Tom Kirwan RIP

by: Daniel Case

Wed Nov 30, 2011 at 00:42:34 AM EST

This leaves the 100th Assembly district seat open with some statewide implications should it change hands.

Speaking truth to LATFOR

by: simonstl

Mon Aug 22, 2011 at 17:07:58 PM EDT

New York State legislators have spent at least the past few decades gerrymandering, allowing the Assembly majority to draw district lines for the Assembly, while the Senate majority draws lines for the Senate. Unsurprisingly, we end up with legislative lines badly tilted toward the parties that drew them.

Way back in 2007, while redistricting was mostly theoretical, Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton hosted a forum on the issue, and I posted a transcript and posted an article here about it.

County Legislator Michael Lane was the voice of sanity at that forum, and I'm delighted to see that he's continued to press the issue as LATFOR - the joint legislative committee managing the deals, I mean districting - is holding hearings. In his closing, he even used the accurate word that legislators least like to hear: corrupt.

I would conclude by saying that the current process is undemocratic. Let's do it the right way. If this Task Force, or the Legislature as a whole, recommends districts in the old corrupt fashion, then I hope the Governor will keep his word and veto them. It would not be pretty and court actions might have to come into play. Whatever occurs, it is definitely time that self-serving partisan gerrymandering come to an end. Make it happen.

I've posted his whole statement below the fold, which includes notes on Tompkins County's own redistricting as well as the way the county is treated for congressional and state legislative redistricting.

Friday Morning Corruption Roundup

by: phillip anderson

Fri Mar 11, 2011 at 09:39:27 AM EST

Unlike Bruno, Change In "Honest Services" Statute Unlikely To Derail Kruger Case (CHN)

Like Joe Bruno, Carl Kruger and William Boyland were charged by federal prosecutors with corruption and "theft of honest services." But while Bruno's conviction is being appealed after a Supreme Court ruling that many believe will lead to its overturning, experts familiar with both cases argue that Kruger is not likely to have the same legal grounds to push back.

....

In Skilling vs. United States, the Supreme Court nullified certain applications of the "honest services" law, but left in place those applying to "bribery and kickbacks."

Federal prosecutors appear to be targeting Kruger on these exact charges, legal sources say.

"The Skilling decision specifically allowed prosecutors to continue to go forward on bribery cases and kickback cases," said one person close to the Bruno case. "That's exactly what Kruger is being charged with here."

....

"Over the course of time, there were individuals involved in business and lobbying that basically had Senator Kruger on the payroll to do their bidding, while they were supposed to be serving the interest of the public," Bharara said, arguing that the pattern of abuse set Kruger apart.

Graft Charges Depict Kruger's Lavish Lifestyle (NYT)

But there was something unusual about Mr. Kruger. He rarely socialized with fellow senators, seemed uncomfortable in crowds, frequently took his lunch alone in the drab Capitol cafeteria and, in an age of ubiquitous cellphones, could be spotted whispering into public pay phones.

On Thursday, federal prosecutors unveiled a 53-page criminal complaint against Mr. Kruger, 61, that unlocked many of the mysteries of his life - but deepened others. It portrayed a man who had amassed at least $1 million in bribes in return for political favors: helping hospitals seeking to merge, obtaining state money for real-estate developers, expanding the business hours of liquor stores.

And it revealed, prosecutors say, that the seemingly measured senator was using the bribes to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, financing a four-door Bentley Arnage and a $2 million waterfront home originally built for a boss of the Luchese crime family.

...

Despite listing his official residence as his sister's home on Avenue L in Mill Basin, Mr. Kruger had all but moved in with the Turanos in their 7,000-square-foot home, which towers over others in the neighborhood and features ostentatious sculptures of frolicking children and soaring seagulls.

....

And it was Michael Turano, the complaint said, who established shell companies to conceal the bribes, and later used the money to finance the Bentley, pay credit card bills and make mortgage payments on the house. One of the accounts bore the name "Bassett," the name of the street on which they lived.

....

He has also faced unusually intense criticism from gay rights activists for his 2009 vote against a Senate bill legalizing same-sex marriage. Activists traveled last year to the Turano residence and the Brooklyn home of Mr. Kruger's sister, protesting loudly and saying Mr. Kruger himself was gay. Mr. Kruger has said he is not gay.

Um, he's gay. Duh. (He was one of the "three men in a closet" who voted against marriage equality, by the way. He was the only Dem in that group. I'll leave it to you sort out who the other two were.)

