New York State Insider: New York State Assemblyman Tom Abinanti 92nd District: Abinanti Calls on Gov. to Reform Ethics.

 

Abinanti Proposes Ethics Reform.

Following Governor Kathy Hochul's promise to reform New York's enforcement of ethics standards,  Assemblymember Tom Abinanti (D-Greenburgh/Mt. Pleasant) is urging the Governor to ensure that the State's oversight entity is independent.  "The State's oversight entity should be independent and not controlled by the governor or any political leader," said Abinanti. "To make government work properly and restore the public's faith in state government we need clear ethical standards and independent enforcement." Abinanti noted that the State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) has failed and needs to be replaced or dramatically reformed.  In a letter to the Governor, Abinanti referenced 3 bills that he has introduced to prohibit a "revolving door" between government and ethics oversight agencies. Abinanti highlighted A.4795, A.4810 and A.5240 which: ban lobbyists and recent government officials from serving on JCOPE for 10 years; require JCOPE to establish guidelines for members' conduct; and prohibit former JCOPE members from working in or appearing before any Executive department.  "New York's ethics watchdogs must be free from control by the public officials who they are commissioned to police," said Abinanti.