Two Articles Look at Albany’s Dark Side

Two articles published today shine some light on the murkier aspects of Albany’s ethics and campaign finance rules.

In a front page article in today’s edition, the New York Times looks at the “loopholes that live on in Albany” after the demise of the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption.

According to the Times, “little in Albany has changed” since the Moreland Commission’s work was ended. The so-called “LLC loophole,” under which limited-liability companies (LLCs) are treated as people rather than corporations for donation limit purposes, still exists. Lawmakers are still not required to disclose exactly what they do to earn their outside income. And the use of campaign funds – possibly to pay for personal expenses – has not yet been addressed by the new Board of Elections enforcement unit (which has existed only since September).

Also, Crain’s profiles David Grandeau, the former executive director of the Temporary State Commission on Lobbying, who suggests that he should be called “the dark prince of disclosure.”