No wonder Albany’s a mess.
Nearly half of the state’s legislators are part-time politicos, preoccupied with second jobs ranging from lawyering to teaching to acting.
A Post analysis of 2008 ethics disclosure forms show that 44 percent of state senators and 46 percent of Assembly members moonlight.
The issue of lawmakers grabbing at lucrative side jobs reared its ugly head again last week during the testimony of Jared Abbruzzese at the corruption trial of former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.
The telecommunications entrepreneur testified that his golfing buddy Bruno, a Republican, sought to mimic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) by pulling in big bucks from a consultant gig. Some estimate that Silver, who earns $121,000 as Assembly speaker, makes at least $300,000 in his “of counsel” position with Manhattan law firm Weitz & Luxenberg.
“[Bruno] started talking about the uniqueness of New York state [lawmakers], about how they are part-time legislators, and how they are allowed to work away from it,” Abbruzzese testified.
State disclosure forms require legislators to report outside employment, but not outside salaries.
Lawmakers, who make a minimum of $79,500 in state salary, reported a wide variety of side jobs, from a third-generation bar owner to a pharmacist who owns a drug store and liquor store.
Assemblyman Michael Den Dekker (D-Queens) is a working actor who appeared on “30 Rock” earlier this year and has had small parts in movies such as “Miracle at St. Anna” and “American Gangster.”
There are also several adjunct professors at CUNY, real-estate brokers and many lawyers.
Watchdogs criticized the murky rules and lax oversight of lawmakers’ extra incomes.
“We have the worst of both worlds: a sleeping watchdog and fuzzy standards,” said Blair Horner of New York Public Interest Research Group. “What New York lacks is clear standards about what you can and can’t do in outside business.
“New York has lousy disclosure laws. The public needs to know more detailed information about [officials’] outside activities so watchdogs can investigate.”
Horner pointed to former Assemblyman Tony Seminario (D-Queens), who pleaded guilty to taking bribes through a company he started, Marc Consultants.
Gov. Paterson acknowledged yesterday that “technically . . . legislative duty is a part-time job” and that he wouldn’t “condemn anyone that is doing anything that currently conforms” to rules.
But he added, “I am in favor of ethics legislation and ethics reform,” and legislation that “probably would change” moonlighting regulations.
Additional reporting by Matthew Nestel