Those are the words of Governor Spitzer in his address to the Reform Day in Albany Conference yesterday. He was referring to a deal he had proposed to the leadership of both the Assembly and the State Senate regarding Campaign Finance Reform that was being discussed at that very moment across the street. As i'm sure you know, that deal was killed by my dear friend Majority Leader Joe Bruno.
Talks broke down because Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, R-Brunswick, Rensselaer County, and fellow Republicans who control that chamber did not sign onto a bill that would have reduced campaign-donation limits and beefed-up enforcement of campaign-finance laws through the state Board of Elections, Spitzer said.
The main sticking point was part of the proposal that would have prohibited corporations from forming multiple subsidiaries - limited liability corporations - to get around their $5,000 annual contribution limit.
"The reason we are not here today with a proposal that will become law is very simple. The Republican members of the state Senate were unwilling to break their addiction to the free flow of money. It is a narcotic to which they are beholden," said Spitzer, who was flanked by representatives of good-government groups who were at the Capitol for what they called "Reform Day."
Make no mistake and mark my words, there will be no significant, meaningful reform of campaign finance in New York state with a Republican Majority in the Senate. Period. They've got to go.
Here's video of the Governor's speech to the conference yesterday.