Not sure what exactly his sexual orientation has to do with him likely being a crook, but the Post...goes there anyway.

Gay pol's $1 mil 'bribe' out-rage (NYP)

Closeted Brooklyn state Sen. Carl Kruger, a Democratic powerhouse, traded political favors for more than $1 million in bribes over the last five years -- which his live-in boyfriend helped launder, the feds charged yesterday.

Kruger and his secret longtime companion, Manhattan gynecologist Michael Turano, were among eight men arrested in a sweeping government "pay-to-play" corruption scandal.

....

Neighbors said that Kruger clearly lived in the massive Mill Basin home owned by Michael Turano, while neighbors of Kruger's "official" residence in the Georgetown section of Brooklyn said either that they did not recognize him or that he was rarely, if ever, there. The feds, meanwhile, said Boyland accepted a no-show job that paid him $177,000 over five years from health-care provider MediSys in exchange for trying to secure millions of dollars in grants to its hospitals.

....

The criminal complaint revealed that on Monday, FBI agents raided Lipsky's Upper West Side residence, where they found $102,000 in cash from a safe in a closet and $4,000 "in crisp, large denominational bills from the pocket of a suit belonging to Lipsky."

At about 9:54 a.m. that same day -- as the search was ongoing -- a call was made from Kruger's phone, which was tapped by authorities, to Lipsky's phone, the complaint said.

....

"Immediately afterward," the complaint said, "26 calls were placed from the Kruger phone to the Lipsky phone every few minutes from approximately 9:55 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. These calls were unanswered."

Seven minutes after that last call -- and right after Kruger was told by a "known New York state political operative" that Lipsky had asked that Kruger stop calling him because the FBI was at his house -- Kruger called Michael Turano and told him about the raid, the complaint said.

"I suggest you don't answer the door until I find out more about what's going on," Kruger told Turano, the complaint said.

Busted.

The Complaint Against Carl Kruger

by: phillip anderson

Thu Mar 10, 2011 at 10:34:46 AM EST

Have at it!

Kruger, Carl et al Complaint

AM Corruption Roundup

by: phillip anderson

Thu Mar 10, 2011 at 09:45:07 AM EST

Here's a roundup of the latest. Also do check out the awesome new blog about all things Brooklyn politics, cleverly named The Brooklyn Politics

Brooklyn Senator and Assemblyman Face Corruption Charges (NYT)

State Senator Carl Kruger, a powerful and at times controversial Brooklyn Democrat; a state assemblyman; and an influential lobbyist are expected to turn themselves in on Thursday to federal authorities in Manhattan on corruption charges, according to several people briefed on the matter.

Mr. Kruger had been under investigation by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn who were looking into accusations that he had helped businessmen surmount bureaucratic hurdles in exchange for assistance raising campaign money, but the charges stemmed from an investigation by Manhattan federal prosecutors and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Others, including William F. Boyland Jr., a four-term Democratic state assemblyman from Brooklyn, and Richard Lipsky, a lobbyist, and two hospital executives, were also expected to face charges in the case, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the charges had not been made public.

...

Mr. Levitis, who owned the Rasputin nightclub on Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn, was accused by prosecutors in Brooklyn of lying about a discussion he had had with an F.B.I. confidential informant who was posing as a businessman looking for help with an inspection. The discussion was secretly recorded.

During that conversation, according to the charges, Mr. Levitis, a personal-injury lawyer, solicited a $3,000 payment, telling the informant that he would pass on $2,000 to an aide to Mr. Kruger and keep the rest. Mr. Levitis also told him that he might have to hold a fund-raiser for the lawmaker.

Mr. Kruger has for years been a wily fixture in the Capitol. His ability to reach across the aisle and form close alliances with Republicans helped him earn a committee chairmanship when Democrats were in the minority. When his party won control of the chamber two years ago, Mr. Kruger joined two lawmakers from the Bronx in withholding votes from fellow Democrats until given perquisites and leadership positions, including the chairmanship of the Finance Committee.

State Sen. Carl Kruger, Assemblyman William Boyland to surrender to feds on bribery charges (NYDN)

State Sen. Carl Kruger, one of the most powerful players in Albany, and Assemblyman William Boyland are expected to surrender Thursday to face charges in a long-running, broad-reaching bribery conspiracy, sources told the Daily News.

Federal prosecutors are expected to charge Kruger, a veteran Brooklyn Democrat, with using his clout as a public official to line his pockets, several sources said. Several of those who allegedly paid the bribes will also be charged.

