Marty Markowitz Believes His Trips To Europe Should Be On The People's Dime

As things get interesting for one ethically tainted City Councilman tomorrow, scrutiny is being paid to Brooklyn's own mascot-in-chief, Marty Markowitz. The affable jokester who's face reminds me some buffoonish Disney character is back in the news for using his position for his personal gain. With the Atlantic Yards fiasco (and his collusion with it) seemingly safely behind him, Marty is back at it and willing to get away with more of our money and laughing all the way.

From The NY Observer:

Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz took two trips, whose prices both fell somewhere in the tantalizing gulf between $5,000 and $39,999.

It took him four days in March to spend the first sum, while he enjoyed the "Kingdom of Netherlands." According to the form, he was a guest at Holland's "official celebration of their 400 year relationship with New York." Awkward!

He spent the next bundle during five November days in Izmir, Turkey, where he was doing more wooing than celebrating. According to the form, he spent his time trying "to develop sister-city status."

And then there's a trip to Israel in 2008, but no dollar amounts were mentioned. Markowitz proves over and over that behind his smile, lies a greedy political crook that is only looking for the perks of office and then some. If Ydanis Rodriguez gets the can for improper touching (and if it's true he should be tossed) then Markowitz should suffer the same fate for improperly stealing from Brooklynites and New Yorkers from all five boroughs.

Bruno's Prosecutors Go Soft While Appeal Is On Hold

They fought hard. They proved their case. At the end of a long trial, Joseph Bruno was found guilty of being a corrupt politician and everyone knew it.

However there was a small problem.

Former Senator Bruno was convicted under the federal "Honest Services" law. That means he was found guilty of not disclosing what he did and not for the actual corrupt practices. The intricacy of it all led the judge to allow Bruno to go free while the law itself is being reviewed by the Supreme Court. And now even the attorneys that helped convict the elderly pol are easing off on ensuring he does the time he deserves.

From The Daily Politics:

Federal prosecutors say ex-Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno can stay out of jail while he presses his appeal.

Prosecutors, in a one-sentence letter to Judge Gary Sharpe yesterday, said they would not oppose Bruno's request to remain free while he argues his appeal.[...]

Prosecutors Elizabeth Coombe and William Pericak did not mention the Supreme Court decision in their letter to Sharpe yesterday.

With the mindset of the current Supreme Court leaning towards moneyed interests and against average (see: not wealthy) citizens, the Court will most likely rule in favor of Joe Bruno and swipe the law from the books.

Prosecutors might just be showing signs that their case could ultimately be lost and are giving up on their job to make Bruno pay for his crimes. Unfortunately, at Bruno's advanced age and his image in certain circles of doing great good as an elected official, the man will probably never see the inside of a jail cell.

And Joe Bruno's Sentence Is....

It is late in the afternoon in Albany (though I am typing this from Brooklyn) and ex-State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno has finally been sentenced for his crimes against the people of New York. Bruno was making jokes shortly before the sentencing, saying that he knows he did nothing wrong among other things. Unfortunately for the 81 year old boxer, two years in the slammer (in addition to a $280,000 fine) is no laughing matter.

From The Times-Union:

“I know that you don’t believe that you did anything wrong,” Sharpe told the Brunswick Republican, “which is why I didn’t hear one word of contrition here.”

Sharpe said that the federal government’s recommendation of eight years or more in prison would have been too harsh for an 81-year-old, but a sentence that involved no jail time would have sent the wrong message about the severity of Bruno’s offense.

Bruno and all those that received the benefits of having an alliance with a powerful corrupt politician proclaimed Joe's good name. However, independent observers and most importantly the presiding judge realized the seriousness of this matter. Eight years in federal prison is a long time for an octogenarian, but the jail time was meant to show the ex-Senator and all current and future politicians that there is a price to pay if you defraud the people you are elected to serve.

At the moment Bruno continues to proclaim his innocence and generosity for New Yorkers, hoping that the Supreme Court strikes down the law that he was convicted on. Whether or not that happens, the fact remains that he was a corrupt politician that used his office for personal gain to the detriment of our state.

P.S.: Exactly!

