ENP STAFF REPORTS
news@eastniagarapost.com

---

NEW YORK — Common Cause NY, an open government group, said this morning that Sheldon Silver's early-morning arrest on federal corruption charges is proof that the disbanded Moreland Commission was crucial to ethics reform.

Common Cause/NY Executive Director Susan Lerner said via press release, "This sad development underscores, yet again, the sorry state of ethics enforcement in New York."

The group says that the State Legislature functions "under a persistent and permanent ethical cloud."

The press release follows in its entirety:

The arrest of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver by federal authorities for undisclosed income further reveals the crucial role the Moreland Commission played in bringing corruption in New York State government to light.

This sad development underscores, yet again, the sorry state of ethics enforcement in New York. These circumstances make it particularly egregious that the statutorily mandated Review Commission which was supposed to have been appointed by the Governor and legislative leaders to review and evaluate the performance of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics and the Legislative Ethics Commission was never named. Common Cause/NY supports requiring New York's Legislature to work full-time for New Yorkers along with strict limits on outside income.

In the meantime, New York State needs stricter disclosure laws requiring elected officials to fully open their books to public scrutiny and a wholesale overhaul of ethics laws and enforcement. New Yorkers deserve a Legislature that does not function under a persistent and permanent ethical cloud.

Common Cause/New York urges the U.S. Attorney and Speaker Silver to do everything possible to facilitate an early trial to resolve these troubling charges.

---

For instant access to East Niagara Post's YouTube videos, social media feeds and more, 

download the new ENP Mobile app for Android.