OPINION: We should welcome efforts to root out corruption, wherever it is found
A 19th century British proverb holds that “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Recent events in Brooklyn and Queens and throughout New York state show that saying is as true today as it was 200 years ago.
In September, New York became the first state to establish an independent commission to investigate prosecutorial misconduct by the offices of the state’s 62 district attorneys, including Kings and Queens counties. The controversial initiative is designed to increase accountability among prosecutors, who are some of the most powerful agents in the criminal justice system but rarely face punishment for misconduct.
The legislation, signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, will create a commission of 11 members, appointed by officials from all three branches of the state government, to investigate allegations of misconduct by county district attorney’s offices.