I Could Never Forget You Pedro

Even though I was on a nine month blog hiatus, I never lost track of Senator Espada's dishonorable mentions in the press. I've written about him in the past and will continue to do so until he is placed where he belongs...in jail. Pedro's rap sheet is lengthy to say the least, and many things he does that aren't illegal are still quite shady. While the disgraceful excuse for a Senator lashes out at the Attorney General like a petulant five year old, the people of his district and the whole of New York state is sick and tired of his criminal behavior.

Pedro Espada started out well enough as a tenant rights' advocate and founder of a medical clinic that serves countless Bronx residents. However in the end he will be remembered for the $20,000 in sushi deliveries to his home in Mamaroneck (which happens to be outside the district he supposedly lives in).

The details of his $14 million looting spree of Soundview is what makes for the best headlines this week. That does not mean though that we should forget Pedro Espada has a sordid history that stretches back for at least a decade. He has been fingered for multiple failures to submit accurate campaign finance documents in his failed race for Bronx Borough President in 2001 and his latest campaign that successfully reintroduced him for the third time to the State Senate in 2008.

Yes that's correct, he's been booted by the people of the 32nd Senate District twice. The only reason he won a third time (in the 33rd District this time) is because Senator Efrain Gonzalez, his predecessor, was more corrupt than himself, at least at the time.

And now Mr. Espada is in the middle of a scandal that deals with crimes concerning a non-profit just as Mr. Gonzalez was ultimately convicted for last year.

Mr. Espada is the epitome of corruption and abuse of power in Albany. Sure, there are plenty of other miscreants that supposedly serve at the behest of the people of New York, but Mr. Espada is the worst of them all.

So what needs to be done? I would love nothing more than to see him beaten in November. No one knows better than his constituents that this man needs to be thrown out of office and having it done by ballot is always an exhilarating process. Yet what really needs to happen is for the justice system to deal Mr. Espada the punishment he deserves. Once these alleged crimes become legal fact, he must be stripped of any and all power and then thrown in jail for as long as the judge possibly can.

An example must be set here in New York so that politicians realize there are consequences for using the people they elect for their own contemptible plots. Trying and convicting the kingpin of the L.O.B.'s crooks is a great place to start.

Ed Koch Chimes In On NY State Senate Debacle

Eliot Spitzer gave his two cents on how the coup was actually a good thing for democracy. Former Mayor Ed Koch on the other hand, thinks the whole mess makes us look like a national laughingstock, not some rebirth of the democratic process.

The Days Are Numbered For Espada And Monserrate

The large amount of pressing legislation for the Senate to consider this month had enough trouble to contend with at the beginning of the day yesterday. Once the day was out, most of those and bills, and the Democratic agenda was thrown out the window.

I was busy with getting ready for the petitioning process here in NYC during the mid-afternoon hours yesterday and intermittently checked the news. When I clicked the refresh button to read about the coup in the Senate, (or possibly the attempted coup) I felt as shocked and disgusted as I did when Spitzer's prostitution scandal went public, if not more so. What Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada concocted to stab our democratic institution in the back was far worse than what any hooker could ever do. Seeing those self-serving disgraces masquerading as public servants flipping to the Republican side was absolutely horrific.

I'm mad as hell, but now, as Roatti said, we'll get even with the two crooks and the Republican leadership for this ridiculous and unethical action. Espada can claim that he has a "coalition government," but anyone with with a few working synapses in their brains can tell what this is about. Monserrate and Espada, especially Espada wanted power in the worst way and they screwed over New Yorkers that voted for change in last year's election. All the reforms that could have been are over with for now. Instead, we who are interested in true change for Albany must work to rid ourselves of Espada and Monserrate. It is likely that all we'll need is to find a replacement for Monserrate, certainly if that videotape the police claim they have will convict him of beating his girlfriend.

So now the thief and the thug have their moment in the sun, but as most turncoats do not last long once they've flipped, those two will be gone before long.

Speaking of gone, and looking for a silver lining in all of this (trust me, it's hard) I can't help but think that Malcolm Smith will never get his Majority Leader spot once the Democrats take back control in 2010. If Smith had any principles, he would have held the high ground against the Gang of Four at the end of 2008 and made the "amigos" play their hand then. Espada, Monserrate, Kruger and Diaz were not to be trusted then, there was no reason to believe that they'd act like Democratic senators on a mere handshake.

