Keith Wofford’s Plan to Tackle Corruption

OVERVIEW: Voters are tired of dirty career politicians who engage in this behavior – it’s time for a change. We need to elect an independent Attorney General to ensure that no one is above the law. Keith Wofford the only candidate in the race for Attorney General that has the independence to stop the looting and lousy deals that are done across this State out of the taxpayers’ pockets.

Fight Corruption And Protect Taxpayers.

Attorney General Has The Legal Authority To Investigate And Prosecute Government Corruption Without The Consent Of The Governor Or Legislature.

  • State’s Constitution Of 1846, Formally Established The Attorney General Position As A Statewide Elected Office. The Constitution did not curb the Attorney General’s common law investigative powers, and state courts have said the Attorney General has “all the powers belonging to the office at common law, and additionalpowers as the legislature has seen fit to confer upon him.” Those powers include (but are not limited to) the following:
     
  • Parens Patriae. The Attorney General, under the common law legal doctrine ofparens patriae, can investigate, and if necessary, commence litigation for the benefit of state residents in furtherance of the public trust, to safeguard the general and economic welfare of a state’s residents, and to protect them from illegal practices.
     
  • Executive Law 63(12). The Executive Law allows the Attorney General to investigate private entities who (alone or together with public officials) engage in bid-rigging or other unlawful conduct that takes advantage of competing bidders or taxpayers.
     
  • The existing Public Integrity Bureau of the Attorney General Office has an array of law at its disposal to tackle corruption, such as the Public Officers Law, General Municipal Law, and Public Employees Ethics Reform Act of 2007:
     
  • NY Public Officers Law § 73(2) prohibits state elected officials, officers or employees, or members of the Legislature from receiving, or entering into any express or implied agreement for compensation for services related to any matter before a state agency, where his or her compensation is contingent upon the action of the agency regarding a license, contract, or other benefit. Public Officers Law § 73(16) prohibits certain actions or inactions by public officials based on political contributions.
     
  • General Municipal Law § 801, 804 prohibits a municipal officer or employee from having an interest (defined broadly) in any contract with a municipality that the officer or employee works for or is associated with, over which said employee has discretion; and permits the Attorney General to nullify contracts entered into in violation of the conflict of interest provisions of the General Municipal Law.
     
  • Operation Integrity, the pact between the Offices’ of the Comptroller and Attorney General, permits the Attorney General to investigate “pay-to-play” and other corrupt activities.
     
  • General Business Law § 349 permits the Attorney General to investigate any deceptive act or practices in the conduct of any business, trade, or commerce in the furnishing of any service in this State.
     
  • The Martin Act permits the Attorney General to investigate business practices involving the sale of securities that harm the people of the State of New York, including the public authorities that issue securities that are purchased by New York residents.