Gov. Cuomo Says Pass Assembly Campaign Finance Bill; Critics ...

With his campaign finance reform plan all but dead, Gov. Cuomo today called on the Senate to pass a bill to create a public financing system for state campaigns.

He urged Senate co-leaders Dean Skelos (R-Long Island) and Jeffrey Klein (D-Bronx) to bring a bill to the floor that is sponsored by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

The Assembly already passed the measure.

"As I have made clear to the Legislature, I believe that we need a comprehensive package of reforms to address public corruption in Albany and I have introduced such a package over the course of this session that includes campaign finance reform, election reform, and improvements to the criminal law to facilitate State prosecutions of corrupt public officials," Cuomo said. "Part of that agenda calls for establishing a public financing system for elections in New York State.

"The bill introduced by Speaker Silver, passed by the Assembly and introduced by Senate Democratic Leader Stewart-Cousins in the Senate (A4980C/S4705) to establish a public financing system for New York State?s elections would do just that. Senator co-leaders Klein and Skelos should bring this bill, as well as the other bills that would address public corruption, to the floor for a vote of the full Senate before the session concludes this week."

But some insiders declared the bill flawed. While it largely mirrors the NYCCFB matching-fund model, it also differs in two key ways, says one source.

While the city program prohibits the transfer of taxpayer dollars to political parties, the Silver bill does not. The source said it allows contributions, transfers or loans to other candidates and political parties or committees.

In addition, while the city program prohibits using taxpayer-funded campaign cash to pay penalties and fines imposed under federal, state or local law, the Silver bill does not.

"Why is that important?" the source said.

"Under this bill, Vito Lopez could pay his Legislative Ethics Commission fine with taxpayer money... not to mention any fines levied against (Sen. John) Sampson, (Sen. Malcolm) Smith or any other legislator now in legal trouble."

IMAGE: MATT WADE PHOTOGRAPHY

?
.

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2013/06/gov-cuomo-says-pass-assembly-campaign-finance-bill-critics-say-it-is-flawed

House of Cards Colin Kaepernick Chris Culliver Atlanta school shooting Superbowl Kickoff Time 2013 30 rock What Time Is The Super Bowl 2013