by Kyle Hughes - Gannet News Service
[1-5-2000]

      ALBANY _ More state lawmakers can expect to see attack mailings circulating in their districts after rejecting a lobbying reform bill, an activist who is pressing for a total gift ban said Wednesday.

      New York City bankruptcy lawyer Charles Juntikka, who said his goal is to raise ethical standards in the state Legislature, said he expected to add up to two dozen new names to a list of legislators targeted for critical mailings.

      The first mailing should be out by Jan. 5, the first day of the 2000 legislative session, he said.

      "If they don't get more public pressure, they won't do anything," Juntikka said. "I tell my students, if (legislators) don't think we're watching them, they take the money and run."

      The mailings are going out as a result of the Legislature's approval of a lobbying reform bill that does not include a ban on lawmakers taking gifts from lobbyists. The mailings urge voters not be be "misled by phony reform," and vote against their local senator or Assembly member if they don't clean up their act "and vote for real reform."

      Reformers sought such a ban following the disclosure that cigarette company Philip Morris showered meals, drinks and event tickets on legislators at a time when it successfully opposed imposition of new taxes on tobacco or additional anti-smoking measures.

      Senate Republicans passed a gift ban they said would end the kind of abuses that the Philip Morris case illustrated. But that idea died in the Democratic-controlled state Assembly, which flatly ruled out ending the practice of allowing lobbyists to wine and dine legislators and give them gifts.

      Juntikka would not release the list of newly targeted legislators. The point of the mailings is to make voters back home aware of how an individual legislator has blocked lobbying reform.

      "We're checking their voting records and things... We want to make sure it's right," he said.

      Those targeted so far include Assembly members Ronald Tocci, D-New Rochelle; RoAnn Destito, D-Rome; Alexander Gromack, D-Congers; and Jacob Gunther, D-Forestburgh. Also targeted are Sens. Michael Nozzolio, R-Fayette; John DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse; Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton; Vincent Leibell, R-Patterson; and Thomas Morahan, R-Clarkstown.

      Some of those targeted are so-called "marginals" _ legislators who do not have a virtual guarantee of being reelected every two years because their party doesn't easily control their district.

      Juntikka said he has personally paid to send out about 45,000 pieces of mail criticizing legislators and expects to send out up to 500,000 before next year's election. He said he intends to raise money for the mailings from other lawyers.

      The activist helped pass campaign-finance reform in New York City government and is seeking similar reforms in the State Legislature, where contributions arranged by special-interest lobbyists are a main source of reelection funds.

      Meanwhile, Blair Horner of the New York Public Interest Research Group _ who led the campaign to pass lobbying reform _ said Wednesday the group would push for passage of a rule in the Legislature to ban gifts to lawmakers.

      "We're going to do everything we humanly can to get the Assembly to kick their gift-taking habits and join the unhooked generation," Horner said.

      State Senate members have said he will voluntarily forgo taking gifts from lobbyists, but have stopped short of saying they will pass a formal rule to bar the practice.

      The Senate approved the disputed lobbying bill on Tuesday, saying they had no other choice because the Assembly would not act. If the bill did not pass, the $55 million a year legislative lobbying industry would have been deregulated as of Saturday.

      The bill is now on Gov. George Pataki's desk. He is expected to sign the measure.

Teen People
Election Issue- Students4Reform
by Michelle Hainer

NY Daily News
"Students Teach Good Government"
Editorial

NY Daily News
"Free Calls To Albany Take Their Toll" by Jim Dwyer

Albany Times Union
Students Launch Ads Criticizing State Lawmakers
Story by Lara Jakes

NY Newsday
"Putting Mouth Where Money Is"
by Matthew Cox

The Troy Record
Anti-reform Lawmakers Hit with Attack Ads
Story by Kevin Hogan

GANNET NEWS SERVICE
[Westchester Journal News] "Legislators Who Blocked Ban On Gifts Can Expect 'Negative Mailings,' Reform Group Promises"
by Kyle Hughes

Albany Times Union
Coalition Presses for Strengthened Lobbying Law
Story by Jay Jochnowitz

The Legislative Gazette
Lobby Law Called Cheesy
Story by Timothy Currie

NY Times Story
A Crusade for $100 Campaign Gifts
by Vivian Toy

The Daily Gazette of Schenectady
Group Takes Tonko to Task Over Ballot Reform Position
Story by William F. Hammond Jr.

Rochester Chronicle
Lobby Reformer Takes Aim At New Targets

Albany Times Union
A Story of Pockets and Privilege
Story by Dan Lynch

Other Articles On Corruption

NY Times Exposes Corruption By Gifts To 60 Albany Politicians
Story by Clifford Levy

NY Observer
NY Lawmakers Take (And Take and Take) Gifts From Lobbyists
Story by Andrea Bernstein

Troy Record
Campaign Funds Used For Pool Cover Debated
Story by Kevin Hogan


Gov. George Pataki
(800) 371-0555
Took $2000 in tobacco contributions

Hon. Sheldon Silver
(888) 894-3737
(Ask for Dan Conviser)
Took $2500 in tobacco contributions

Silver's Sham Gift Ban Bill

Sen. Joe Bruno
(888) 894-4652
(Ask for Mike Avella)
Took $3500 in tobacco contributions