Grandeau Slams Public Integrity Commission For Not Doing Their Job

When David Grandeau sees the corruption at the ethics commission, he sees "the ultimate indictment of Albany." Grandeau used to sit on the commission, but was not kept on by then newly-elected Governor Spitzer. He blames them for not keeping tabs and subsequently being tainted by the corruption in Albany. He told a Senate Committee as much at a recent hearing.

From WXXI:

The Inspector General charged the Integrity Commission's executive director with violating the public officers law, for passing on information about a probe to a key member of the Spitzer Administration. The report accused the commission members of doing nothing to stop the corruption.

Grandeau was testifying at a Senate hearing on ethics reform. The Senators were examining Governor Paterson's recent proposal to reform the ethics panel, which was designed to address the flaws enumerated in the Inspector General's report. Senate Democrats have their own proposal for a new ethics commission. But Grandeau told them that simply reconfiguring the panel yet again is not the key to creating an independent, fair ethics policing unit. He says it's the people put in place to run the entities that matters. Grandeau's recommendation to lawmakers; chose an executive director and commission members that make politicians squirm.

"Look for someone that makes you uncomfortable," sad Grandeau. "Not the go-along, get-along crowd."

Who that may be, Grandeau did not say but it would probably not be anyone that many Senators know. In Albany, the way you succeed is by immersing yourself in the go-along, get-along crowd. For a majority of 62 Senators (or one State Assemblyman), to choose someone with real power to combat the ills of our state government would be a remarkable feat. Until we climb that mountain, we need people like Grandeau speaking out against the powers that be.

If It Walks Like A Duck, Talks Like A Duck....

Well then it probably is a duck.

The same approach can be used for Sheldon Silver's actions as Assembly Speaker when he tried to influence the State Controller (and criminal) Alan Hevesi. He went to the Controller on behalf of former hockey legend Mike Richter in order to get him connected with the pension fund. Although the deal never happened, that doesn't excuse his behavior.

From The NY Daily News:

Silver twice arranged sitdowns with the controller, who has sole control over pension investments, the Daily News has learned.

One of the most powerful men in Albany, Silver a few years ago accompanied investor Shlomo Kalish of Jerusalem Global Ventures to meet with then-Controller Alan Hevesi to discuss a possible deal.

More recently, Silver and Richter met with Controller Thomas DiNapoli. Richter, the hero of the 1994 Stanley Cup team, is a partner with Environmental Capital Partners.

The pension fund ultimately took a pass on both deals.

But the involvement of Silver - whose spokesman Dan Weiller confirmed the meetings - has raised serious questions among government watchdog groups.

More serious questions for the Speaker that go on top of the pile of questions he refuses to answer. The big problem here is that the way he uses his influence isn't even illegal here in New York. A more transparent state government might want to do something about this, but not in the Albany that good government groups fight against on a daily basis. While Hevesi may be in hot water (along with Joe Bruno) much of the corruption that goes on in our capitol is given a pass, or at least a wink and a nod. And with Shelly Silver at the wheel, don't expect things to change anytime soon.

Even The Liquor Is Tainted In New York

Needless to say, there's plenty of drinking going on in New York. It is rare though for anyone to think about the red tape that had to be cut to get the booze to the customer. That is where the State Liquor Authority comes in and apparently the people that dole out permits want something in return for their services...besides a legal paycheck.

From The Gothamist:

While no arrests have been made yet, more details have emerged on the Inspector General's Wednesday raid on the State Liquor Authority's Harlem office, where some two dozen employees control 65 percent of the state’s operating licenses and permits for bars, restaurants and liquor stores in NYC, Long Island and Westchester County. Police sources say employees would not only accept cash bribes in exchange for expedited license processing, but also bottles of booze, and gift cards for meals and clothes—some payoffs even included Applebee's gift cards. Stay classy, SLA.[...]

Some liquor license applicants report waits of almost a year for processing, while others managed to receive licensing withing two weeks. Investigators say "handlers" would steer applications to bribe-friendly employees, who would then push the application to the top of the deck. According to the AP, the agency's computer database lacked security, so any corrupt Applebee's-lover could log on and process applications. Investigators also say that some licenses were given without required criminal background or proof of citizenship checks. And the Times reminds everyone that this isn't the first time the SLA's been mired in corruption.

It just goes to show, no matter where in our state's government, corruption manifests itself like bacteria. All you have to do is add some fresh New York air and watch it multiply.

