Local pols react to Paterson reform proposals

State lawmakers representing Brooklyn hadmixed responses to Gov. David Paterson’s “State of the State” address, in which he set forth sweeping proposals to root out political corruption in state government...

Paterson also wants to set a single independent ethics commission in Albany charged with enforcing the state’s ethics and campaign finance laws.

The new commission would have the legal authority to refer criminal and civil cases to the attorney general.

Currently, the attorney general has limited jurisdiction over political corruption cases.

“I’ve been pushing ethics reform like crazy since I got in office,” said Sen. Daniel Squadron, who represents Brooklyn Heights and parts of Carroll Garden.

Squadron said his goal remains to pass a law that increases the independence of an ethics commission that includes enforcement and disclosure...

To continue reading the feature article in Courier Life Publications Click Here