Common Cause/NY Statement on Indictment and Arrest of LG Benjamin

NEW YORK, NY (04/12/2022) (readMedia)-- In response to breaking news that Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin has been arrested and charged with public corruption, Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY issued the following statement:

"The charges against Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin are very serious, and will be meted out fully in the legal system. But the indictment is a reassuring example of the New York City Campaign Finance Board's ability to identify anomalies in candidate filings and work with law enforcement to protect public monies. Unfortunately, it also points to the fact that the United States Attorney for the Southern District remains the Chief Ethics Officer in New York State. The recent so-called 'reforms' to state ethics oversight that passed in the budget are an embarrassment, and campaign finance enforcement at the state level remains woefully lax. New Yorkers deserve a truly independent state-level oversight body that's not controlled by the politicians it's supposed to police."