Monday, October 13, 2014

Indefensible

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman claims that he is doing everything he can to change business and the government for the better. However, the writer questions his actions, saying that he may be helping mortgage lenders and debt collectors who have been giving Schneiderman his profits, but not the rest of New York. In regards to a lawsuit case filed by thousands of people who are denied the basic rights of liberty, they have not done anything. This case was regarding the courtroom procedures where low-income clients were not able to defend themselves with a lawyer, even though the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution explicitly states that lawyers can be provided for the accused free of charge if they cannot afford one. Both Schneiderman and Cuomo in the past attempted to put down the lawsuit based on procedural grounds, rather than enact reforms in order to ensure justice. Schneiderman and Cuomo has only decided up until now (7 years after this event) to negotiate for a settlement. Overall, the writer is clearly against Schneiderman, because the Attorney General talks like he is good, but his actions do not reflect what he says. Yet in the article, the writer admits that in the State Senate, Schneiderman had requested for reforms in the civil courts, but as he is tied with Cuomo, he is obligated uphold his position regarding the courts. Though we may never know why both of them took so long to change their mind about this lawsuit, it is better late than never that they have actually started to tackle these type of injustices in court.

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/editorial-indefensible-article-1.1970618

2 comments:

  1. Isn't it the Attorneys Generals job to act in the best interest of the people? If Schneiderman can't defend our basic rights of having a lawyer and has only recently chosen to acknowledge the lawsuits means he is not doing his job effeciently.If he wants to be re-elected he should start helping the common people of New York and not just mortgage lenders and debt collectors.

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  2. If Attorney General Schneiderman focused only on the small minority that make up New York during his tenure, what difference will it be for when he is elected to another term? Between now and Election Day, he doesn't have much time to prove to average New Yorkers that he cares about them.

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