It's An Incumbent's World In NY

The politicians were patting themselves on the back last week for allowing one of their comrades in the state senate to vote for the budget after she had fallen ill, going so far as to hit back against the press that has slammed them for their corruption and greed. Yet when you take a good look at what is going on in Albany whatever the Malcolm Smiths say in response to their critics is mostly fabricated.

So we should vote these corrupt bastards out, right? Well not so fast, the DN's Henry Stern tells us why that is highly unlikely to happen, even if the politician needs to be kicked to the curb.

From The NY Daily News:

The first is gerrymandering. The boundaries of existing districts have been carefully drawn to include areas where the incumbent is popular and exclude areas where potential opponents may reside. The Legislature has repeatedly rejected efforts to provide nonpartisan districting, because the current system gives incumbents districts that have been made-to-order for their political convenience. There's no sign of this changing anytime soon.

The second major advantage office-holders enjoy is free mailing privileges. For most of the year, incumbents send out illustrated brochures, styled as reports to constituents, but largely consisting of self-serving prose about the incumbent's accomplishments and photographs of himself, alone, with children or with grateful senior citizens.

Although these "reports" may not be mailed for a 90-day period before an election, the incumbent will have been sending these advertisements for the preceding year and nine months of his two-year term.

When you factor in that most incumbents have served for many terms - the average tenure exceeds 10 years - the public gains familiarity with the incumbent, even if they have no clear idea of who he is or exactly what he does.

Then you have to navigate New York's antiquated petition-signature process, get around the pork legislators are allowed to bring to their district and of course the cost of dealing with the expense of advertising in the #1 media market in the country. That is why over 90% of incumbents never leave their office until they are good and ready.

And that doesn't just apply to our state government. That is the way it works in the city as well. Term limits was supposed to help curb the powers of incumbency, but we all saw how the powerful politicians (see Mayor Bloomberg, Speaker Quinn and 28 others) were able to skirt the laws that the public had put in place to prevent such abuse.

Either one of two things must happen to right this ship we are all on. Reinstituting term limits for the city...and a new law for the state would help to some degree. It was starting to work in NYC and that is exactly why Bloomberg and Quinn got rid of it. Or, we could completely overhaul our government so that gerrymandering isn't allowed, pork is cut and the election process is majorly overhauled. Yeah, that is a tall order, so maybe we should start with term limits and go from there...preferably in a quick fashion so that clean elections follows soon after.

Scrubbing The Name "A.I.G." Off The Building Doesn't Make The Damage Go Away

Like anything in life, looks can be deceiving. For example, it is widely known that A.I.G. is now synonymous with greed, corruption and a degree of callousness towards the American people (who bailed them out) that personifies the relationship between Wall Street and the rest of the country. So when you are within that organization that is A.I.G., do you atone for your sins? Give the money back? Do whatever it takes to win back the trust of the people you lied to and cheated on?

Or do you scrub the name "A.I.G." from your building and pretend nothing's wrong?:

Reader Dan Albanese sent us photographs of the anonymous-looking exterior of 175 Water Street. The building formerly had "American International Group" prominently over the front doors, along with "AIG" etched in the windows and doors. According to the Post, AIG spokespeople explained that "the company had decided to replace the large AIG sign -- outside the entrance to its property-casualty offices -- as part of its plan to change that operation's name to AIU Holdings Ltd"—to "distinguish these well-capitalized businesses from AIG." Is the subtext, then, that the employees here are not the ones protesters should be harassing?

So just pretend nothing happened, or that A.I.G. even exists. It isn't even a question of pride for these people, it is that protesters look bad for business and confusing them into doing something else is best for A.I.G.'s profitability. It is much cheaper for them to pay a maintenance worker to take their name off the glass in the lobby than actually reform themselves into being ethical and morally upstanding people in society. If anything, it would take a jail cell for many of these corporate crooks to turn themselves around.

Ancient Greek Philosopher Descends On Albany

This video comes from Jimmy Vielkind at the Politicker:



I guess if the good government groups haven't made much headway in reforming Albany as of yet, why not give Randy CredicoDiogenes a shot.

