It's A Free Country and The Brian Lehrer Show bring you the fall election series 30 Issues in 30 Days. We will explore one issue every day until election day - issues of relevance to the NY, NJ and CT elections and the national midterm congressional races. This week, we'll be looking into whether there is a Democratic and a Republican way to be state comptroller.

»» Dan Donovan (R)

Reforming Albany

• the AG must have original jurisdiction over all cases of political corruption
• "we must finally hold legislators accountable for their 'member items' and expose any and all conflicts of interest"
• wants all legislators to disclose outside income

 State Contracts and Pensions

• promises "to go after abusive contractors, under-performing pension managers, and root out abuse in our Public Authorities"

Abortion rights:

• opposes abortion in most cases, though vows to enforce the law on abortion, which is “never going to change”

 Marriage rights:

• prefers civil unions rather than marriage for same-sex couples, though vows to enforce the law on same-sex weddings “once we have a marriage equality bill”

Terrorism

• wants to "track the flow of terrorist money into sham charities and non-profit organizations that serve as conduits between cell leaders and local terrorists"
• wants terrorism suspects to be tried "in military tribunals far away from New York City"

Medicaid

• promises to combat Medicaid fraud 
  says local governments "are collapsing under the weight of their share of Medicaid costs"

Immigration

• wants the federal government to come up with a policy that "recognizes our immigrant heritage and protects our borders. We can not have a chaotic system where each of the fifty states enacts their own immigration laws”
• does not support the Arizona immigration law, says federal government should set immigration rules

Domestic Violence

• authored a law that was introduced in the state legislature to "protect victims of domestic violence, by strengthening orders of protection, improve the use of technology in enforcing orders of protection and to protect women from all forms of domestic violence"
• would make domestic violence a separate crime and require accused spouse beaters to wear electronic bracelets

Sex-Offenders:

• is in favor of a system of “civil confinement” to keep sex-offenders locked up after they have completed their statutory sentences

Guns

• "We must stem the flow of illegal guns into our state, close all sale loopholes that endanger safety and security and protect the rights of law abiding citizens"

Financial and Mortgage Fraud

• says AG must "promote fair markets and not bring cases simply to get headlines. Wall Street is the financial backbone of our state, and we must ensure that it continues to create jobs and remain the economic generator our state depends on"
• wants to promote legislation that protects homeowners from mortgage refinance and debt-reorganization scams

Bias Crimes

• says he prosecuted first hate crime on Staten Island

Payroll tax to support the MTA

• said it was chasing businesses from the state

Hydrofracking

• Favors hydrofracking — drilling to extract gas from shale upstate — but "will ensure that all of the environmental laws of our state are followed and that anyone breaking those laws is vigorously prosecuted and held accountable”

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»» Eric Schneiderman (D)

Reforming Albany

• says he has a "demonstrated record," referencing Hiram Monserrate
• promises to wage “a 24/7 campaign against corruption, waste, fraud and abuse and ensuring that elected officials are held accountable for the use of every tax dollar”
• working to expand the ability of local law enforcement officials to prosecute public corruption
• says he will “ensure that there are public integrity officers working in every regional Attorney General's office”
• says he will fight to protect pension funds from fraud and put an end to "pay-to-play" practices in all state and local government contracting
  

State Contracts and Pensions

• sponsored S5768, a bill that would allow pension funds standing under the Martin Act to legally hold accountable those who defraud them
• says that as AG, he will direct the Investor Protection Bureau to continue the fight to recoup lost public pensions funds
• backs Cuomo's plan to replace the sole trustee at the New York State Common Retirement Fund with a board of trustees
• says pension funds should be authorized to bring legal action to recover money if they're scammed

Abortion rights

• supports abortion rights

Marriage rights:

• supports marriage equality

Terrorism

• pledged to create a “New York Sanctions And Financing the Enemy” (NY-SAFE) task force to investigate entities operating in New York that trade with, or invest in, hostile countries or groups in violation of state or federal law
• says he use the Attorney General’s powers to investigate and stop businesses from engaging in illegal conduct in order to stop businesses from violating federal sanctions or state laws that prohibit trading with, or investing in, hostile countries such as Iran, the Sudan, and groups sponsoring terrorism

Medicaid

• says he would “certainly oppose proposals that would affect eligibility, benefits, coverage and or access to services that could lead to unwanted placement in nursing homes or other institutions”

Immigration

• says state AG can deliver a national message on immigration policy

Domestic Violence

• co-sponsored bill which added four misdemeanor sex crimes (Sexual Misconduct, Forcible Touching, Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree and Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree) to the list of family offenses to make all four of these misdemeanors mandatory arrest crimes when committed against a member of the same family or household
• drafted new strangulation statute which makes a class A misdemeanor of "Criminal Obstruction of Breathing or Blood Circulation" (and two new violent felony strangulation crimes), and adds it to the list of "family offenses”, subjecting it to mandatory arrest

Sex-Offenders

• voted no on a proposal that would have barred convicted sex offenders from becoming licensed real-estate brokers, but then voted for it the next year

Guns

• lead sponsor of a bill in the state Senate to require microstamping technology in newly-sold semiautomatic handguns--the types of guns most commonly used in crimes

Financial and Mortgage Fraud

• “The mortgage fraud crisis is devastating working families in every corner of New York State – it’s upending our economic recovery upstate and downstate,” said Democratic senator from Manhattan said in a statement this morning
• “I will do everything in my power to protect homeowners from unscrupulous lenders and other predators ripping off hardworking New Yorkers”
• says he will create a team of elite prosecutors to enforce state anti-predatory lending rules and the new mortgage rules to be issued by the new federal Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection and establish a “Protect Your Home and Neighborhood” Agenda to fight mortgage and housing fraud scams, and secure restitution for victims

Bias Crimes

• says DA should look at best practices from around the country and give that information to local DA's

Payroll tax to support the MTA

• voted for it

Hydrofracking

• Opposes hydrofracking — drilling to extract gas from shale upstate — until it has been deemed safe by state and federal regulatory agencies, and until those agencies establish rules and regulations governing the practice

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»» Both Agree

• that Alan Hevesi should lose his pension, and neither say that they have hired an undocumented worker.
• that official corruption would be their top priority;
• that the stop-and-frisk policy is a legitimate policing strategy when used properly.