Ethics Reform Petition Attempt Fails

NY Daily News

The Daily Politics

May 25, 2011 11:58 AM

BY Ken Lovett

In a result that surprised no one, Sen. Daniel Squadron and other Dems fell short in their attempt to petition four reform bills on to floor of the Senate for a vote.

As the Daily Politics previously reported, Squadron reached out to all 54 senators who signed a pledge for ethics reform asking they sign the bill petitions. Signatures from two-thirds of the chamber, or 38 senators, would be needed to bypass the regular process of bringing legislation to the floor for a vote.

Three of the Democratic bills received 22 signatures. The fourth, which would create an independent commission on governmental ethics, had 26 Dems signing, including the four breakaway senators who formed the independent Democatic caucus.

No members of the Republican majority signed any of the petitions.

Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch again criticized Republicans for going back on their election-year reform pledges,

"Time is running out to enact meaningful ethics reform, along with an impartial redistricting commission," Koch said. "The sponsors of these bills are correct to shine the spotlight on senators who signed the New York Uprising pledges committing to take action on both, but have so far done nothing about either. Shame on them."

Click here to continue reading this story