Assemblyman David G. McDonough (R, C, I – Merrick), ranking minority member on the Assembly Transportation Committee, today said he will join the investigation into a shocking disability retirement corruption scandal in the Long Island Railroad (L.I.R.R.) that was exposed in Sunday’s New York Times.

According to the Times, occupational disabilities at the L.I.R.R. have become an epidemic despite the fact that the railroad has won national awards for workplace safety. The NYT said that “virtually every career employee — as many as 97 percent in one recent year — applies for and gets disability payments soon after retirement,” costing taxpayers $2.5 billion since 2000.

This startling corruption scandal and abuse of taxpayer dollars comes on the heels of news last week that several “ghost ship” state commissions have been wasting thousands if not millions of tax dollars long after they fulfilled their missions.

“Talk about the great train robbery. These crooks make the Jesse James Gang look like small time hoods,” said McDonough.

“This kind of public corruption is fleecing already overburdened taxpayers of billions of dollars of their hard-earned money,” said McDonough.

“Is it any wonder we have some of the highest property taxes and state taxes in the nation when so much fraud, waste and taxpayer abuse is taking place behind our backs?” asked McDonough.

“Our state and nation’s economy is in a tailspin, people are getting nervous about their jobs as middle class families are getting squeezed from all sides by rising property taxes and fuel and consumer prices,” said McDonough. “Meanwhile, some of these L.I.R.R. retirees are living the high life by wrongly claiming benefits that they should not be entitled to. This runaway train must stop now.”

Governor Paterson said he will give New York State Attorney General Cuomo broad powers to investigate the L.I.R.R. retirement scandal and Assemblyman McDonough said he will work with the Attorney General’s Office to provide legislative support. In addition, as ranking Minority member of the Assembly’s Transportation Committee, McDonough promised to seek Assembly public hearings on the matter.

“These train robbers need to be brought to justice and held accountable for their thievery,” concluded McDonough.