Boyland, also a Brooklyn Democrat, was hired as a consultant by companies seeking influence in Albany, sources said.

The feds have been eying Kruger since 2007 amid allegations he collected campaign cash in exchange for political favors.

Sources said Kruger took bribes to do favors for hospital executives, a Brooklyn-based developer and a lobbyist, Richard Lipsky.

The payoffs were funneled into checking accounts that Kruger had access to, the sources said.

Kruger turns self in to face corruption charges (NYP)

State Senator Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn) surrendered to federal authorities to face corruption charges.

Kruger, flanked by his attorney Ben Brafman and two other men, turned himself in to the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in Manhattan around 8:30 a.m.

The senator, looking solemn and wearing a dark suit, walked silently into the building.

"He's saddened because he's one of the most dedicated public servants for the past 25 years with an impeccable reputation," Brafman said. "This obviously is a difficult day for all of us."

....

When asked about the pending charges against him, he said, "I have no comment. My attorney will be releasing a statement later today." He then walked off with his head down.

....

A Democratic operative said, "Everyone knows that Carl has been using his post to take money for years, so this isn't surprising. What's more surprising is that it didn't happen 10 years ago."

Kruger has one of the Legislature's largest campaign war chests: $2.6 million as of last July.

Lipsky was fired yesterday by The Committee to Save New York, a coalition lobbing for Gov. Cuomo's budget. Committee spokesman Bill Cunningham said Lipsky, who was retained three week ago, was booted "to remove any distraction."

Kruger latest senator in peril (ATU)

Kruger demonstrated a propensity for bucking the wishes of Democratic conference leaders unless his demands for more clout -- including the committee chairmanship -- were met. In late 2008, he formed a caucus known as the "four amigos" along with Democrats Hiram Monserrate of Queens as well as Pedro Espada Jr. and Ruben Diaz Sr. of the Bronx. The renegade quartet refused to back Sen. Malcolm Smith as majority leader unless they were given additional perks.

In June 2009, Espada and Monserrate defected to the Republican conference in a coup that would have tipped control of the Senate -- as well as attached perks and legislative authority -- to the GOP. That day, Kruger was seen asking Espada why he was not offered the opportunity to participate in the coup.

Oh dear. Carl was upset he didn't get to come out and play in the coup. Sad. That episode further illustrates that Albany's corruption problem is most certainly bipartisan. So do this, also from the Times Union:

Prosecutors have made a cottage industry of scrutinizing members of the Senate. Espada, who was given the title of majority leader after the 2009 coup, was charged in December with embezzlement and conspiracy for taking money from the Soundview health clinic he runs with members of his family. Espada has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges; his case is pending. He lost a 2010 Democratic primary to Sen. Gustavo Rivera.

Espada was indicted a week after Sen. Vincent Leibell, a Republican from Putnam County, pleaded guilty to shaking down a lawyer in his district for partial kickbacks of money received from groups that received taxpayer-funded "member items" the senator had steered toward them.

Another of the so-called amigos, Monserrate, was found guilty of misdemeanor assault for manhandling his girlfriend during a domestic dispute at their apartment. Monserrate was expelled from the Senate in February 2010, and lost a special election to Sen. Jose Peralta, a Democrat.

Sen. Kevin Parker, D-Brooklyn, is awaiting sentencing on a December 2010 misdemeanor conviction of criminal mischief related to an altercation with a New York Post photographer. He was re-elected last year and continues to serve in the chamber.

Former Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno was found guilty of federal charges that he deprived the public of its right to honest services. Jurors sustained charges that Bruno accepted $200,000 in business-consulting fees from a company that later did state business, and was paid $80,000 for a horse prosecutors said was "virtually worthless" from a man seeking racing business from the state.

What a mess. Like I said, it should be a rather interesting day.

Stay tuned.

Silver's reign coming to an end?

by: simonstl

Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 11:18:48 AM EST

Via the always interesting Fake Sheldon Silver, I found this New York Post piece speculating on the possible end of Silver's time as Speaker. It's the Post, of course, and mostly anonymously sourced, but there are some interesting bits about Silver's prospects in the Cuomo era:

No clear candidate has emerged, but the likeliest scenario for a coup, insiders say, is that the 31-member Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian caucus would join with an outer-borough delegation and a few upstate Democrats to plot an ouster.

Sources close to Cuomo said he's not willing to back any coup against Silver and actually wants to keep him around -- as long as the veteran pol stays cooperative....

