Eric Schneiderman Quotes
Our elected representatives wisely enacted laws to protect our state and local governments from undue outside influence.
Schneiderman, Eric. "A.G. Schneiderman Announces Comprehensive Regulations To Bring 'Dark Money' Into The Light." New York State Office of the Attorney General, 5 Jun. 2013.
The Congressman, who had not been previously an enthusiastic leader for this type of reform, found himself with a chance to become Majority Leader of the House of Representatives. The previous leader was under indictment and was linked, along with other Republican Congressman to a Lobbyist who had pleaded guilty to bribing Congressmen. Another Republican Congressman had plead guilty to the felony of accepting bribes. The party that Controlled Congress was fearful of a voter backlash over the corruption—especially the role of lobbyists in giving money to Congressional campaigns. Bainor became a reform leader.
Historically in America, the local governments have been the most corrupt. State government somewhat less so, and the Federal Government has statistically, given the number of employees, the lowest proportion of corrupt officials. Even in modern times, there are many local jurisdictions where bribes of building inspectors, zoning officials, health inspectors and police are still common. At the end of the 20th century, for example, every single Kentucky County Commissioners but one was indicted and convicted for accepting bribes and kickbacks. At the federal level, there is much moral corruption with Presidents and members of Congress taking "campaigh contributions" in exchange for access and the ability to influence and even write legislation. The members of Congress wrote the laws so activities that many peopke would see as corrupt was actually legal. Even when the campaign conributions were used to pay "salaries" to the relatives of the member of Congress or he/she added the money to his/her retirement fund.
California legislators do not have the kind of individual powers and discretion that other legislatures such as New York have. The result is that lobbyist and powerful special interests cannot assure a benefit if they invest in a legislator in California and the temptations in California are therefore less leading to less corruption.
Eric Tradd Schneiderman is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 65th Attorney General of New York from 2011 until his resignation in May 2018. Schneiderman, a member of the Democratic Party, spent ten years in the New York State Senate. In May 2018, Schneiderman resigned his position as Attorney General after The New Yorker reported that four women had accused him of physical abuse.
