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Hawley pushes for term limits in wake of Silver arrest

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

With the recent arrest of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on alleged federal corruption charges, the culture of deceit, lies and bribery in Albany has been brought further into the public spotlight. It is unfortunate that a few members of the legislature refuse to follow the rules and fall victim to money and power. Scandals such as these bring a pejorative perception to the already tainted Albany culture and make it difficult for the rest of us who truly want to do what is best for all New Yorkers.

If the recent news regarding Speaker Silver has demonstrated anything, it is that we need ethics reforms in Albany now more than ever. It goes against the very function of our government to have a single person hold as much power as Sheldon Silver. Silver has omnipotent control over which bills come before the Assembly for a vote and how taxpayer funds are used. The length of time Silver has been in office, more than 20 years, has allowed him to accumulate significant wealth and power. Now we have discovered that much of his wealth and power allegedly was either illegally obtained or used to promote his own private interests.  

If we are to truly reform Albany’s culture of corruption, we need to pass the Public Officers Accountability Act. I sponsored this legislation last legislative term, along with almost all of my Assembly Minority colleagues, because I know that abuses of power such as these should be handled proactively. This legislation: limits the time a member of the legislature can serve as a committee chair or legislative leader to eight years; bans elected officials from future employment for certain felony convictions; and requires the return of campaign funds to donors or charities upon certain felony convictions. Furthermore, I sponsored Assembly Bill 4935 of 2014 that proposes stripping pension and retirement benefits from public officials convicted of certain felonies.  

Until these bills are taken up for a vote, we are leaving the door open for further abuses of power and theft from the public coffers. The last thing we need is career politicians who have lost interest in benefiting their constituencies in exchange for padding their own pockets and ensuring their own reelection. The only way to handle serious ethics violations is with a serious ethics reform bill, and the Public Officers Accountability Act provides a plethora of reforms that will prevent these abuses before they happen again.

tom hunt

Tough talk from a minority leader. As long as the self serving New York City Democrats rule the roost. I don't think this much needed legislation will pass.

Jan 28, 2015, 7:16am Permalink
Mark Potwora

This legislation: limits the time a member of the legislature can serve as a committee chair or legislative leader to eight years;......

That's not term limits as most see it...Term limits is you server a couple of terms and go back to the private sector....Too many make this a career..High pay and generous healthcare and pension benefits........New York State assembly should be a part time job not full time and should pay as so..80,000 a year is way to much..

Jan 27, 2015, 2:07pm Permalink
Ed Hartgrove

"bans elected officials from future employment for certain felony convictions; and requires the return of campaign funds to donors or charities upon certain felony convictions. Furthermore, I sponsored Assembly Bill 4935 of 2014 that proposes stripping pension and retirement benefits from public officials convicted of certain felonies."

Certain felonies? What the HELL does that mean? How about ALL FELONIES, and (possibly) certain misdemeanors?

Untold numbers of people 'stub their toes' every day, but FELONIES aren't 'stubbing a toe'. Felonies are reserved for the worst of the worst crimes. Can someone name a FELONY that isn't a 'bad' crime? Let's face it, you don't get a felony for just making a 'minor mistake'.

Jan 27, 2015, 2:56pm Permalink
Scott Blossom

To Mark and Ed,

Put simply, you have to start somewhere. There is no way you can go full force from the start.

These bills have been stuck in commitee for a while now. Until they come out they can't be voted on. But guess who controls the commitee's? NYC, the seat of the majority of corruption. Please note I said majority, I am not ignorant to say they are all of it, or that they are all Democats. Search and you will find what I say is true.

The first step to routing out corruption is limiting power. So you limit the power positions first. We limit the President dont we?

Maybe as things play out with Silver, the pressure will build, and if the public learns of these bills, maybe they can move to the floor.

Remember, The Constitution for the United States of America only got ratified because provisions for the abolishment of salvery were removed. But, the ground work was still there. Guess what happened about 70 years later.

You first sit up, then crawl, then stand, then walk, then run.

Everything has to start somewhere.

Jan 27, 2015, 9:53pm Permalink
Ed Hartgrove

"The first step to routing out corruption is limiting power. So you limit the power positions first. We limit the President dont we?"

Well, uh..., um... uhh!!! Well, he's SUPPOSED to have limits, but I haven't seen anyone holding him to any, so it's kinda hard to tell. I do know that for 5+ years, I've heard countless officials say, "He can't do that", and "He doesn't have the authority to do that", and several other phrases that amount to the same thing, but he seems to do what he wants, and nobody attempts to hold his 'feet to the fire', so I'm not really sure he does have limits on what he can do.

Pretty sorry-ass bunch in Congress, if you ask me!

Jan 27, 2015, 10:41pm Permalink
Ed Hartgrove

Yeah, I know, Scott. But, he ain't out yet, and it wouldn't surprise me to find out he spends time on the golf course trying to figure out a way to circumvent THAT limit, too!

I could throw my Subaru as far as I trust Mr. O.

Jan 27, 2015, 11:02pm Permalink

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