An illustration of ethics.

While snide parade pissing is always more fun, it seems like most people are pretty okay with the group of 14 New York state ethics panel appointees announced yesterday.

 

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) will investigate corruption and ethics violations of state lawmakers, their staffs, and lobbyists. JCOPE replaces an earlier Commission on Public Integrity that was more closely under the control of the Governor’s office. Lawmakers will be required to submit financial disclosure statements to the panel about income, as well as business and legislative dealings. These statements will also be viewable by the public.

 

Dick Dadey of Citizens Union was on YNN’s Capitol Tonight Monday night where he generally applauded the appointments and downplayed concerns about some criticized members, particularly Mary Lou Rath and Mitra Hormozi. Those two may or may not meet the technical requirements for panelists, but Dadey defended both as qualified and reputable choices. He also withheld judgment on Ravi Batra, a more controversial pick.

 

In another good-government group endorsement, the Brennan Center for Justice‘s Lawrence Norden told WNYC that, “in terms of whether a commission is going to be more or less effective, in the end it really is largely dependent on the people who are on the commission, and certainly I’m encouraged by the people who have been appointed.”

 

Russell Haven of the New York Public Interest Research Group said that his organization would have preferred to see fewer insiders appointed, but that “certainly its a group with impressive credentials.”

 

Here is the complete list of appointees.

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