At long, long last a corrupt New York public official has been forced to forfeit her taxpayer-provided pension after being convicted and sentenced to prison.
Steuben County village clerk Ursula Stone allegedly stole $1.2 million over her 19-year career; prosecuted under the state’s anti-corruption law, she’s agreed to give up her $1,920 monthly pension.
This is the first such forfeiture in New York history.
“This case should send a clear message that those who dishonor their public office will face serious consequences,” declared state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.
We wish, but all too many politicians will fight back a lot harder, and more cleverly, than an upstate town clerk.
And never mind that voters overwhelming support stripping pensions from public officials and state workers convicted of felonies related to their duties.
Such forfeitures weren’t even possible until the Legislature passed an ethics reform in 2011 and voters amending New York’s Constitution in 2018 to allow it.
Preet Bharara, in his eight years as US Attorney for the Southern District, stood out for pursuing the pension benefits of electeds convicted on federal corruption charges, pushing for fines of $1 million or more — and rightly calling it a “galling injustice” for crooked pols to draw taxpayer-funded pensions ’til their “dying day.”
Kudos to DiNapoli and his green-eyeshade sleuths for uncovering Stone’s decades-long thievery, and to Steuben County DA Brooks Baker for prosecuting it.
But how many district attorneys will take the political risk of going after more powerful pols?
And who will dare do the investigating?
While the law now allows for this basic justice, we fear New York’s political culture will still shield the worst offenders.
