BINGHAMTON (WSKG) -- Republican candidate for governor of New York Marc Molinaro is throwing his support behind an anti-corruption bill introduced in the Assembly last year and co-sponsored by several lawmakers from the Southern Tier.
In Binghamton on Wednesday, Molinaro pointed out the co-sponsorship of Assemblyman Cliff Crouch (R-Binghamton), who was present at the press conference. Christopher Friend (R-Big Flats) and Phil Palmesano (R-Corning) are also co-sponsoring the bill.
Molinaro hammered Governor Andrew Cuomo's administration and said part of the Assembly bill would hold him accountable.
“That is to make it a crime for government officials, for administration officials, for appointed officials to not report corruption," said Molinaro. "If they’re involved in a cover-up, there should be criminal prosecution for that."
He also touted an ethics plan he proposed back in July, which would impose term limits on elected officials. Even if it's not enacted, Molinaro said he would impose term limits on himself were he elected governor. and ban political contributions from people and entities pursuing government contracts, among other things.
This spring, Molinaro and the Republican state party Chairmen Ed Cox submitted sworn complaints to the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) about Joe Percoco, Cuomo's former top aide, possibly using state resources when he was working on Cuomo's 2014 campaign. On Tuesday, the Albany Times-Union reported that two spokespeople for Cuomo say they have not been notified. Under state law, JCOPE would have been required to send Cuomo a letter of potential legal violations and give them 15 days to respond.