Editorial

Two big sweeps toward a cleaner capital

Posted

With the convictions of former State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Manhattan Democrat, and former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, a Rockville Centre Republican, pundits now claim that Albany’s pay-to-play system of dishonest dealing has finally been disrupted. More reputable representation can now be expected.

Not so fast. That rosy outlook presumes that a few individuals at the top were responsible for the unscrupulous way things got done or didn’t, what issues got looked at, what decisions were made, who got favored, who was ignored and, of most importance, where the money went.

“Special interests” is a term found in newspaper editorials going back hundreds of years. We all have special interests. Teachers’ unions, cab drivers, election-campaign-funding reformers, anti-abortion groups, women’s rights organizations, racial justice demonstrators, Big Oil, anti-fracking environmentalists, pro-fracking job developers, parents against Common Core, educators for higher academic standards — all are interested in having the Legislature give special focus to their issues. Nothing new, or bad, there.

We have the right to petition, to assemble, to speak out for what we want, and to organize to strengthen our voices on these issues. It’s not a corrupt practice for a legislator to vote for or against a bill based on his or her beliefs and the information presented by individuals or groups who want him to vote their way. It’s not only not corrupt, it’s called honest and informed representation.

An older term for special interests is “monied” interests, and better describes the problem. When those who want to benefit from legislation pay lawmakers to vote their way, that’s corruption. When, for personal gain, lawmakers make deals with real estate developers, insurance companies, law firms, doctors or other people and entities with enough money to influence legislative outcomes, that’s bribery, and that’s corruption.

So Silver and Skelos won’t be making those deals any more. Skelos became the 33rd Albany legislator who has either gone to jail or been forced to leave office since 2000 because of charges of corruption or otherwise highly unethical or criminal behavior.

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