State Attorney General Eric Schnei🎐derman dropped another ethics bombshell on Gov. Cuomo Monday, sa💟ying his proposals for cleaning up Albany don’t go far enough and should have included a total ban on outside income for legislators.
Schneiderman also cri♉ticized 💟Cuomo for refusing his request to issue a “standing order” authorizing the attorney general to pursue corruption without getting referrals from executive agencies.
As Schneiderman recalled during a speech at New York Law School, Cuomo supported the idea when he was attorney general and had a sudden change of heart when he became governor and could have accomplished 𓃲the change “with the stroke of a pen.”
“My request was denied,” Schneiderman told a conference on rootꦜing out corruption sponsored by Citizens Union.
His proposa𝔉ls for reform💮ing what he called “a golden age of graft” went well beyond those put forward last month by Cuomo.
Schneider💛man called for🍃 a ban on all outside income for legislators.
“Ladies and gentlemen, in the 21st century, it is impossible to a💧void conflicts, or the appearance ꦅof conflicts, if legislators have outside employment,” said Schneiderman. “The time has come to end it.”
Schneiderman also suggested extending legislative terms from two to four♑ years under a public financing system with lower contribution limits.
Tꦅo end what he described as “barely regulated slush funds,” he said it was time to end “housekeeping accounts” of political parties that are a favo𒐪rite with big donors.
And to attract better candidates to public office, Schneiderman said legislators’ salaries should be raised from $79,500 to between what a City Council member and a member o🧜f𝓰 Congress earns, or $112,500 to $174,000.
Cuomo has proposed his own 🍌ethics reform package and tied it to the state budget, demanding that legislators either approve the changes or risk funding for their pet projects.
But the governor would allow legislators to hold down second jobs, as long as they disclose their earnings and sources🦋 of income.
His plan makes no mention of “housekeeping accounts” or longer terms for legislators that the AG is ๊pushing.