Yassky Caught With Hand In DiBrienza's Filthy Cookie Jar

The story that has come out concerning ex-Councilman and current Council candidate Steve DiBrienza has the guy in so much hot water, he may just cut his candidacy short. DiBrienza's dubious non-profit did not only help DiBrienza, his wife and his former staffers though. It turns out with all that money coming from the city (see: taxpayer expense) it wasn't only him that was cashing in. Quinn's knowledge of the matter seems likely, but what about current City Councilman and NYC Comptroller candidate David Yassky?

From The Daily Gotham:

The Brooklyn Paper has picked up on this Yassky-DiBrienza connection, though they discuss Yassky giving $15,000, probably a more accurate figure. But they also pinpoint the reason for Yassky's pandering to DiBrienza with taxpayer money: payback for an endorsement. From the Brooklyn Paper:

Councilman David Yassky (D–Brooklyn Heights), for example, requested $15,000 for DiBrienza’s group right after DiBrienza endorsed him for Congress in 2006.

Yassky told The Brooklyn Paper that this out-of-district donation to DiBrienza’s group was not a kickback or a quid-pro-quo, but voters will certainly raise their eyebrows.

Now Yassky funneled city money to DiBrienza right after DiBrienza endorsed him for his failed bid for Congress in 2006. Yet it isn't payback, according to Yassky. Problem is, this isn't the only time something like this happened. I wrote back in 2006 about another case of Yassky proposing city money right after getting an endorsement.

Now why in the hell would New Yorkers want a comptroller like that? Now I know the definition of comptroller but with Yassky's record (also see: term limits), putting him in that position makes absolutely no sense. Yassky has shown himself to be just as tainted as the rest of Quinn's ethically-questionable brood...and deserves neither Council nor Comptroller seat.

Another Nail In The Coffin For Burris

The future for Senator Roland Burris is already grim and the odds of him running for election next year are negligible. Still, he isn't ready to resign yet and until he does every speck of dirt on him needs to be cast out into the bright sunshine. The latest news isn't just a speck either, it's more like a bucket of mud in the form of a political patronage job from ex-Gov. Blagojevich to Burris' son. And it should go without saying that there's a heaping load of irony to go on top of that mud.

From The Chicago Sun-Times:

The son of embattled Sen. Roland Burris is a federal tax deadbeat who landed a $75,000-a-year state job under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich five months ago, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

Blagojevich's administration hired Roland W. Burris II as a senior counsel for the state's housing authority Sept. 10 -- about six weeks after the Internal Revenue Service slapped a $34,163 tax lien on Burris II and three weeks after a mortgage company filed a foreclosure suit on his South Side house.

A spokeswoman for the Illinois Housing Development Authority indicated Wednesday there was nothing improper about Burris II's employment by the agency, whose mission includes overseeing mortgage programs for low-income home buyers and anti-foreclosure initiatives.

The spokeswoman may be cool with his employment there, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say the voters might disagree with that statement. I would hope that if I had problems with the housing authority, that the lawyers working there could at least manage to keep their own house in order.

Of course, even that does compare to the fact that he got the job thanks to his father's connection to the governor. This weaves the two politicians even closer together, painting Burris as a corrupt liar, not that he wasn't one before though.

Burris Gets Pummeled By Media, So He's Done Talking To Them

The more Roland Burris talks, the worse it gets for him. He was already eyed suspiciously for being selected by the tainted Governor Blagojevich when he was on his way to the Senate. His testimony at the impeachment hearing helped secure the spot for him by his denial of a connection with the Governor and any quid pro quo. Then a few days ago, Roland said a few things that were different from his testimony and now everyone is calling for his head. So Roland is done with those people, you know, the ones that report the news to the people of Illinois (and the rest of us too).

From RawStory:

"Embattled Sen. Roland Burris on Wednesday again defended the testimony he gave to the Illinois House during his appointment process," a Chicago NBC affiliate reports. "Burris said that after Wednesday, he would no longer 'engage the media and have facts ripped out in selected soundbytes,' citing the investigation by the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee."

Like a child, he is refraining from the scrutiny as best he can. Now that he has seen that the press can watch him change his story several times over, Burris came out today to tell his side of the story (the side he's presenting today that is) and that was that. No questions, no debate, nothing like that where the people of Illinois can hold him accountable. So the Burris resignation watch begins and where it ends...well, if it is anything like his appointer Blagojevich's travails, it could be a while.

