You don’t need to be an expert in state government to know that our ethics laws have been in sore need of an overhaul. That’s why I've worked since the day I took office to craft legislation that will give ethics enforcement real teeth.
I have worked hand in hand with civic advocates to draft an ethics package that will create more independent oversight of ethics, force legislators to disclose their business dealings with lobbyists, and make more detailed information about legislators’ finances available to the public.
The recent trial of former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno magnifies what we've known all along -- we need stronger state laws to oversee governmental ethics. We are pushing to pass comprehensive ethics reform now, so we can give New Yorkers reason to have a renewed faith in our state government. The federal courts should not be the only venue that addresses accusations of wrongdoing; we must fill the "Bruno Gap" in our state laws. I look forward to continue fighting for a cleaner, more transparent State Senate that fully functions for the people of New York.
