A report over the weekend, which was the result of a state filling showed that some Republican members of the Senate may have been receiving stipends that they did not rightfully deserve.
Sen. Pam Helming (R-54) fired back at the accusations, which named her as a recipient of a check for her role as the Vice Chairman of the Crimes and Corrections Committee.
That stipend would reach $12,500 in 2017.
“I’ve received a couple checks, but they haven’t been cashed,” Sen. Helming explained in a phone conversation Monday afternoon. “I have not, and will not be accepting a stipend for serving as Vice Chair of the Crimes and Corrections Committee.”
It’s a practice that has always had a cloud of confusion around it.
According to filings, senators not actually serving as committee chairpersons, have received stipends, which are typically reserved for those individuals.
Senate Republicans have said that there’s nothing illegal about the practice itself.
Sen. Helming said that her office is working with the New York State Comptrollers Office to determine what they can do legally with the checks.
“I’m not comfortable with accepting a check like that,” she added during the conversation on Monday. She said that her office would explore donating the funds to a non-profit, if the Comptroller’s Office would not accept it.
Sen. Patrick Gallivan (R-59) is chairs the committee that Sen. Helming began receiving stipends for chairing.
She said her office would be releasing a full-statement later in the day on Monday.