Untangling The Web Of Joe Bruno's State Senate

Prosecutors are busy preparing for November's trial against Joe Bruno, but the newly-minted Democratic State Senate is dealing with the aftermath of the corrupt system of patronage that Mr. Bruno and his fellow Republicans had built up in Albany and around the state. Most observers of state politics assumed that the preferential treatment for the former majority party was broad, but not to the degree that they are starting to find out about.

From The NY Times:

They recently realized there are some 75 employees working at the Senate’s own printing plant, a plain brick building on the outskirts of Albany. On Long Island, they found a small television studio, which had been set up — all with public money, with two press aides on hand to help operate it — for the exclusive use of Republican senators to record cable TV shows.

Democrats also came across what they are calling the “Brunomobile,” a $50,000 specially outfitted GMC van, with six leather captain’s chairs (some swiveling), a navigation system, rearview camera and meeting table. Joseph L. Bruno, the former Senate majority leader who was recently indicted on corruption charges, traveled in the van after his use of state helicopters sparked a feud with the Spitzer administration.

Then there are the parking spots, always at a premium near the Capitol. Democrats had been given roughly one spot per senator — there were 30 Democrats last year — and guessed there were perhaps double or even triple that controlled by the majority. Instead, they have learned, there are more than 800.

Sadly, that is just the beginning of it. The inequality between Republicans and Democrats was vast, more so than many others legislatures. That is in part because, as the FBI calls it, the byzantine rules of the State Senate easily hid the patronage and cronyism within.

Now it is the job of the Feds to deal with Mr. Bruno, no matter how hard he proclaims his innocence against the wall of evidence towering above him. In the Senate, it will be up to the Democrats not only to fully air and expose what the Republicans have been up to for the last few decades but to keep it as clean as possible so that their talk of reform is turned into action.

Going Beyond Scandals, Albany Is Rotten To The Core

Over the years we've heard plenty of scandals that rocked the state. When corruption is exposed it makes big headlines, and sometimes the politician in the spotlight goes to jail. While it is good to see justice being served, the problem goes much farther than the individual in question for the moment. The entire culture of our state capitol is a mess and the FBI investigators and U.S. Attorneys who investigated Joe Bruno can attest to that.

The Buffalo News took a closer look yesterday:

In chasing after Bruno, the feds ran into an old Albany problem: Connecting the dots here is no easy task.

“If you read the congressional record, you see virtually everything a legislator says on the floor of Congress is recorded in some fashion,” said acting U. S. Attorney Andrew Baxter. “Our experience with the New York State Legislature is that bills are passed, member items are granted, and it is very difficult to reconstruct which individual senator or Assembly people were actively involved in promoting or casting the legislation or granting those member items.[...]

In Albany, rule No. 1 is to control the flow of information. Lawmakers and the governor spend millions each year on publicity efforts — whether it’s a personal photographer for Paterson or state-of-the-art TV broadcast facilities where legislative staff members ask puffy questions of lawmakers to beam back to local stations.

But want to get things unfiltered, say transcripts of legislative floor debates? You can look at the Senate Web site but only if you work for the Senate. On its public Web site, no such transcripts exist.

The state’s exalted Freedom of Information law? In practice, it’s often a tool to deny or delay access to information. Or, increasingly, it’s just ignored. The Buffalo News, for instance, in September filed a FOIL seeking documents on government hiring during a period when a hiring freeze was supposed to be in place. The governor’s office still has not complied.

It isn't just one particular legislator, it is nearly the whole lot of them...and their staffers too. What goes on up there is criminal when you think that they are charged with serving the people of New York. The only service is self-service and those that fight it on a daily basis (e.g. Good Gov't groups) know that they are up against a system that has been set in stone for decades. Though after a long investigation, the Buffalo News does have some suggestions in terms of reform.

It must start, reformers say, with redistricting, the mother of all incumbency protection machines. It’s the once-a-decade process that occurs after the census, when legislators redraw state legislative and congressional district lines to take into account population shifts. But the legislators protect the incumbents with party-friendly voters, or at least the favored incumbents.

The next round is just a couple of years away, and critics are calling for an independent body to craft the lines to put an end to districts such as the “earmuff district” for Rep. Louise M. Slaughter that curls from Buffalo to Rochester in search of Democratic voters or a downstate legislative district kept contiguous, as required, by connecting across a sand bar at high tide.

