NY LEAD

State Board of Elections ruling opens the campaign cash spigot even wider The Buffalo News June 2, 2014 The decision by the state Board of Elections declaring that political campaign donors will no longer be subject to a $150,000 limit in contributions per year to candidates or political groups in New York sends a clear […]

Mr. Bruno’s ethical legacy Albany Times-Union May 17, 2014 THE ISSUE: Former state Sen. Joseph L. Bruno’s acquittal leaves a cloud over the government. THE STAKES: Unless the Legislature fixes the law and tightens the rules, the system remains suspect. There you have it, New York: It is perfectly legal for an elected official to take tens of […]

Little Time Left for Campaign Reforms The New York Times May 16, 2014 Gov. Andrew Cuomo is busy running for re-election, but he has yet to make good on a campaign promise from 2010: to clean up New York’s abysmal campaign finance system. He can do that by coaxing the Legislature into passing a reform […]

So, the corruption’s gone? Albany Times-Union April 13, 2014 Our opinion: The work of the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption was hardly over before Gov. Andrew Cuomo shut it down. What gives? What is the public to make of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s decision to suspend his Moreland Commission on Public Corruption? Are we to believe […]

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli wise to opt out of public financing measure Watertown Daily Times April 12, 2014 State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli will bypass a public financing program recently passed by the Legislature as he seeks re-election this year. As well he should. Despite Mr. DiNapoli’s repeated advocacy of some kind of […]

Lost opportunity on ethics Crain’s New York Business April 4, 2014 New Yorkers don’t trust their state legislators much, and with good reason: At least 30 have left office since 1999 because of transgressions ranging from inflating their expenses to sexual harassment to taking bribes. Countless other lawmakers have kept their seats despite illicit or […]

Cuomo and legislator pass fourth consecutive on-time state budget Watertown Daily Times April 3, 2014 Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature have again approved a budget before the end of the fiscal year. This is the fourth straight budget passed on time, something that hasn’t been done in more than 40 […]

N.Y. budget dips toe into reform The Journal News April 2, 2014 As one reader commented on lohud’s Facebook page, “Election years are amazing!” That’s an appropriate first impression of the state’s 2014-15 budget that was passed on time for the fourth year in a row, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo only had to employ a […]

State ethics panel must complete its work Poughkeepsie Journal April 1, 2014 Under absolutely no circumstances should Gov. Andrew Cuomo dismantle a panel designed to root out public corruption in Albany. The work is too important — and the job is far from done. The governor has suggested that he would end the work of […]

Cuomo’s Swing and Miss Albany Times-Union April 1, 2014 On the opening day of baseball season, which was also the last day of New York’s state fiscal year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislators managed to bring home a state budget without having to go into extra innings. We’ll leave to another day a thorough analysis […]