Metro

Bill would stop corrupt pols from using campaign cash for legal bills

A bill introduced by Brooklyn Assemblyman Nick Perry would make it illegal for corrupt politicians to use campaign cash to pay legal bills.

Under the measure introduced last week, elected officials wouldn’t be able to access donor funds if they’re indicted, charged or convicted of a crime, or if they resign as a result of violating state ethics law. Cash remaining in their campaign accounts would be forfeited to the state comptroller’s office, which would issue refunds to contributors.

Currently, lawmakers are able to take money from their campaign coffers and use it on high-priced lawyers to keep them out of the clink.

Former state Sen. Carl Kruger, who represented Mill Basin in Brooklyn, was sentenced to prison in April 2012 after taking bribes to steer $900,000 in taxpayer money to nonprofits. He used $1.5 million from his campaign account to pay legal bills.

Former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno also shelled out about $1.5 million in donor cash to combat federal corruption charges.

Like all campaign-reform proposals, however, the bill faces hurdles in Albany.
“These one-off bills related to campaign-finance reform tend to not go anywhere,” said Alex Camarda of Citizens Union, a government watchdog group. “There’s either going to be a comprehensive bill or no bill at all.”
Perry, a Democrat who represents East Flatbush and parts of Canarsie, does not yet have a sponsor in the GOP-controlled Senate.
He said corrupt pols should not “continue to maintain control of . . . and access funds given for the purpose of being elected to office.