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I have informed the New York State Bar Association that I am not renewing the membership I have maintained for 25 years because of their very partisan position on the constitutional convention referendum.
Prior to October, 2017 they had presented both sides of the debate in a non-biased manner. I never expected the NYSBA to come out in favor of Constitutional Convention Vote. I thought they were a professional association and not a political arm of those who would financially benefit from a convention.
The number of attorneys who have lined up to become paid consultants or delegates to the convention is staggering. They speculate and promise that important protections contained in the NYS constitution will not be changed and that only a few of their own wish list items will be addressed. Yet, if a convention were to occur, any and all proposed changes could be brought forward. Citizen’s United corporate money would govern the election of delegates and convention deliberations.
The link to the table of contents of the NYS constitution shows how many protections would be at risk if the entire document were opened. https://www.dos.ny.gov/info/constitution/toc.html
A convention is not the way to affect a few wish list changes to the constitution. It is projected that $400+ million taxpayer dollars would be spent on this boondoggle. The legislative amendment process is the better way to go.
We do not need a constitutional convention and we do not need our statewide bar association to take sides in this debate.
Florence T. McCue
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