Legislation Would Make Public Lawmakers’ Defense Funds
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- November
- 5
Sen. Neil Breslin, D-Albany County, held a press conference today at the Capitol to announce a bill that would require disclosure of any financial contributions to a legal defense fund for politicians in the wake of a fund set up by Sen. Hiram Monserrate, D-Queens, Gannett’s Jon Campbell reports.
The bill calls for disclosure of all defense fund-related contributions, including the name of the donor and the amount given, dating back to Jan. 1 and going forward.
“When I heard about the creation of defense funds, I thought at the time, ‘That has to be illegal, and if it isn’t, then we have to find something to do about it,’” Breslin said.
Monserrate created a defense fund that is helping to pay his legal fees after he was convicted last month of misdemeanor assault involving his girlfriend.
But Breslin was careful not to single out any one politician. Former Senate Republican Leader Joe Bruno also recently set up a defense fund as his court case continues on corruption charges.
“I would never, ever support legislation that was directed at one person,” Breslin said. “I’m remissed that I haven’t done this legislation earlier.”
Breslin did have strong words for Monserrate and Sen. Pedro Espada (D-Bronx), who each switched their political allegiances in the Republicans’ ill-fated Senate coup earlier this year. That’s not a new thing for him.
“I have already identified myself as thinking (Monserrate) should resign at the nearest possible time, and he should be joined by at least one other,” Breslin said, referring to Espada.
Breslin did, however, recognize Monserrate’s legal right to sit during next week’s special session. A Senate panel has been formed to decide Monserrate’s fate.
“I don’t think he should be welcomed, but I think he should be legally allowed in,” Breslin said. “I don’t think there will be any, you know, hugging.”
This entry was posted
on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 6:50 pm by Joseph Spector.
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Jay Gallagher has covered Albany for Gannett News Service since 1984 and has been Albany Bureau chief since 1989. He`s a native of the Boston area and likes to point out that in this millennium, the score is Red Sox 1 championship, the Yankees 0. 
Cara Matthews has been a statehouse correspondent in the Albany Bureau since August 2005. Prior to that, she covered Putnam County government and politics at The Journal News for nearly five years. Before that, she worked at newspapers in Connecticut and covered the state Legislature for one of them. 