Silver may voluntarily relinquish his leadership role after this term, said an Albany source close to the speaker.

There's another piece (also via @ShellySilver) speculating on the Post's speculations. Rumors, fog, shadow.

Update: The real Sheldon Silver isn't impressed. And Cuomo isn't confirming or denying anything.

Who'd we lose?

by: simonstl

Thu Nov 04, 2010 at 15:25:25 PM EDT

New York didn't have as large a Republican blast as was felt in many states, but I also can't find a great listing of how much changed below the statewide races where Democrats won the field.

In the House, I see us having lost:

NY-1 Tim Bishop (maybe, new)
NY-13 Michael McMahon (Thanks for noticing, GallatinDan)
NY-19 John Hall
NY-20 Scott Murphy
NY-24 Mike Arcuri
NY-25 Dan Maffei (Maybe)
NY-29 was Eric Massa, but empty

In the State Senate, it looks like we picked up Avella and Carlucci, but lost:

3 - Brian Foley
7 - Craig Johnson (Maybe)
37 - Suzi Oppenheimer (Very maybe)
48 - Darrel Aubertine
60 - Antoine Thompson (Maybe)

The closest I can find to an overview of Assembly results is this Times-Union piece, which suggests that the 100-vote veto-proof majority is in question. "The Democrats lost at least seven seats" and the 1st, 89th, 100th, 109th, and 121st were in the absentee range.

Any more detail on which seats changed hands there?

AD-94: Journal News links GOP Assembly candidate Frank Sparaco to the mob

by: cliffweathers

Sat Oct 23, 2010 at 09:36:02 AM EDT

Sparaco is running is the Republican candidate in the 94th Assembly District in Rockland County and is running against imcumbent Kenneth Zebrowski, Jr.

Sparaco, 34, who is seeking election to the state Assembly, is the son of Frank Sparaco Jr., a convicted killer with mob ties. The younger Sparaco said he did not know any of the money he received came from those associated with organized crime.

"I didn't know," Sparaco said during an Aug. 26 interview at The Journal News. "I have no association with any criminal activity nor have I ever."

A review of campaign finance records shows that at least $11,500 from reputed mobsters and their businesses went into Sparaco's coffers since 2007, including at least $10,000 during the past 15 months.

The money was donated to Sparaco's Rockland County Legislature campaign in 2007, as well as his current Assembly effort.

He is running on the Republican, Conservative and Working Families lines in the Nov. 2 general election against incumbent Kenneth Zebrowski, who is on the Democratic and Independence lines.

The money came from reputed members of the Colombo organization, including those who knew Sparaco's father, a reputed capo in the crime family.Sparaco, 34, who is seeking election to the state Assembly, is the son of Frank Sparaco Jr., a convicted killer with mob ties. The younger Sparaco said he did not know any of the money he received came from those associated with organized crime.

"I didn't know," Sparaco said during an Aug. 26 interview at The Journal News. "I have no association with any criminal activity nor have I ever."

A review of campaign finance records shows that at least $11,500 from reputed mobsters and their businesses went into Sparaco's coffers since 2007, including at least $10,000 during the past 15 months.

The money was donated to Sparaco's Rockland County Legislature campaign in 2007, as well as his current Assembly effort.

He is running on the Republican, Conservative and Working Families lines in the Nov. 2 general election against incumbent Kenneth Zebrowski, who is on the Democratic and Independence lines.

The money came from reputed members of the Colombo organization, including those who knew Sparaco's father, a reputed capo in the crime family.

"Non-partisan" ain't neutral

by: simonstl

Thu Sep 23, 2010 at 13:57:17 PM EDT

People who've followed my postings are likely aware that I'm not a fan of Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton for many reasons. I've voted against her endorsement by the Tompkins County Democratic Committee, criticized her on a variety of issues, and been, well, less than polite at a few public forums. The last thing I really want to do on a normal day is republish Lifton press releases.

Every now and then, though, something so infuriating comes up that the only right response is to republish a Lifton press release:

Lifton Campaign Challenges Opponent to Engage in Fair Debate, Reveal Actual Party and Anti-government Group Affiliations Publicly

The campaign of Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton has been approached by Ms. Kelly Kheel, who initially represented herself, on Sept. 8, as follows:

I am hosting a Meet the Candidate night in Tompkins County, NY. This is a non partisan forum. We plan to send invitation (sic) and moderate the event. The date is Sept. 25 at 7 pm. Mr. Reynolds has agreed.

