John Flanagan’s unholy conflict: The Senate majority leader’s former law firm worked for the Diocese of Rockville Centre

NEW YORK
New York Daily News

Editorial

While aggressively urging reforms to New York’s statute of limitations on sexual abuse of minors, the Daily News recognizes that the issue raises concerns worthy of vigorous debate.

There is tension, for example, between the goal of enabling prosecutors and victims to file criminal or civil charges and the need to ensure that the passage of time does not prevent the accused from mounting defenses.

One legislator could believe that justice would be best served by permitting alleged childhood victims to file suits until they reach 35 years of age, while another’s gut instinct could say that extending the statute from its present age of 23 should go no further than 28.

Those are judgments that members of the Legislature are elected to make honestly — without the taint or appearance of self-interest.

Daily News Albany Bureau Chief Ken Lovett reports today that Republican Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan’s former law firm is deeply enmeshed with representing various interests of the Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre, which covers Long Island.

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