GOP ETHICS BLAST
Pols propose reform package in rip at ‘Cuomo corruption’
ALBANY — State Senate Republicans this week plan to take up what one GOP insider branded a “Cuomo corruption package.” Senate GOP spokesman Scott Reif called it “the most sweeping good-government reform package in a generation.”
But it’s also clear much of the package is aimed at Gov. Cuomo (photo), who had a close working relationship with the Senate Republicans during his first seven years in office. With Cuomo now publicly calling it a priority this year to flip the Senate to Democratic control — he has been personally reaching out to potential candidates — the Republicans are prepared to take the gloves off.
In touting the package, a Senate GOP source referenced the recent conviction on three federal corruption charges of longtime Cuomo confidant Joseph Percoco, who faces up to 45 years in prison.
“The governor’s former top aide is potentially facing the rest of his life in prison for crimes he committed, and what’s been the governor’s response? Less transparency and less accountability,” the source said. “It’s time to do something about it.”
One of the GOP bills seeks to restore preapproval oversight for economic development contracts to the state controller. That power was stripped away during Cuomo’s first term. Another measure would prohibit gubernatorial appointees from making campaign donations to the governor from a year before their appointments until at least a year after their terms expire.
A third bill would allow the Public Authorities Control Board made up of gubernatorial and state legislative appointees to seek repayments from companies that receive state tax breaks but don’t meet stated goals like the number of jobs created. Another proposal would establish a database that would allow the public to search economic development assistance provided by the state Empire State Development Corp.
Yet another piece of legislation would prospectively limit statewide elected officials, like the governor, attorney general and controller to two, four-year terms, and state legislators to no more than three four-year terms.
The package is expected to clear the Rules Committee controlled by Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan (R-Suffolk County) on Monday and could be voted on by the full Senate as early as Tuesday.
In blasting Republicans for routinely blocking ethics reform proposed by the governor, Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi referenced former state Senate GOP leader Dean Skelos, who is awaiting retrial on federal corruption charges.
“We proposed many items in the Sen. Dean Skelos Corruption Reform Act, so it’s funny that his crony, Sen. Flanagan, only proposed them when he is facing political oblivion,” Azzopardi said.
lll The chairman of the state Democratic Party and a group of influential union leaders are calling on state Senate Dems to back the reelection of eight members of the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference who recently returned to the fold.
With the Democrats only one seat shy of capturing the chamber, Sen. Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn) still caucusing with the GOP and five incumbent Republicans having already announced they will not seek reelection, the group in a letter to state Senate Democratic leadership wrote that “now more than ever, primaries against members of your own conference waste valuable resources.”
The letter was signed by Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Cuomo’s hand-picked state Democratic chairman, and nine labor union heads who worked with the governor to help forge a unity agreement between the two warring factions.
Senate Democratic spokesman Mike Murphy said “it has been clear for months that we are not supporting the primary opponents of our conference members.”