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NY Senator Bruno's Indictment Shows Us Once Again That Ethics Self-Enforcement Doesn't Work
Saturday, January 24th, 2009
Robert Wechsler
Former New York State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno has been indicted
by a federal grand jury, but his biggest crime was not taking millions
of dollars in so-called consulting fees. His biggest crime was standing
in the way of any meaningful ethics reform in New York State.
Here's what Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause/New York said about the indictment (Disclosure: I was on the board of Connecticut Common Cause in 2006-2007, and have done volunteer municipal ethics and charter reform-related work for it for several years) :
Local government ethics programs in New York State, outside of New York City, aren't that good, either.
What is especially clear from this indictment is that self-enforcement of ethics by the state legislature does not work. When such a visible figure can be allowed to do what Bruno has done, how can any legislator in New York keep a straight face talking about self-enforcement. Self-enforcement in government ethics at all levels of government must end.
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
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Here's what Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause/New York said about the indictment (Disclosure: I was on the board of Connecticut Common Cause in 2006-2007, and have done volunteer municipal ethics and charter reform-related work for it for several years) :
This is an indictment of not only Joe
Bruno, but New York State’s ethics laws. The man who held the
highest position of power in the state legislature for years is
formally accused of betraying the public interest on behalf of his self
interest. Joe Bruno’s indictment emphatically highlights the
shameful state of New York’s ethics laws, graphically demonstrating why
the Legislature should not be expected to police the ethics of its own
members. Even more disquieting is the fact that, in practice, for
years, the only meaningful ethics and corruption oversight in New York
State is by federal agents and United States Attorneys. This is a
sad day for Joe Bruno, and sadder still for the New York Legislature.
Local government ethics programs in New York State, outside of New York City, aren't that good, either.
What is especially clear from this indictment is that self-enforcement of ethics by the state legislature does not work. When such a visible figure can be allowed to do what Bruno has done, how can any legislator in New York keep a straight face talking about self-enforcement. Self-enforcement in government ethics at all levels of government must end.
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
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Comments
Visitor (not verified) says:
Sun, 2009-01-25 09:06
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I knew it. I commented on an article many months ago about this guy getting caught pretty soon when he went into the private sector. There is no such thing as an honest politician. They are only honest because they have not been caught yet.