"North Country residents expect and demand more from their elected officials. I pledge to continue to fight for meaningful ethics reforms to ensure there is long-lasting punishment for elected officials that violate the public trust so they aren't rewarded by being allowed to keep their pensions after being convicted of crimes that violate the public trust. I will also continue to work to close loopholes that allow lawmakers to profit from work that raises legitimate concerns about influence peddling," Assemblywoman Russell said.
She said she understands both parties in each legislative house have their own ethics reforms packages, but Assemblywoman Russell says with just 12 days left on the session calendar it is time to move forward with common sense reforms that need to be enacted to help regain the public's trust in its elected officials.
"There may be some issues we can't resolve by the end of this session, but it is equally clear there is much we can and must do. Unfortunately we are continuing to work under a black cloud in Albany," she said.
"We should not leave Albany next month without addressing the need to take pensions away from elected officials and political appointees convicted of violating the public trust," Assemblywoman Russell stressed.
The former speaker of the state Assembly and the former majority leader of the state Senate were both sentenced to prison in recent weeks after being convicted of corruption charges.
Assemblywoman Russell said she understands the anger of North Country residents seeing scandal after scandal unfold in Albany.
She acknowledged she had issued a vigorous defense of the former Assembly speaker following his arrest.
"I feel personally betrayed by what has gone on. Eighteen months ago, I initially strongly defended the then speaker of the state Assembly. We don't expect that kind of behavior in the North Country so it kind of catches us by surprise. Our word is our bond, and we give others the benefit of the doubt. But when we are crossed we don't forget and take it personally," Assemblywoman Russell said.
"It is clear from the details that have emerged as the speaker's case moved through the court system that support was neither warranted or deserved," she said.
"I plan to use this experience, where my own faith in our leadership was betrayed, in my fight for ethics reforms in state government," she said.
Assemblywoman Russell said the convictions of the two former legislative leaders is also simply further proof of the need to pass legislation that would close an LLC loophole in state election law that sets the stage for possible illegal acts.
"The current regulations allow LLCs to make multiple contributions to the same candidate or committee even though those LLCs may be under the control of the same individual. There is clearly a need for more transparency so that an individual in control of multiple LLCs would have to follow the same rules as corporations. It is another matter of fairness and good government to help ensure the voice of middle-income working class and the working poor don't have their interests drowned out by the interests of big money," she said.
The Assembly’s ethics reforms would clarify election law to treat LLCs like corporations, holding them to an aggregate $5,000 contribution limit, Assemblywoman Russell noted.
She also reiterated her support for legislation that would limit outside income earned by state lawmakers, using a formula similar to what is used by congressional representatives.
"I was an early supporter of banning outside income. I have chosen not to earn an outside income while I am serving in the state legislature," Assemblywoman Russell said, noting she was a practicing attorney prior to being elected to the New York State Assembly.