Roosevelt Island NY State Assembly Member Micah Kellner Comments On Corruption Arrest Of NY State Senator Malcom Smith and NYC Councilman Dan Halloran - Urges Passage Of Public Corruption Prevention And Enforcement Act

According to the NY Post:

State Sen. Malcolm Smith and city Councilman Dan Halloran were arrested this morning on charges they were plotting to rig this year’s mayoral election through fraud and bribes.

The pols allegedly formed an alliance built on cash payments and fraud to get Smith — one of the state’s top Democrats — placed on the GOP mayoral ballot, sources said....

Click here for the rest of the NY Post article.

Roosevelt Island's NY State Assembly Member Micah Z. Kellner issued the following statement in response to today’s arrest of New York State Senator Smith and New York City Councilman Halloran in the alleged mayoral election bribery scandal:

“As a legislator, it truly saddens me to see public officials in the news for yet another corruption scandal — and I can only imagine how it makes everyday New Yorkers feel. It seems there is a never-ending tide of graft and corruption, which reinforces the perception that all lawmakers are crooks.”

“If the allegations released today are proven true, it is yet another embarrassment for New York State. As public servants, we need to take action to prevent this kind of activity from happening and provide the strictest of punishment for public officials who abuse their positions.”

“ Three years ago, I introduced the Public Corruption Prevention and Enforcement Act (PCPEA) in the hopes that New York would no longer be synonymous with scandal and once again recognized as having public integrity. The PCPEA enacts a duty of faithful public service. The PCPEA expands the crime of defrauding the government to punish any and all corrupt schemes involving public servants and others who seek to abuse the operation of government in any way, and it makes sure that public bribery is treated just as harshly as it is treated in the private sector.”

“It is time that lawmakers work together to enrich the lives of New Yorkers instead of their own wallets. If we want to eliminate the culture of corruption, we need a law that makes clear that public officials must serve the public first and foremost. Now is the time for the immediate debate and passage of the Public Corruption Protection and Enforcement Act.”

For a complete description of Bill A2113, please click here or see below.

Public Corruption Protection and Enforcement Act details:
Enacts a Duty of Faithful Public Service: Incredibly, there’s no such duty on the books today. The Joe Bruno scandal showed what a glaring hole this is. If we want to eliminate the culture of corruption, we need a law that makes clear that public officials must serve the public first and foremost.

Punishes Corrupt Schemes to Defraud the Government: Currently, the law only punishes schemes to defraud government agencies of property, services, or resources. The PCPEA expands the crime of defrauding the government to punish any and all corrupt schemes involving public servants and others who seek to corrupt the operation of government in any way.

Reforms Criminal Bribery Statutes: The bill takes action to ensure that bribery of apublic official is punished just as seriously as completed bribes, and it makes sure that public bribery is treated in the same way as bribery in the private sector.

Reforms the Member Item Process: The bill creates new standards and prohibitions for community projects grants, which are commonly known as “member items.” Among other protections, it stops lawmakers from funneling taxpayer money into shady nonprofits that don’t even provide real services, but in which they or their relatives have a financial interest.

Enhances Financial Disclosure for State Officials: As it stands, the clients that legislators represent in private practice are hidden from public view. While this makes sense in a few instances — such as when the clients are involved in family court cases, where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy — there’s no reason why most of lawmakers’ private clients shouldn’t be disclosed, just as they are in other states. This bill will allow the public to monitor the sources and values of outside income earned by our elected officials.

Strengthens Campaign Finance Rules: Up until n ow candidates have legally been allowed to get away with disguising loans intended for campaign use as personal gifts—allowing them to circumvent campaign contribution limits. This bill closes that loophole.

Here is the text of the PCPEA.

WNYC's Brian Lehrer show discussed the corruption allegations. Here's what was said.



An employee of Republican Mayoral Candidate and Roosevelt Island Gristedes Owner John Catsimatidis was also arrested. According to the NY Daily News Daily Politics Blog:

Republican mayoral hopeful John Catsimatidis just put out the following statement confirming that he cooperated with authorities in a federal case alleging that GOP officials and operatives -- including one of his own employees and campaign advisors, Vince Tabone -- tried to use bribes to get Democratic Queens state Sen. Malcolm Smith a Wilson-Pakula to run on the party's line in the primary.

"The arrests this morning point to a culture of corruption that permeates the politics of our city and state. Corruption that is fueled by career politicians who put personal advancement before public service," said a statement from the billionaire candidate's campaign.

"Earlier this year we learned that an investigation was underway and since that time my campaign and my business have fully cooperated with law enforcement."....

Click here for the entire NY Daily News Daily Politics post.