ALBANY (AP) New York good government advocates are renewing calls for ethics reform at the state Capitol after the arrest of the Legislature's top Democrat.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was arrested Thursday on charges that he collected nearly $4 million in bribes and kickbacks since 2002 and disguised it as legitimate income. Silver says he is confident he will be vindicated.
Reform groups are now calling for an overhaul of ethics oversight, more disclosure by lawmakers, stricter rules for lobbying and changes to the state's campaign finance system.
The groups calling for the changes are Common Cause/New York, the state's League of Women Voters and the New York Public Interest Research Group.
