So, what's new?
Corruption is part and parcel of U.S. politics and the corruption begins with Wall Street's domination of the economy and politics.
Only a complete fool would deny the corruption that is American politics then passed off as the world's greatest bastion of democracy.
Anyone with an ounce of common sense understands that the political process is thoroughly corrupt and unethical from township boards to city, county, state and federal government.
The news media picks up on a "scandal" here and there to sensationalize rather than examining the entire political process dominated by Wall Street lobbyists whose only reason for being involved in the political process is to assure big money buys corporations and business the government wanted no matter the harm caused to people and the environment.
If not for this corruption we would have no wars, no poverty and racism and discrimination would be well on their way to becoming things of the past.
Working people have no say in government.
The two-party system is a trap intended to make sure this corruption rules Wall Street's roost.
Democrats are every bit as corrupt and unethical as the Republicans.
There is no use struggling for reforms without simultaneously challenging Wall Street for political and economic power.
Capitalism is Wall Street's dirty, corrupt system which thrives on exploitation of workers; this is the very foundation and basis for the corruption and unethical behavior and conduct of these politicians and the corporate lobbyists whose job it is to bribe them.
Only a socialist cooperative commonwealth putting the needs of people first in a way in which production is carried on for the benefit of the entire society, instead of the profits of the few, will solve our problems.
What we need is a "clean sweep movement" that will clear all of these corrupt bastards out of the township halls, city and county councils, state and federal governments.
This will require massive militant struggles in the streets along with building a new working class based progressive people's party for peace, social and economic justice which brings forward open, honest, democratic government with the full participation of the American people... just like the Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution and Bill of Rights proclaims we are entitled to with the levers of power being used to make the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights a living reality for everyone.
Preet Bharara promises more corruption probes
Bharara sidestepped a question on whether the other two men in the room — Gov. Cuomo and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos — would also be knocked out by scandal.
The feds are investigating Cuomo’s abrupt closing of his own Moreland Commission to Combat Public Corruption and Skelos’ dealings with a law firm that paid him between $150,000 to $250,000 last year.
“Membership of the room seems to be changing. It changed last week when a new Assembly speaker was put into power,” Bharara said in an interview with MSNBC’s Ari Melber.
Bharara filed a criminal complaint alleging Silver used his powerful position to amass millions of dollars in kickbacks through two law firms.
“We have a number of investigations going on. And we’ve had them for a long time,” Bharara added.
“It doesn’t seem like business will be abating any time soon in the public-corruption department.”
Speaking more broadly about the culture of Albany, Bharara said that the number of legislators who’ve been arrested recently for corruption should serve as a wake-up call.
“There are a lot of people who go into public service and are in for the right reasons and to do the right thing,” Bharara said.
At the same time, he noted that lawmakers “are more likely to be arrested as a state senator in New York than you are to be turned out at the polls.
And when you have a degree of corruption that is that deep and pervasive and frequent, that’s a big problem.”
In the past decade, more than 30 state officeholders have been convicted of crimes, sanctioned or accused of wrongdoing.
In the MSNBC interview, Bharara also took a jab at Cuomo’s claim last year he couldn’t discuss the Moreland Commission on advice of the US Attorney’s office.
“As I believe the US attorney has made it clear that ongoing public dialogue is not helpful to this investigation, we will have no additional comment on the matter,” Cuomo said in July.
He has commented since then.
But Bharara said the governor had no reason to zip it up last year.
“I don’t think that’s true because I’ve heard comments attributed to the governor,” he said.
“People shouldn’t be talking to potential federal witnesses in a case when the prosecutor and the FBI and other investigators are looking at something. But I don’t think I, or anyone else, ever said any particular person shouldn’t be talking about how he or she made decisions publicly.”
