Weekly Wrap-Up

Yet another politician – this time, veteran state Senator Vincent Leibell – has succumbed to temptation, abused the taxpayers’ money and has now pled guilty to felony tax evasion charges.

Sen. Leibell is just the latest in a long line of Albany insiders who have ripped off taxpayers. The Post has the “Hall of Shame” – from convicted crooks like Assemblymen Brian McLaughlin, Anthony Seminerio and Efrain Gonzalez Jr. to suspected fraudsters like Senate President Malcolm Smith, departing Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada and Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez who are now or have been investigated.

The Ithaca Journal and The New York Times both highlight the root of this wrongdoing: The corrupting influence of legislative “member items.”

The Conservative Party has been one of the loudest voices in New York calling for an end to the member items racket that rolls out the red carpet for fraud and corruption. What do you think? Give your opinion on member items in our new Weekly Poll.

Meanwhile in Washington – where New York’s most powerful symbol of corruption, Charlie Rangel, continues to hold court – President Obama and the Democrats have shown once again that they are incapable of governing... and that they can’t keep their hands off of other people’s money...

Because of the Democrats’ refusal to budge on repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the U.S. Senate won’t be passing a defense bill – jeopardizing troops’ pay raises.

But will the Democrats’ DREAM come true? We’ll be paying attention to this next week...

This would be funny if it weren’t such a serious flaw in our President’s character...

Have a great weekend!