Next, move on to campaign finance and New York’s high donation “limits.” Consider: When new U. S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand runs next year, the most an individual is allowed to give her is $4,800 for a primary and general campaign. That’s a federal law.

And that is just for starters. Yet every one of these reforms will be fought tooth and nail by the leaders of both parties while they scream and shout that nothing is wrong and that they are open, they do make reforms and no, all that stuff isn't necessary. Now of course the ones saying this are people like Shelly Silver, Jim Tedisco, Malcolm Smith and Dean Skelos. Yet it doesn't have to be them, because the next high profile names are being groomed to continue the tradition. They'll never cede this power willingly, and that is why we need real corrective methods in New York. We need campaign finance reforms that make the system completely financed through public means. We need to make sure everyone can see what these legislators do in their spare time and whether those companies benefit from which politician are on their payroll. We must have transparency and if Albany doesn't give it to us, we must force it upon them. What that force could look like, I do not know yet. Whether it be from the Department of Justice, a grassroots phenomenon to vote them all out or whatever else, but something has got to give. No amount of scandal is going to make the leaders in Albany reform themselves, obviously, they've made that loud and clear.

Congresswoman Kaptur Points Out The Revolving Doors In D.C.

Plenty of us know that Washington is a breeding ground of corruption. Part of it is caused by the extremely close relationship between big business and government, especially when people work on one side and go back to the other. That is referred to as a revolving door in politics, and it is exactly what Congresswoman Kaptur testified to on the House floor yesterday:

Finally, Joe Bruno Indicted For Corruption!

After years of meticulously investigating the now-former Majority Leader of the New York State Senate, Joe Bruno has been indicted on eight counts of public corruption. It has been a long time coming for this day, but despite many denials from Mr. Bruno of wrongdoing, his time in court is soon at hand.

From The Times-Union:

ALBANY - A federal grand jury today indicted former state Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno on felony charges alleging he used his position to extract $3.2 million in private consulting fees from clients who sought to purchase his influence.

An 8-count indictment handed up today charges the 79-year-old Republican with corruption charges that carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Bruno pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in U.S. District Court in Albany and released without bail.

Bruno had spending thousands on lawyers in the last month, so he probably knew this was coming. Whether he knows shame from this, I sincerely doubt it. However, it is a great day for those of us that wish to clean up the filth in Albany and across our state. Bruno may have resigned his position last year, but it does not absolve him of the crimes he will be tried for. Further, I hope it serves as a warning to all current and future legislators that there is a price to be paid when you take the trust of the electorate and spit in their faces in the name of tainted influence and greed.

Of course, the possibility of him serving 20 years is probably nil. Forfeiting his assets and spending a few months or years behind bars is a little more likely.

Quinn's Corruption: It's In The Legislation

To get things done in any legislature, you have to be able to accommodate, compromise and in the end, try to stay true to your principles above all. It may sound a little idealistic, but it is the exact opposite of what goes on Christine Quinn's City Council. The Speaker not only utilizes slush funds for her wheeling and dealing, but punishes Members that disagree with her. How so you ask? Well, it's in the bills for one.

From The Gothamist:

Is Speaker Christine Quinn guilty of cronyism when it comes to moving legislation through City Council? Since 2002, Quinn has seen 35 of her bills get passed, second only to her closest ally David Weprin (he's had 78 bills passed). Meanwhile, foes Charles Barron and Tony Avella have only seen four bills total passed over the same period of time. That sharp contrast led Councilman Avella to tell the News, "The speaker is very vindictive, and when you oppose the speaker, she doesn't let bills go through." But other members defend the Quinn's methods as rewarding persistence, pointing out legislation most often comes from committee chairs, whom she's appointed. Weprin heads the Finance Committee, which leads to a number of procedural budgetary legislation, and Quinn herself headed the Health Committee before coming Speaker. Former Speaker Peter Vallone Sr. said to the paper, "Every speaker is accused of playing favorites when it comes to bills."

Vallone Sr. and her other supporters can spin all they want for Quinn, but facts are facts. Perhaps Vallone was accused of favoritism because he engaged in the same slush fund activity that Quinn did. So why wouldn't he try and do some damage control here? Now politics isn't the only aspect of whether a bill passes or not, but in NYC, it surely does help to have Quinn's wind in the sails of your legislation.