Legislature Can Veto Probes Under New Ethics Deal

ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The new ethics law agreement in scandal-scarred Albany includes a provision that would allow the Legislature to veto investigations of its own members within the same party.

Good-government groups, however, said the overall proposal is still potentially a vast improvement.

The veto provision was intended to avoid what Gov. Andrew Cuomo calls a partisan "political witch hunt." If vetoed, a case would remain a secret.

It was discussed Monday during the second announcement of the plan by Cuomo and leaders of the Legislature, but there is still no bill with details of the proposed law and closed-door negotiations continued since Friday's celebratory press release.

Cuomo wouldn't publicly release the latest draft on Monday.

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