ALBANY - They have their work cut out for them.

"Scandal correcting, even though valuable, is just not going to be enough for the big problem that I see," said Michael Malbin, the executive director of the Washington-based Campaign Finance Institute.

If you were looking for people who thought the current way of financing and running for state office in New York was just fine, this wasn't the place.

"The recent scandals that have nearly consumed this legislative session underscore the pervading, corruptive influences of money in our political system," said Barbara Bartoletti of the League of Women Voters.

The four members of the state Senate's Independent Democratic Conference held their hearing Monday.

There used to be five, but the IDC kicked out Malcolm Smith after he was charged in a bribery scheme. 

ALBANY - The New York State Thruway Authority isn't doing enough to make sure highway bridges are safe.

That's according to the state Comptroller Tom Dinapoli.

In a new audit, Dinapoli's office found that the Thruway Authority did not inspect bridges in a timely manner and did not always notify the state Department of Transportation of serious red flag defects within the required one week.

That includes three bridges with flagged conditions.

The Thruway Authority defended its delays, but acknowledged it will work to remedy the problems.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A published report says a member of the Assembly's Democratic conference is calling on Speaker Sheldon Silver to resign over his role in a sexual harassment scandal.
    
Assemblyman Michael Kearns tells The Buffalo News he'll quit the Democratic conference that rules the chamber because Silver mishandled sexual harassment claims against Vito Lopez, a longtime assemblyman from Brooklyn.
    
Silver crafted a $103,000 secret settlement last year to end the first accusations against Lopez by female staff members. That settlement avoided the Assembly's own policies for handling sexual harassment cases through a committee.
    
A special prosecutor found Silver was more concerned with limiting political damage than disciplining Lopez.