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State Senate Republicans respond to Moreland Commission subpoenas

New York State Senate
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Flickr

Republicans in the New York Senate, who are targets of subpoenas by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s anti-corruption Moreland Act Commission, are fighting back in court.

The subpoenas were sent by the Moreland Commission to the Republican Senate Campaign Committee, as well as the campaign committees of Democrats, seeking internal documents and emails. The Senate GOP has filed a challenge in Supreme Court, claiming that it’s not fair to compel Republicans to hand over documents that outline their political campaign strategies to a commission appointed by a Democratic governor.

The senators are represented by Michael Chertoff, former President George W. Bush’s homeland security secretary, now in private practice.

A spokeswoman for the Moreland Commission contends commissioners do have the full legal authority to issue the subpoenas, and predicts they will prevail in court. 

Karen DeWitt is Capitol Bureau Chief for New York State Public Radio, a network of 10 public radio stations in New York State. She has covered state government and politics for the network since 1990.