State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says Assemblyman William Scarborough’s expected decision to plead guilty to illegally claiming over $40,000 in travel expenses is “the right thing to do”. Schneiderman’s office, along with the State Comptroller, originally launched the investigation that led to the charges by the US Attorney for New York’s Northern district.
In an interview with public radio and television, the Attorney General says he now believes only a wholesale restructuring of New York’s political system will prevent further corruption.
“Our goal is not just indicting and arresting more and more members of the legislature, the goal is reform,” Schneiderman said.
The Attorney General wants to ban all outside income for state lawmakers, and replace an honor system for expense reimbursement with the submission of actual travel receipts.
Governor Cuomo and lawmakers, in the state budget, enacted greater disclosure of lawmaker’s outside income, and a new, yet to be defined electronic system to verify that they qualify for reimbursement for expenses when they are in Albany.
“They’re nice changes, but my point of view has shifted,” Schneiderman said. “ I have given up on incremental reforms.”
The Attorney General says with a greater number of new members in the legislature there’s an opportunity to “reset the dial”.