As the state makes preparations for two New York special elections, both of which will set to be held on April 19th, the stain of corruption which has infected Albany and New York politics now pose a new challenge for the prospective nominees attempting to win the nomination of their former corrupted counterparts who once served in the seats they are attempting to win.

“Albany needs urgent leadership now” Todd Kaminsky, who is a Democrat running for the empty seat of Dean Skelos, said regarding corruption. Mr. Kaminsky is running for the seat of his predecessor who was one of two high profile convictions of top New York politicians in the spotlight last year. Mr. Skelos was found guilty of using his office to influence his business dealings, but was caught on tape discussing how politics could benefit their own personal business.

“Oh man, there’s an odor emanating from the process both in a systemic sense and in a structural sense,” Dan Muzzio, who is a political scientist at Baruch College in New York, said. “It’s got this Alice in Wonderland quality”.

The history of out-of-control corruption in New York politics, not only dates back to this recent episode of high profile politicians being convicted, but at least all the way back to the 1800s. It was in the 1880s when machine politics were dominated by the Tammany Hall ring that ruled New York, specifically the Democratic Party, with an iron fist.

“A number of Republicans, including most of their leaders are bad enough, but over half the Democrats, including all of the city Irish, are vicious, stupid-looking scoundrels with apparently not a redeeming trait, a stupid sodden vicious lot most of them being equally deficient in brains and virtue”, future president, Theodore Roosevelt wrote of New York politicians in the era.

In recent years, more than 41 politicians have been either convicted or accused of using their office for their own personal gain. In the second high profile case of this year, Sheldon Silver who was speaker in the state assembly and a member since 1976 when he was first elected, was convicted of accepting bribes and kickbacks totaling nearly $4 million.

“I think that anyone would be bothered by how the system worked”, Yuh-Line Niou who is running as the working party candidate, attempting to replace Sheldon Silver said in an interview. “I don’t think that it’s right”.

In a Siena Research Institute Poll that highlights the toll that corruption has taken on the citizens of New York, 43% support their local government most or all of the time, while only 28% support the federal or state government most or all of the time.

“While trust in government at every level is near historic lows, significantly more New Yorkers trust their local government most or all of the time than trust those working on their behalf in either D.C or Albany” Don Levy, who is the director of the Siena Research Institute said. “And when it comes to assessing the job that they are doing, over four in ten give local government a thumbs up while a third call the federal performance poor and a quarter put that black mark on state government” Mr. Levy continued.

Despite the challenges that the newly elected representatives may face, he or she should place putting trust and restoring honesty in government first. In a state where the role of corruption in public service stretches all the way back to the 1800s, a change is overdue.

Links to Sources:

1. New York Times, Corruption Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/19/nyregion/specter-of-corruption-hangs-over-special-elections-for-legislature.html
2. Democrats Pick Candidate for Skelo’s Seat ( N.Y Times): https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/06/nyregion/democrats-pick-ex-prosecutor-to-seek-senate-seat-left-vacant-by-skelos.html
3. New York State of Politics, Sienna Trust Poll: https://www.nystateofpolitics.com/2015/02/siena-poll-voters-trust-local-governments-over-state-feds/
4. History of Corruption in New York State,  Times Union: https://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-local/article/Political-corruption-in-Albany-a-very-old-story-6073854.php
5. History of Tammany Hall Corruption: https://www.history.com/topics/tammany-hall
6. Skelos and Son Found Guilty of Corruption: New York Daily News: https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/dean-skelos-son-guilty-corruption-case-article-1.2463065