Two state legislators are looking to make a former Brooklyn lawmaker’s name synonyms with misappropriation of campaign finances.
Assemblyman Robert Carroll (D-Windsor Terrace, Kensington, Park Slope) and State Senator Andrew Gounardes (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach, Gravesend) recently introduced legislation aimed at restricting the use of campaign funds at a business owned by a candidate or a candidates’ family.
The measure would extend to family within two degrees of blood lines, and applies to any goods or services in which the candidate and/or one or more members of the candidate’s family collectively hold a thirty-five percent or greater ownership.
The measure, “The Golden Rule,” is named in direct reference to former State Senator Marty Golden’s use of nearly $800,00 in campaign funds at his family’s catering hall, Bay Ridge Manor. The popular South Brooklyn event space is owned and operated by Golden’s brother and sister-in-law.
“It’s not the only catering hall in Bay Ridge, there’s the Dyker Beach Golf Course. We also have great restaurants in the neighborhood. That should not be a reason to not clean up our campaign finance laws and a reason to lie. We should not let anyone have a monopoly over this process and literally funnel and launder money to their family’s business under the guise of political expenditure,” said Gounardes.
Golden while in office held nearly all of his Republican events at Bay Ridge Manor, even his ill-fated election night watch party last Fall.
“Look if your brother owns a service that provides a service or goods, you should go somewhere else because we don’t need or want the suggestion of impropriety. That’s really important because when we are talking politics we are asking officials to take the public trust and we’re saying, ‘hey let’s make sure everything is above-board,’” said Carroll.
The two Brooklyn officials also hope that the bill will work to spread the economic wealth amongst a diverse group of businesses including the local mom and pop businesses, while ensuring officials are held accountable.
Golden was first elected to the Senate in 2002, serving a total of eight terms, after a four-year stint as City Council member. He was the last full Brooklyn GOP official to get ousted out of office in 2018.
“We are saying let’s make sure from now on that there is a bright line so that the people of New York can make sure that campaign funds are spent appropriately in New York,” said Carroll.
Golden did not return calls at post time.
