Sometimes the real scandal is what’s legal. In fact, the former New York Assembly Speaker Silver’s lawyers made that argument the bedrock of their defense, arguing that you may not like that he made millions on referrals from a doctor he also funded with research grants, but it wasn’t illegal. It’s just what New York legislators do.
A jury last week disagreed, finding Silver guilty of honest-services fraud. But the argument exemplifies what’s wrong with New York’s politics. There are so many ways politicians use the perks of their office to help themselves that doing so is simply accepted practice. Not until U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara started indicting politicians did they begin to question the way they conducted themselves. Here are a smattering of examples that may be legal but seem ethically problematic:
- The per diem allowances that legislators use to bump their so called "measly" pay.
- The “fact-finding missions” that are really junkets.
- The personal expenses they charge to their campaign accounts, which they also use to pay lawyers’ fees when they get into hot water.
- Using taxpayer funds to underwrite campaign pamphlets disguised as official newsletters.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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