The specter of criminal cases against New York’s assembly speaker and other lawmakers should help deter political corruption, but more ethics reforms are needed to root it out further, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in remarks at a Manhattan forum hosted by the Fordham Law Review, the Associated Press reported.
“We’ve been aggressive in using every aspect of the law that we can,” including seeking forfeiture of pensions of convicted elected officials, he said. “Public corruption is an important priority for us as any other area,” he said. “And I think we’re right to make it a high priority.”