Thank you for your consideration.
Cordially,
Kelly Kheel

The Lifton campaign made repeated efforts to work with Ms. Kheel to agree to a time, format and location that would allow Assemblywoman Lifton's participation in a forum. Repeated requests for information about Ms. Kheel's "group" were responded to with minimal or misleading information. Eventually, the Lifton Campaign was able to discover, through on-line research, that Ms. Kheel's group is 912 TEA CTCNY. Reading the information on their website, at http://www.meetup.com/912Tea-Party-Patriots-Tompkins-County-NY/ , reveals that many of their 66 members reside outside of the Cortland/Tompkins area that they purportedly represent. Their current headline reads "We Surround Ithaca." The web page also reveals that Assemblywoman Lifton's opponent has been an active member of this group since April 14, 2010, although this information is not included on his campaign website, nor did Ms. Kheel mention that Mr. Reynolds was a member of her group in her correspondence with the Lifton campaign until we brought this fact up with her.

The Lifton Campaign challenges Mr. Reynolds to be open and above-board with the public about his true party affiliations. On the Tea Party group's website, his member page identifies him, in his own words, as a "Reagan republican Cheif Financial Officer," and he has also represented himself to the media as a Republican. Yet, while he is the Republican nominee for Assembly, his Board of Elections records identify him as a registered member of the Conservative Party. He has made public challenges to our campaign to engage in large numbers of debates, and then apparently encouraged the organizers of a group he is a member of to misrepresent itself as an impartial entity and set up a rigged "forum" in which the group leader acted as moderator.

Fair play and honest public discourse are the cornerstones of our democracy. The Lifton campaign challenges her opponent to engage in honest dicussion, in truly impartial forums, of the actual issues facing NYS government. We also challenge Mr. Reynolds to explain how he would uphold the Constitution of the State of NY if he accepts the 4th principle of Ms. Kheel's group: "The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government." Would he be willing to uphold NYS laws? Is his goal to become a NYS Assembly Member, or to spread the anti-government message of the TEA Party?

That's not an invitation to a debate - it's an invitation to an ambush. Dryden's had some contentious debates in the past, probably peaking in 2007 at Varna. I'll admit that I felt ambushed by some of the extremely right-wing questions, not to mention false claims - but at least the moderators of those events actually were neutral.

The first of the 2007 debates was moderated by the League of Women Voters, and the next two were moderated by WHCU host Geoff Dunn. Dunn makes a point of registering as a blank and of taking political signs only when he can signs from all sides - I don't know what his personal politics are, but he does an excellent job of keeping them out of the way when running a debate.

I worry that few undecided voters actually show up at debates, and there seems to be a regular battle to stack the audience with supporters. That said, stacking the moderator as well as the audience goes way way way outside of anything I'd recognize as decent politics.

If this is the kind of change the Tea Party folks want to bring to politics, we have some major problems before we even get to actual issues.

(Cross-posted with minor changes from Living in Dryden.)

9 More Reasons to Throw the Bums Out

by: Roatti

Mon Jun 28, 2010 at 15:12:13 PM EDT

Yesterday, Governor Paterson called a special session of the Legislature to deal with the budget that is currently months overdue.  So what did our legislative leaders do?  They held a session. With a total of 9 minutes in session for both houses.    In case you're counting, that broke down to six minutes for the Assembly and three minutes for the Senate.  

We already knew that the rank-and-file members of each house are meaningless cogs in the leadership's backdoor power machine, but this is just a slap in the face to the voters of this state.  

Shame on Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Conference Leader John Sampson for not even bothering to pretend that the governing institutions of our state are functioning.  And shame on each and every member of both houses for allowing this situation to exist.  

SD-38: Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee considering State Senate run

by: cliffweathers

Thu May 20, 2010 at 22:25:17 PM EDT

The meeting of the Executive Committee of the Rockland Democratic Committee also featured three other candidates, Clarkstown Town Clerk David Carlucci, Tuxedo Town Supervisor Peter Dolan, and State Parole Officer Grant Valentine.

Jaffee said that she will decide to run in a matter of days. She has no notable opponents for her State Assembly seat.

On the Republican side, Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef is expected to run. However, a local Tea Party movement is rumored to be fielding its own candidate.  

"Revenue Raisers" We Can Believe In

by: DeWitt

Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 09:12:46 AM EDT

Among this year's batch is a plan offered by Assembly Democrats to repeal a long-standing exemption on sales taxes for printed promotional and marketing materials...

