Two Republican state Senators, both candidates for Congress, had similar reactions to an Albany Times Union report this week.

It detailed an accusation the governor was briefed on details of a closed door vote by the state's Joint Commission on Public Ethics earlier this year.

"That's a troubling allegation and a very troubling sort of development," State Senator Rob Ortt said.

State Senator Chris Jacobs said he is "actually a little disturbed by that fact."

According to the report, the inspector general investigated the complaint from a now-former member of JCOPE and could not substantiate the allegation someone may have illegally informed the governor about the commission's activity.

The governor's office and the Assembly majority also denied any inappropriate conversations between the Assembly Speaker and Governor which allegedly brought the leak to light.

"The question would be, why would the individual make this allegation if there wasn't, at least from her perspective, some colonel of truth to it," Ortt said.

He believes, with the backdrop of presidential impeachment hearings, Democrats in New York are being hypocritical in not calling for more answers. Ortt sent a letter to James Skoufis, the chair of the Senate Investigations and Government Operations Committee, urging him to consider issuing subpoenas and launching its own investigation.

"When they came in last year they talked about ethics and we need to, you know, this is a new day in Albany," he said. "If they're serious, this is a governor of their own party, this should be a troubling story and I think there needs to be some oversight."

Ortt and Jacobs also said this calls into question JCOPE's ability to serve as an independent watchdog and believe the Legislature should consider reforms.
    
"I'm always for a more independent body in terms of the ethics so I think we made recommendations in the past and I'm sure we will in the future," Jacobs said.

Ortt said even while Republicans controlled the state Senate, the body did not provide the checks and balances to the executive's office it should have.

Spectrum News reached out to the offices of Democratic lawmakers Sean Ryan and Tim Kennedy as well as Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples Stokes.

None were available for comment.