Ethics at Political Conventions

Jimmy Vielkind is covering the Republican National Convention for the Times Union, but he found time to write an article about the application of New York State’s limits on gifts to public officials in the context of a convention.

Why is this an issue?  He quotes Don Clary, Albany Republican Chair:

“In past conventions, “You could come into town and you wouldn’t pay for anything until you left. It was that simple.”

Things are much more complicated for New York’s elected officials and staff today, at least as far as events sponsored by corporate entities are concerned.

The ethics reform laws of 2007 and 2011 impose limits on what public officials can accept from lobbyists and their clients (and, for that matter, what lobbyists and clients can give to public officials), even 1,100 miles to the south.