"It's an easy revenue target," said Eric Mower, CEO of Eric Mower and Associates, which along with postal carriers, newspapers and others has joined a growing effort to preserve the sales tax exemption, valued at $25 million annually. "Legislators look for revenue sources where there is the least amount of outcry."

2010 = Anti-Incumbent

by: Roatti

Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 17:46:03 PM EDT

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of New York voters finds that 69% think it would be better if most incumbents in the state legislature were defeated this November. Just 12% say it would be better for the state if most of the incumbents were reelected. Another 18% aren't sure.
Only 22% believe their own local legislator deserves reelection this year. Forty-nine percent (49%) say their local representative does not deserve reelection, and 29% more are undecided.

However, removing some of these incumbents via Democratic Primary Challenges might be a heavier lift, likely thanks to the downstate machine apparatus:

Unaffiliated voters (64%) are much more likely to believe their own legislator does not deserve reelection than Republicans (52%) and Democrats (39%).

There is definitely a wave out there but the tricky part is going to be riding it successfully.  

Albany: Pass The Child Victims Act (A.2596)

by: furiousdee

Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 13:45:58 PM EDT

In the past few weeks, more and more information is coming to light about the role the leaders of the Catholic Church have played in their efforts to conceal abuse by pedophile priests and protect them from prosecution, thus maintaining the Church's reputation and good standing.

In light of these new revelations, it is time for the NY state legislature to revisit A.2596 and finally give the victims of the sexual abuse and systematic cover-up their day in court to face their abusers.

NYS Assembly: Who Needs the Presumption of Innocence, anyway?

by: DogFederationofNewYork

Mon Mar 08, 2010 at 10:59:19 AM EST

Dog owner group calls on elected Albany representatives to uphold state laws,
challenges A3765 (Englebright) as direct violation of civil rights and misuse of public funds

Republicans win two Assembly seats

by: devtob

Wed Feb 10, 2010 at 15:17:11 PM EST

Two suburban seats that were Democratic are now Republican -- AD 3 (Suffolk County), where Dean Murray beat Lynn Thoden (it's close, but absentees usually follow the machine vote), and AD 89 (Westchester County), where Robert Castelli beat Peter Harckham by 10 percent.

Details, below.  

This is How the Machine Works

by: BingChester

Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 11:00:47 AM EST

Speculation about the Weprin-for-Weprin exchange started even before David Weprin lost the Democratic comptroller primary on the same day his brother won a battle for the Council seat he had to give up to run citywide.

And why is this nefarious display of machine politics essentially impossible to stop?

David Weprin announced his decision to members of the Saul Weprin Democratic Club last night. He's pretty much a sure thing for the Democratic nod in the special election for Mark Weprin's seat, since the nomination is controlled by the AD's four district leaders, two of whom are Mark and David Weprin.  

Brilliant!

There's no doubt that we need to shake up this state.  At almost every level of state and local government, machine politics insulate politicians from the will of the people and create regimes of insider-control.  While the "three men in a room" analogy is well-known, there are more smoke-filled backrooms than the one in Albany and we, the people, are the losers in this transaction.  

We can't take down the machine all at once.  We'll have to dismantle it piece by piece.  2010 is another opportunity to dismantle the machine.  And I have the perfect place in mind.

September Special Session

by: phillip anderson

Thu Aug 20, 2009 at 12:42:29 PM EDT

UPDATE: Word is that this will be a Senate only special session.

Stop Greg Ball from making a mockery of the health-care debate

by: cliffweathers

Sat Aug 15, 2009 at 10:45:53 AM EDT

There will be plenty of astroturfing and choreographed outrage from Ball and his acolytes, and it's all designed to destroy President Obama's health-care plan, which will make health care affordable and accessible to millions of Americans.

Assembly Passes Marriage Equality!

by: Roatti

Wed May 13, 2009 at 00:02:51 AM EDT

The State Assembly approved legislation on Tuesday night that would make New York the sixth state to allow same-sex marriage - a pivotal vote that shifts the debate to the State Senate, where gay rights advocates and conservative groups alike are redoubling their efforts.

In a sign of how opinion in Albany has shifted on the issue, several members of the Assembly who voted against the measure in 2007 voted in favor of it on Tuesday.

The final vote was 89 to 52, including the backing of five Republicans.

Now it's on to the Senate, where the bigoted opposition is stronger.  But let's savor this victory for the moment and give major kudos to Sheldon Silver and the Assembly leadership for bringing this to a successful vote.

And don't forget to call your Senator to express your support for the Senate version!