Last year, Skelos signed my organization's pledge, promising to be part of the effort to redraw district lines in a fair and rational way - to once and for all end the pernicious partisan gerrymandering that reinforces all of Albany's worst habits.
When I met with Skelos in Albany on Tuesday to follow up on his promise, he told me he was withdrawing his support from the effort of my organization, New York Uprising, Then hours later, he released a statement proclaiming that he "wishes to pursue a redistricting reform measure that will meet the Uprising pledge."
What was going on? Does the majority leader support this initiative or not?
According to Skelos, his withdrawal from the Uprising pledge was based on his belief that independent redistricting through legislation is unconstitutional. And so in our meeting, as in his statement, he advocated a state constitutional amendment instead.
Unfortunately, that's merely a diversion on his part. A red herring. Sand in your eyes. It's also a surprising argument from him, since he never raised it during the several times we spoke when he signed the pledge to fight for independent redistricting. Neither did any of his colleagues when I stood with them on the campaign trail.
Indeed, last year Skelos sent a letter accompanying his pledge (available at nyuprising.org). It stated: "Our Republican conference supports . . . independent redistricting in line with what your organization is calling for." The pledge is very specific in its requirements for independence. And the pledge is very specific in calling for legislation to pass this year.
Here's the problem with a constitutional amendment: It's too late. To pass one in New York, it first would have to pass both houses of the Legislature this year. Then, the same amendment would have to pass both houses again sometime after the next legislature is seated in 2013. Then, it would be put to a popular vote as a statewide referendum.
That means any constitutional amendment is probably five years away. The same old, same old system would apply until the next redistricting in 2022, and New Yorkers would have to endure another 10 years of a government that gets away with being unresponsive to their interests. We can't wait that long. New York is a mess now.
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So even if Skelos truly differs on this major point, if he truly supports the principle of independent redistricting, and if he intends to uphold the promise he made, then he should work to pass the governor's bill. Let the courts decide whether it's constitutional.
Legislators who wish to pursue redistricting reform that will meet the Uprising pledge must support legislation that would produce independent redistricting in time for the election next year. Any legislator who supports a constitutional amendment - to the exclusion of the governor's bill - is simply seeking to run out the clock, and will be described by me as an Enemy of Reform in a message to be brought to his or her constituents.
Looks like Koch just upped the ante and essentially called Skelos (rightly) a liar.
There have to be consequences for just flat out lying to us.
