed upon him by law or is clearly inherent in the nature of his office.
Official misconduct is a class A misdemeanor.
by adding 3. This law applies equally to all judges and persons serving under any judicial function
and changing
Official misconduct is a class C felony.
This will add teeth to NY laws. Purpose this to a special session and then the voters will know which legislator doesn't want official corruption to be a felony as it is federal law. FYI info: class C felonies have sentences of up to 15 years and misdemeanors less than 1 year.
January 30, 2010
Karen M Summers
6778 Bear Ridge Road
Lockport, NY 14202
Attorney Grievance Committees
438 Main Street Suite 800
Buffalo, NY 14094
rrr 70093410000142573824
Dear Ms Eagan,
I am in receipt of your letter dated January 28, 2010.
I thank you for your correspondence and your request & now denial,
that you would open a full investigation into the attorneys and my allegations & proof of Falsifying Medical Records, including and not limited to, Federal Disability Records, falsifying of Court Records, defamation, slander, etc.
I do not and have never had CFIDS, it is clear my Federal Disability Records have been altered/changed. I requested you call the Feds on this issue and your denial to investigate such claims is so noted.
It is morally unsettling to know I could almost be dead with permanent injuries by the time I was 30 and those Federal records can just be deleted by my own attorneys.
It is also morally unsettling to know my own attorneys can threaten/deny my rights and falsify anything they want to the Courts and with the approval of my Attorney Grievance Committee.
Thanking you for your time & consideration,
Karen M Summers
Dear Governor Paterson,
The above letter sent proves someone is altering every record they can to make their fake stories fit, fake stories that have had my lawyers commit felonies and violate my rights and to falsely and selectively prosecute me again.
I can not call my Sheriffs or my DA they should have investigated over 10 years ago and charged my stalker, instead they tried to falsely and selectively prosecute me and my stalker has not been charged.
VOTE THEM ALL OUT!
UNTIL WE HAVE PROPER ETHICS REFORM WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE CORRUPT CRUD THAT HAS INVADED OUR STATE, THEY USE CAMPAIGN MONEY TO INFLUENCE EVERYONE AND EVEYTHING,
OUR POLICE, LAWYERS, COURTS, STATE AND COUNTY WORKERS.........
THEY WILL TEACH EACH OTHER HOW TO ALLOW THE GOV'T TO RULE AND DENY ALL OUR RIGHTS!
WE WILL NEVER HAVE STATESMEN UNTIL A PROPER ETHICS PACKAGE IS ENACTED..........
Dear Governor Paterson,
I request your help in this matter to invoke Executive Law 63-8
and also appoint a Federal Prosecutor, since the last one this was done to committed suicide,
I would have to believe there are simulariites in the cases.
I have a right to be free from harm.
Karen M Summers
ps not only has my attorney falsified my medical history, he has false family and education history...which means my stalker does not know me but are following me around telling false stories to attorneys & doctors...
hey low lifes of Pendleton did you finally realize you got the wrong Karen Summers and why hasn't my DA prosecuted the stalkers! Do you think it would prove they were illegally using the sheriffs and DA to look up people's medical records........oh no...
we do not want anyone to know!
I would suggest that is why the last one killed herself, how many times must you tell someone I wasn't in the psych ward...or do you guys just change birthdates to make it look like your victim was in the psych ward!
sick tickets and you all should be in prison!
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