The Assembly Speaker and Governor came to an agreement on ethics reform last night. New York State Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky (D-20), representing the south shore of Long Island, was part of the negotiating team and shares the details. Then, Dick Dadey, the executive director of Citizens Union, Susan Lerner, the executive director of Common Cause New York and Blair Horner, legislative director for the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), weigh in on the prospects for meaningful ethics reform coming out of budget negotiations.
In the new ethics deal announced by Gov + Assembly, the first point is the disclosure of outside income, says LI Assemblyman @toddkaminsky.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) March 18, 2015
2nd point: the new deal would include verification of per diem payments to make sure lawmakers were actually in Albany.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) March 18, 2015
3rd point: the deal will expand pension forfeiture to include everyone, says Assemblyman @toddkaminsky.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) March 18, 2015
@toddkaminsky says ethics reforms would put restrictions on coordinating between independent groups + candidates leading up to elections.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) March 18, 2015
.@toddkaminsky says another campaign finance reform is a tightening of the definition of what the personal use of campaign funds is.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) March 18, 2015
Good gov't advocates @Slerner212, @DickDadeyCU + @blairhorner say strong enforcement of the ethics reforms isn't there, but needs to be.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) March 18, 2015
The gov shouldn't be using budget negotiations as a way to change policy, negotiated in that closed-door room with 3 men, says @Slerner212.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) March 18, 2015