The New York Post by Carl Campanile - November 12, 2010
Corrupt Albany politicians may have finally met their match.
State Inspector General Joseph Fisch yesterday proposed the creation of a crimebusting office with sweeping powers to investigate all branches of state and local governments -- including members of the scandal-scarred Legislature. "These are drastic times that require unorthodox solutions," Fisch told The Post. He said he wanted a watchdog "with the authority and power and jurisdiction to look at the whole ball of wax." Fisch noted that, under the law, the state inspector general only has authority to probe wrongdoing in the state executive branch or officers who fall under the employ of the governor -- not state lawmakers. And he said there was no credible, independent agency to police the Legislature. A beefed-up corruption-fighting agency would require approval of the governor and Legislature. Fisch said the appointment of the agency should be made by Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo. "He has demonstrated his commitment to reform," Fisch said during a meeting with The Post editorial board. Asked if the state's legislative leaders are committed to ethics reform, Fisch said, "I think the facts speak for themselves." His bold plan comes on the heels of a devastating report he issued about the Aqueduct casino bid-rigging scandal. The probe accused Albany players -- particularly Senate Democratic leader John Sampson and other key Senate officials -- of cavorting with lobbyists to steer the contract to a favored bidder, AEG.
A rogues' gallery of lawmakers from both parties has ended up in handcuffs for various crimes in recent years, largely thanks to federal prosecutors -- not state ethics probers. They include former Queens Assemblyman and labor leader Brian McLaughlin, Queens Assemblyman Tony Seminerio, ex-Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and Bronx Sen. Guy Velella, among others. Fisch said a new watchdog agency could be modeled after the defunct State Investigations Commission. "I was saddened by the elimination of an entity which had all the authority and power to look at every aspect of government -- city, local, state, legislature, judiciary, executive -- everything," Fisch said. Fisch said he intends to meet with Cuomo to discuss corruption fighting and ethics reform. A Cuomo spokesman, asked about Fisch's proposal, referred to the incoming governor's "Clean Up Albany" campaign policy book. In it, Cuomo proposed setting up an "independent" state ethics commission with enforcement powers to probe and punish ethics violations and law-breaking by members of the executive and legislative branches. Government watchdogs consider the Legislative Ethics Commission, which should police lawmakers but rarely does, a joke.
State Inspector General Joseph Fisch yesterday proposed the creation of a crimebusting office with sweeping powers to investigate all branches of state and local governments -- including members of the scandal-scarred Legislature. "These are drastic times that require unorthodox solutions," Fisch told The Post. He said he wanted a watchdog "with the authority and power and jurisdiction to look at the whole ball of wax." Fisch noted that, under the law, the state inspector general only has authority to probe wrongdoing in the state executive branch or officers who fall under the employ of the governor -- not state lawmakers. And he said there was no credible, independent agency to police the Legislature. A beefed-up corruption-fighting agency would require approval of the governor and Legislature. Fisch said the appointment of the agency should be made by Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo. "He has demonstrated his commitment to reform," Fisch said during a meeting with The Post editorial board. Asked if the state's legislative leaders are committed to ethics reform, Fisch said, "I think the facts speak for themselves." His bold plan comes on the heels of a devastating report he issued about the Aqueduct casino bid-rigging scandal. The probe accused Albany players -- particularly Senate Democratic leader John Sampson and other key Senate officials -- of cavorting with lobbyists to steer the contract to a favored bidder, AEG.
A rogues' gallery of lawmakers from both parties has ended up in handcuffs for various crimes in recent years, largely thanks to federal prosecutors -- not state ethics probers. They include former Queens Assemblyman and labor leader Brian McLaughlin, Queens Assemblyman Tony Seminerio, ex-Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and Bronx Sen. Guy Velella, among others. Fisch said a new watchdog agency could be modeled after the defunct State Investigations Commission. "I was saddened by the elimination of an entity which had all the authority and power to look at every aspect of government -- city, local, state, legislature, judiciary, executive -- everything," Fisch said. Fisch said he intends to meet with Cuomo to discuss corruption fighting and ethics reform. A Cuomo spokesman, asked about Fisch's proposal, referred to the incoming governor's "Clean Up Albany" campaign policy book. In it, Cuomo proposed setting up an "independent" state ethics commission with enforcement powers to probe and punish ethics violations and law-breaking by members of the executive and legislative branches. Government watchdogs consider the Legislative Ethics Commission, which should police lawmakers but rarely does, a joke.
Better late than never I guess.
ReplyDeleteEthics panel sets Monday hearing for Rangel
ReplyDeleteBy David Sands-The Washington Times3:35 p.m., Friday, November 12, 2010Rep. Charles B. Rangel, New York Democrat
A House panel has set a Monday morning date to hear the ethics case against New York Democratic Rep. Charles B. Rangel, former chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and long one of the most influential black lawmakers in Congress.
The 9 a.m. Monday session announced by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct will come on the first day lawmakers arrive back in Washington to begin the lame-duck legislative session following the November mid-term elections. Mr. Rangel, who easily won re-election in his Harlem district to a 21st term Nov. 2, has insisted he is innocent of the charges and has rejected offers to settle the charges.
