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Moreland Commission Recommends Public Campaign Financing, Other Reforms

New York State Capitol
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Governor Cuomo’s anti corruption commission issued a scathing report Monday evening that criticizes what the commission says is Albany’s culture of corruption and recommends numerous reforms.

The Moreland Act Commissioners describe their report as a “blue print” to fix what they say is the pervasive “dysfunction” in Albany. They recommend enacting New York City style public campaign financing for statewide elections, and closing loopholes that allow limited liability corporations and party housekeeping accounts to blatantly shirk existing limits for campaign contributions.

The commissioners also say that the State Board of elections should be stripped of their enforcement powers, and an independent enforcement agency be setup instead.

The commission says it’s continuing several on going investigations that give hints of potential criminal corruption. Governor Cuomo, in a statement, was non committal about the commission's specific ideas, but  says he wanted to work toward "systematic reform".

Karen DeWitt is Capitol Bureau chief for New York State Public Radio, a network of public radio stations in New York state. She has covered state government and politics for the network since 1990.