Capital Tonight spoke with attorney Evan A. Davis, senior counsel at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, and the head of the “Committee to Reform the State Constitution” about the indictment and resignation of New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin. 

Davis, who was also counsel to former Gov. Mario Cuomo, said it’s critical to elect people with strong moral fiber. In lieu of that, he urged implementing strong ethics enforcement. 

“My belief has always been that ethics is the first line of defense against corruption. Ethical weakness promotes corruption, no doubt about it,” he said. “And second, New York has a problem with corruption issues at the highest level of state government.”

Davis said he wouldn’t pre-judge the Benjamin case, which alleges he committed bribery and falsification of records, however, Davis pointed to a long list of elected officials from Albany who ended up in the cross-hairs of the law. 

Davis and other good government advocates are deeply unhappy with the new ethics commission proscribed in the recently passed state budget.

“We believe that, first of all, it’s not independent. Secondly, it’s not non-partisan. Thirdly, it’s not transparent,” Davis said. 

Below is a press release about the JCOPE replacement.