The ethics case — and one still pending against another top black Democratic lawmaker, Rep. Maxine Waters of California — proved an embarrassment to the party in an election where congressional Democrats suffered heavy losses.
Committee Chairwoman Rep. Zoe Lofgren, California Democrat, announced last month that hearings into the two cases would be held during the lame-duck session.
Mr. Rangel, who recently fired the attorneys representing him and could defend himself at Monday's hearing, is accused of 13 violations of congressional ethics, including failing to disclose at least $600,000 in assets and income in a series of inaccurate financial-disclosure reports to Congress and using a rent-subsidized New York apartment for a campaign office, when it was designated for residential use. The hearing could reportedly last several days.
Mrs. Waters' case, relating to charges she improperly aided a bank with ties to her husband, is tentatively scheduled to start Nov. 29.
Mr. Fisch is this insipid dementia beginning? Mr.Fisch, didn't you know Cuomo was personally soliciting in the Aqueduct (AEG) scandal? Will the fox, Cuomo, be appointing foxes or chickens to his ethics boards, Mr. Fisch? Please, Mr. Fisch, show respect for others, even if you lost yours.
ReplyDeleteDon't get too excited.
ReplyDeleteThey are not going to touch the judiciary or legal profession.
Since almost all legislators are lawyers, you can be sure that connection will be protected.
In other words, nothing is going to change.
What most people don' understand is that the US Government, through the FBI, the DOJ, and the CIA both want and need to keep the people they rule in a state of perpetual fear.
ReplyDeleteThe mechanisms and tools they use to keep certain Attorneys that they don't like, or don't "toe their political line," in fear, are the unfair, oppressive, arbitrary, and racist Departmental Disciplinary Committee and the Fee Dispute Committee with their purposefully grey and amorphous "Ethics Rules," which they broadly interpret when it suits them, and forgve the severe transgressions of those they like.
This is the inherent problem with the DDC and the Fee Dispute Committee today in New York City.
The Ku Klux Klan ("KKK") against minority and politically unpopular Attorneys is alive and well in New York City - it's just called the DDC and the Fee Dispute Committee.
ReplyDelete"Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses." - Rage Against The Machine (1994).
THIS IS A BAD JOKE! PRAY TELL WHAT DID PRINCE ANDREW "C" DO ABOUT CORRUPTION WHILE HE HAS BE AG? I KNOW PEOPLE WHO WROTE HIM WITH EVIDENCE AND ALL THEY EVER GOT WAS A FORM LETTER AT BEST AND NEVER ANY FOLLOW-UP. ALL WE GOT WAS A COVER-UP! AGAIN, THIS IS A BAD JOKE!
ReplyDeleteI say the complete system is a joke including but not limited to the IG
ReplyDeletethe system is a joke because the legal profession is told who has rights and who doesn't and if you follow the rules for those who want the power, they will in turn at some time return the favor!
ReplyDeletewrite all the laws you want, spend billions of dollars doing that, never read a dam thing, never actually enforce the law only when you have a target and whallah.....the lawyers and judges have no say in the law.......
did you get a cover up or did you actually get a letter saying we know.....it is corrupt!
great way to break these unions, our banks, our gov't........
ReplyDeleteand get everyone fighting and hating, keep the little people fighting
great job in New York State and should be the model for all other States!
can we now change the insanity that has ruled this state for 20+ years can we all start to actually caring about each other again and stop hurting each other?
what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong!
HOW JEWS DESTROY OTHER RACE’S BUSINESSES
ReplyDeleteWhen Jewish business owners find another successful business owned by a different race than theirs, their first inclination is to destroy it so that they remain on top. Some of the methods these Jews use to destroy or cripple other race’s businesses include:
(1) Defaming them on the Internet, Media, and in Social Settings;
(2 Using their Jewish Head-Hunters to steal their best Employees and to breed disloyalty within the ranks (only to fire them after a few months);
(3) Use their Jewish brethren and contacts on the relevant Disciplinary Committee, Licensing Committee, or Regulatory Committee to start pursuing frivolous investigations into their company, right down to the bone, looking painstakingly for ANY irregularities with which to hang the business with;
(4) Use their Jewish brethren and contacts on the relevant Taxing Authority, Department of Labor, or other Regulatory Committee to start pursuing frivolous audits into their company, right down to the bone, looking painstakingly for ANY irregularities with which to hang the business with;
(5) Corporate espionage (good old fashion spying) using computer/server hacking techniques to steal their data and client information or even better, real live Jewish employees if the Business owner is stupid and naive enough to hire them in the first place;
(6) Encouraging and instigating domestic friction and instability at home using cheater temptations and mechanisms to pull apart the marital home somehow, and then using all of the Feminazi hench-women to neuter/castrate the man in a very costly divorce and child custody battle;
(7) Vaulting and promoting their own religion which keeps them together, while shitting all over everyone elses;
(8) Use their Jewish brethren and contacts on the relevant Credit Card Merchant Services Account Company to start pursuing frivolous chargebacks against their company, right down to the bone, looking to cancel their Merchant Services and Credit Card Accepting ability, and destroy their Credit Ratings, with which to hang the business with;
(9) Rinse, lather, and repeat until the competing business is either dead, or the owner is.