Tagged: Capitol Bureau

Former Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson turned himself in to federal authorities Monday, after being accused in a nine count indictment of embezzling nearly half a million dollars from mortgage foreclosure accounts,  and then trying to cover it up.

According to the federal compliant, Senator Sampson is accused of embezzling $440,000 in funds that he was entrusted to care for as a court appointed referee on four foreclosed Brooklyn properties.   

Republicans in the State Senate plan to hold hearings next Tuesday, May 7th, on what they say are abuses in New York City’s public campaign finance system.  

The Senate GOP is against a proposal by Governor Cuomo and other Democrats to expand public campaign financing to statewide races. Republicans will hold a hearing that they say will examine “the abuses within New York City's taxpayer funded political campaign system and the implications for state taxpayers if the system were to be expanded statewide”.

A key component of Governor Cuomo’s 2013 agenda appears in jeopardy, as the governor concedes he does not currently have enough votes in the State Senate to bring an abortion rights bill he has championed to the floor.

State Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos says a bill to put into state law the abortion rights protections in the federal Roe v Wade decision won’t be voted on in the State Senate.

“We’re  not going to put in on the floor,” Skelos said. “In my opinion and the opinion of my conference, that bill is not moving.”

The state’s Attorney General and Assembly Speaker have proposed an early voting system for New York that they say can improve voter participation and democracy.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman teamed up to press for New York to join 32 other states and allow early voting.  

Governor Cuomo says he’ll know in a couple of weeks whether two key items on his end of session agenda will become law- an abortion rights bill and public financing of political campaigns.

The governor says Republicans who co lead the State Senate continue to oppose a measure to clarify a women’s right to choose abortion. The GOP has also steadfastly been against public financing of campaigns.   

“It is a fundamental ideological difference on choice and public financing,” Cuomo said. “I get it.”

Governor Cuomo says he hopes to soon create a special government restructuring board that can work with local governments in financial crisis to help cut costs and perhaps share services or merge with other governments. He says many municipalities have been “unable to pay their bills for a long period of time”, and more state aid won’t change that.

“Our solution has been, we come up with an annual subsidy to get the city from one year to the next,” Cuomo said. “But that just kicks the can down the road.”