Corruption 'casts shadow' on New York
ALBANY — After last week’s bribery scandals, Albany’s corrupt culture seems to be alive and well, prosecutors said.
“Once again, we have members of the Legislature allegedly acting as mercenaries,” U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said Thursday. “Once again, we are forced to consider how pervasive corruption is in New York government.”
Former Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, was charged Tuesday with trying to bribe Republican officials to win him to the GOP nomination for New York City mayor. Two days later, Assemblyman Eric Stevenson, D-Bronx, was arrested for allegedly accepting $22,000 in bribes to push legislation to help the local developers of an adult-day-care facility.
Stevenson was undone because Assemblyman Nelson Castro, D-Bronx, agreed four years ago to serve as an informant after he was busted for perjury. Castro wore a wiretap, and Stevenson was heard boasting of how he could use his influence to help the developers, according to the criminal complaint.
“That type of behavior is disgusting. It’s not fit for an elected official. It’s not fit for anybody,” said Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City. “It’s so incredibly blatant; it casts a shadow on our entire system.”
More state senators have been arrested over the past six years — 12 of them — than lost a general election: only nine.
The brazenness of the cases has renewed calls for ethics and campaign-finance reforms in Albany.
“We have to make the consequences more serious and painful for those who violate the public trust and exhibit such abhorrent behavior,” said Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale.
“Once again, we have members of the Legislature allegedly acting as mercenaries,” U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said Thursday. “Once again, we are forced to consider how pervasive corruption is in New York government.”
Former Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, was charged Tuesday with trying to bribe Republican officials to win him to the GOP nomination for New York City mayor. Two days later, Assemblyman Eric Stevenson, D-Bronx, was arrested for allegedly accepting $22,000 in bribes to push legislation to help the local developers of an adult-day-care facility.
Stevenson was undone because Assemblyman Nelson Castro, D-Bronx, agreed four years ago to serve as an informant after he was busted for perjury. Castro wore a wiretap, and Stevenson was heard boasting of how he could use his influence to help the developers, according to the criminal complaint.
“That type of behavior is disgusting. It’s not fit for an elected official. It’s not fit for anybody,” said Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City. “It’s so incredibly blatant; it casts a shadow on our entire system.”
More state senators have been arrested over the past six years — 12 of them — than lost a general election: only nine.
The brazenness of the cases has renewed calls for ethics and campaign-finance reforms in Albany.
“We have to make the consequences more serious and painful for those who violate the public trust and exhibit such abhorrent behavior,” said Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale.
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