Sentences with phrase «jcope state ethics»

Not exact matches

JCOPE Commissioner Ravi Batra claims that the state ethics panel is not abiding by the law that created it, and he is considering legal action after JCOPE voted to set into place disclosure requirements that are effective starting July 1st of this year instead of June 1st.

During this morning's JCOPE meeting the state ethics board released a draft report on disclosure rules requiring lobbyists and lobbying groups to disclose individual donors who give more than $ 5000.

DeFrancisco, a Republican candidate for governor, called for the dismissal of Seth Agata, the executive director of the state's lobbying and ethics watchdog panel, JCOPE.

According to a Cuomo spokeswoman, the governor's new top aide, Melissa DeRosa, is «actively engaged» with JCOPE, the state's ethics - advisory agency, «to ensure that even the appearance of impropriety is avoided» ahead of her starting her new position later this year.

«JCOPE has one charge and that's to be the regulator of ethics and integrity of New York state and public officials and unfortunately I think this an example of the ethics Chernobyl that's ocurring here in Albany and JCOPE's the regulator.

In 2011, Cuomo made the first of what would be several attempts to reform the state's ethics laws, ultimately brokering the agreement that would create JCOPE and a little noticed database called Project Sunlight, which allows users to view the details of meetings outside entities have with state officials from every agency in the state.

The scandal resulted in multiple probes conducted by the AG, the IG, the Albany County DA and the state ethics board, the Commission on Public Integrity (the precursor to JCOPE).

Two years after members of the JCOPE complained of interference by Cuomo's administration, phone records show that Cuomo's top attorney repeatedly called the state's ethics watchdog agency.

The changes occur as JCOPE prepares to take on expanded duties as a result of the ethics changes included in this spring's state budget agreement.

Seth Agata, recently appointed the head of the state ethics enforcement agency, JCOPE, is Governor Cuomo's former top lawyer.

JCOPE spokesman Walter McClure said it was «routine for JCOPE staff and the executive director to speak with executive and legislative officials, ethics officers and counsels and others from state agencies, and lobbyists and their clients as part of the commission's mandate to provide ethics guidance.»

While the number of calls from David to JCOPE is not overwhelming, the timing of several calls made 16 months ago raises questions about the frequency of contact between the governor's office and the state's independent ethics panel, especially at a time when former aides and supporters of Cuomo were in the crosshairs of a U.S. Justice Department investigation.

The state's chief ethics agency, JCOPE, has reportedly commenced an initial inquiry into complaints surrounding the office of Sen. Marc Panepinto, a Buffalo Democrat who earlier this week made a surprise announcement that he would not seek a second term in Albany.

AS part of a settlement with JCOPE, the former head of SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn agreed to pay a $ 3,000 ethics fine after using his state credit card to help pay for a Bermuda vacation.

A slew of prominent communications firms may be forced to register as lobbyists under a proposal by the state ethics commission, JCOPE.

State ethics watchdog JCOPE slapped $ 270,000 in fines on two firms that figured prominently in the corruption trials of disgraced ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and former state Senate Majority Leader Dean SkState ethics watchdog JCOPE slapped $ 270,000 in fines on two firms that figured prominently in the corruption trials of disgraced ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and former state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skstate Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos.

Two commissioners on the state's ethics watchdog panel have tendered their resignations: David Arroyo, an appointee of Gov. Andrew Cuomo who still had time left on his JCOPE term, and Joseph Covello, who was originally appointed by ex-Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos.

She says her group, which has already filed a complaint with the IRS and state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman about ALEC, is now asking the state's ethic commission, JCOPE, to look into it.

«There are two separate standards to consider here,» opines state ethics guru and frequent JCOPE critic David Grandeau.

JCOPE unanimously passed «emergency» regulations that will govern the state's lobbying disclosure rules should Gov. Andrew Cuomo sign an ethics reform package, as expected.

Krebs said the other elements of the job as described to him by JCOPE officials included educating state officials on ethics and eliminating «duplicate filings» with the legislature's ethics board and the New York City lobbying commission.

«By appointing these loyalists, the governor has badly undermined whatever credibility JCOPE and the state BOE have as fair and impartial ethics enforcers.

The 2011 law that created the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) to be the top ethics watchdog in the state contained a proviso that the body would be periodically reviewed to find ways to improve its functioning.

JCOPE — set up by Gov. Cuomo in 2011 to «restore public trust» by making sure officials follow state ethics rules — has broad jurisdiction over New York legislators, elected officials, candidates and employees.

According to New York's Joint Commission on Public Ethic (JCOPE), «No State resources of any type may be used in furtherance of activities, including, but not limited to, telephones, office supplies, postage, photocopying machines, computers and support staff.

JCOPE members convene for a state ethics commission meeting Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2014, in Albany, N.Y. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Good government groups see the pension forfeiture measure as a token reform and have pressed for the closing of the «LLC loophole» that allows businesses to create multiple limited liability companies to donate virtually unlimited amounts of campaign cash; public financing of candidate campaigns; the end of lump sum appropriations in the budget; limits on political contributions by companies with business before the state; limits on legislators» outside income; and a renovation of Albany's ethics watchdog, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE).

Also, the state's ethics watchdog, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE), is controlled by individuals who are directly appointed by the governor and the legislative leaders.