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Analysis: Is secretive Albany really getting it?

Story Created: Sep 1, 2012 at 5:48 PM EDT

Story Updated: Sep 1, 2012 at 5:52 PM EDT

AALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - It's easy to view this past week of accusations of sexual harassment and a cover-up as a return to Albany's bad old days.

It's ugly, for sure: allegations of more groping of young women staffers, a secret deal using taxpayers' money, less-than-forthright statements from politicians.

But so far, there are some potentially important differences.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver says a mistake was made, a rare admission in New York politics. Governor Andrew Cuomo has made a quick recommendation that the new and potentially powerful ethics board he created should investigate.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli have released internal emails on a new level of disclosure, albeit only after hounding from reporters.

So Albany has hardly become a shining city on a hill.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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