Senator Skelos Appoints Members to Monserrate Committee

Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos today announced members of his conference to serve on the committee that will investigate the matter regarding Senator Hiram Monserrate.

Members of the Republican Conference appointed by Senator Skelos include Senator Andrew Lanza (R-I, Staten Island), a former Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee, Senator John Flanagan (R-C-I, East Northport), a former Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee, Senator James Alesi (R-C-I, Perinton), a former Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee and Senator Cathy Young (R-I-C, Olean).

In addition to these four members, Senator Skelos also submitted to Senator Sampson the appointment of Senator Betty Little (R-C-I, Queensbury) to serve on the committee. Her appointment would make the membership of the committee even with five Democrats and five Republicans.

"I submitted Senator Little’s name as a fifth Republican member of this special committee to ensure balance and bipartisanship," Senator Skelos said. "As the editorial today in the Daily News recommended, ‘Senator Sampson should add a Republican member to avoid setting an example of allowing the majority party to be the sole arbiter of ethics enforcement.’"

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