THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR

WPCNR GRASS ROOTS REPORTER. From Bill of Rights Defense Campaign. June 22, 2003: About forty people sat in a discussion circle at the White PlainsPublic Library Wednesday night, expressing their concerns about the loss of civil liberties
since 9-11 under the USA PATRIOT Act. Representatives from 14 communities and several cosponsoring organizations attended the organizing meeting of the Westchester Bill of Rights Defense Campaign (BORDC) under the sponsorship of the Westchester Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

Wesley Stromberg, head of the local effort, recounted how it got started. At the Chapter’s annual meeting in March, Attorney Udi Ofer, project director of the BORDC for New York State, spoke about how the USA PATRIOT Act curtails a number of civil liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.

Nationally, 127 cities and towns and three states have passed resolutions opposing the infringement of rights in the name of national security. The decision was then made to launch a petition drive to persuade the County and local governments to pass similar resolutions.

Provisions allowing for searches without notification, indefinite detention, and holding immigration hearings in secret were among those raising concern. The issue creating the most comment was section 215, which authorizes federal agents to demand library and bookstore records and prohibits librarians and booksellers from informing anyone whose records had been searched.

Attendees were urged to support Hr 1157, the Freedom to Read Protection Act sponsored by Congressman Sanders of Vermont.

Several people spoke on the need to reach out and educate the public on the content and deleterious effect of the act, as well as its possible successor, the Domestic Security Enhancement Act, also known as Patriot Act II.

Other committee actions included setting goals for the number of signatures and a time for completion of the petition drive and establishing a number of sub-committees to work on particular phases of the campaign. Further information is available from the NYCLU Westchester Chapter office at 2 William St.,Room 200, White Plains 10601, or by calling the Chapter at (914) 997-7479.

WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. By District 89 Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley. June 20, 2003:For the last several years, from the front pages to editorials in newspapers across the state, public outcry for lobby reform has grown steadily louder and public confidence in the process has been in decline. I have called for sweeping reforms of these unregulated practices.

Literally billions of taxpayer dollars flow into these contracts every year and, under current law, no one is accountable for the millions and millions of dollars spent behind the scenes to influence lucrative state and municipal contracts. Right now, rampant lobbying has become a blemish on New York’s democracy and an obstruction to the open, good government New York needs and deserves.

This year, I supported legislation to strengthen and expand controls on government lobbying (A.9062). This measure would extend oversight to include the vast and largely unregulated area of procurement of goods and services for state agencies, local governments and public authorities. This legislation would also shine a light on lobbying of state agencies and on those who attempt to influence the governor on the issuing of executive orders.

Currently, those that lobby state agencies are completely unrestricted. One famous lobbyist was paid $500,000 simply for making a call to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. This unregulated activity must stop.

Current law covers disclosure of lobbying associated with legislative decisions, but does not cover the awarding of state or municipal contracts or lobbying of state agencies or the governor and his staff for the issuance of executive orders.

The Assembly’s bill would expand the definition of lobbying to include any effort to influence the action of any public official – state or municipal – regarding procurement of goods and services. This includes efforts to influence the implementation of rules and regulations, as well as executive decisions regarding legislation, and executive orders.

The Assembly’s reforms are part of the common sense solutions necessary to beginning the process of closing all the loopholes that undermine good government. These significant reforms will go a long way toward bringing greater accountability and oversight to the important decisions which are made in the corridors of our government, and ensure that there is accountability for those that act on behalf of the special interests instead of the public good.