By Henry J. Stern
August 28, 2006
Normally, we ask that you link to articles we cite.
Occasionally, we think that a story is important or outrageous enough for
us to reprint directly. We assume that most of our readers do
not peruse the editorial page in the Daily News on an August Sunday, so this
will be your first exposure to the edit.
Originally published on Sunday August 27, 2006 on
page
36 of the Daily News.
http://www.nydailynews.com/08-27-2006/news/ideas_opinions/story/446906p-376295c.html
Capitol Offenses
Too bad NYPD's famous Compstat system doesn't cover the whole state. It sure
would come in handy in Albany, where a crime wave is engulfing the Capitol.
No fewer than eight state legislators have faced criminal charges in the
past three years, mostly for various forms of self-enrichment. The cliché
about the Legislature being a den of thieves looks all too true these days.
The latest to make the perp walk is Sen. Efrain Gonzalez of the Bronx, who
faces a federal indictment for allegedly looting $37,000 from the West Bronx
Neighborhood Association, a nonprofit under his sway. According to the city's
Department of Investigation, this group - headquartered next door to Gonzalez's
district office on the Grand Concourse - received at least some funding indirectly
from city government, meaning Gonzalez stands accused of ripping off the
very taxpayers he was sworn to represent.
When Gonzalez appeared in court to enter his not-guilty plea, the case on
the docket before his was that of a gangbanger. Fitting, because political
corruption cases are getting to be almost as common as drug dealing. It won't
be long before members of the Senate and Assembly take to wearing "Stop Snitching"
T-shirts.
The others in the sorry parade:
• Assemblywoman Gloria Davis of the Bronx, found guilty of bribery
charges. (in New York County)
• Sen. Guy Velella of the Bronx, guilty of bribery charges. (in New
York County)
• Assemblyman Clarence Norman of Brooklyn, guilty of soliciting illegal
campaign donations.
• Assemblyman Roger Green of Brooklyn, guilty of misdemeanor larceny
for padding his expense account.
• Sen. Ada Smith of Queens, guilty of harassment for throwing coffee
at an aide.
• Sen. Kevin Parker, charged with assaulting a traffic officer.
• Assemblywoman Diane Gordon of Brooklyn, charged with soliciting bribes.
The first three, as certified felons, were obliged to vacate their offices.
But the other four continue lapping at the public trough courtesy of an election
system rigged to protect incumbents, no matter what.
It looks like it will take a felony conviction to pry Gonzalez loose, too.
He's running unopposed for the Democratic nomination, and there is no Republican
on the ballot.
New York politics. Isn't it fun?
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the right to edit letters. The shorter the letter, the better the chance
it will be used.
The News editorial leads us to ask the following impertinent
pertinent questions:
Is there anything that can be done about this situation, and, if so, who
is, or will be, in a position to do it?
Who are the role models for the miscreant senators and assembly members?
District Attorneys Morgenthau and Hynes prosecuted some of these cases, as
did the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Were any other law enforcement agencies involved in these prosecutions, or
did they make similar cases against other elected officials?
Why do these people deserve the salary increase (from $79,500 plus lulus
plus per diem allotments) that they are preparing to vote themselves?
How many legislators who have committed similar crimes have simply not been
apprehended? Remember,
bribery is a crime of consent, and does not come to the attention of
the authorities without a complaint.
We have asked just five questions, but we are sure there are many others
that may occur to our readers.
If any of you have questions you would like to raise, please let us
know and we will put them on our blog.
Either e-mail us at StarQuest@nycivic.org or post them yourself at www.nycivicblog.blogspot.com/.