Just What The Hell Is This About?

by: phillip anderson

Fri Sep 14, 2007 at 11:48:31 AM EDT

Political connections take to the air
Senate Republicans fly on jet owned by controversial executive training group

Some Senate Republicans have been getting rides on an aircraft tied to the controversial executive training organization in Halfmoon whose inner circle appears to be getting increasingly involved in politics.

The Republican Senate Campaign Committee lists $34,763 in five "in-kind" donations -- air transportation -- and four monetary donations totaling $31,600 over the last year-and-a-half from two women, who list the address of 1471 Route 9, Suite 202, Halfmoon.

The women, Sara and Clare Bronfman, are sisters with deep ties to Nxivm Corp., according to former associates. Nxivm has run Executive Success Programs, an executive training business, in the Capital Region for several years. The business has been trying to expand in Halfmoon and has been working with the town on gaining approvals.

Nxivm, founded by Keith Raniere, known as "Vanguard" to followers, claims its courses and personal coaches help professionals reach their full potential. Former participants, company officials and others have called it cultlike, and the classes an expensive form of brainwashing.

...

Senate officials say the most likely user of the LLC's in-kind contribution of air transportation is Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, R-Brunswick.

Bruno's use of state aircraft for meetings in Manhattan on days of Republican political fundraisers and of private jets arranged by a suspected lobbyist have come under scrutiny by state investigators this year. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said Bruno did not violate the state's policy on state aircraft use. Investigators have not accused him of any wrongdoing in accepting the private rides, but the person who arranged them, businessman and Bruno friend Jared Abbruzzese, could face stiff fines if he violated a ban on expensive gifts.

"It gives you an idea of loopholes that exist in our campaign finance system," said Barbara Bartoletti, legislative director of the League of Women Voters. "The $34,000 sounds like a lot of money but it's not illegal under our lax contribution limits."

Apparently these nutjobs are bipartisan in as far as they are also Hillary contributors. But, I have no idea what they are trying to accomplish or why they are flying Uncle Joe around.

Weird.

Bruno's Bucks

by: phillip anderson

Mon Aug 06, 2007 at 09:56:13 AM EDT

More Tainted Bruno Money

On the heels of our report last week of Joe Bruno’s campaign finance troubles, RT has discovered even more questionable corporate contributions to Bruno.

By way of background, corporations in NYS have a $5,000 aggregate calendar year donation limit. Each of the corporations listed below donated to Sen. Bruno, even though they also donated an amount greater than the $5,000 calendar year limit. Furthermore, and contrary to the twisted logic of unnamed republican staffers, it is the responsibility of “person making a contribution, as well as the person receiving it,” to ensure the contribution limits are not exceeded.

...

On January 9, 2006, Hedley Park Place of Troy donated $1,000 to Bruno. For all of 2006, Hedley donated $6,750.

On January 16, 2006, Caremark RX, INC. donated $1,000 to Bruno. All told, Caremark donated $9,950 in 2006.

On two separate occasions in 2006, Kasselman Electronics donated a total of $2,000 to Bruno. For all of calendar year 2006, Kasselman donated $8,500.

On September 25, 2005, Golub Realties, INC. donated $5,000 to Bruno, despite having already donated $3,050 earlier in 2005. Bruno’s donation brought Golub to a total of $8,050 in contributions in 2005.

You really should read the whole thing. Great stuff.

Does Bruno's Crew Really Want to Run On This?

by: phillip anderson

Mon Jul 30, 2007 at 10:33:51 AM EDT

Key agreements between Gov. Eliot Spitzer and lawmakers on campaign finance reform, higher property-tax rebate checks for seniors, and $1billion in building projects appear to have unraveled, according to an aide to Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.

And observers here said brokering new deals would be very difficult because of fallout from the scandal involving a plot by the Democratic governor's aides to discredit Bruno, the top Republican in state government. Bruno now is mulling whether to have Senate committees launch new inquiries into the plot and contributions to Spitzer's past campaigns.

Do they?

Need A Laugh? Read This

by: phillip anderson

Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 15:52:06 PM EDT

Banning lobbyists from contributing to political campaigns

Lobbyists ultimately represent citizens and citizens groups and often lend their expertise and understanding to legislators who must be experts on a myriad of different issues.

Nothing about their occupation can justify taking away their political rights.

Professors Stephen Bronars and John Lott have demonstrated that contributions do not buy legislative votes, but are driven by ideology.

Instead, legislators vote according to their own beliefs, party loyalty, and the views of their constituents.

If that doesn't describe the New York State Legislature, I don't what would...

Reducing the amount of money able to be contributed to political parties

Political parties are vital element of our political system. They are the means through which we identify candidates and the ideas for which
the candidates’ stand. The parties need money in order to function, and it is impossible for a party to be “corrupted.”

In fact, political parties help break the link between contributor and candidate. There is no need to arbitrarily reduce the amount of money one can donate to the party that matches their ideology.

Wait a second. I thought that links between candidate and contributor are no big deal, right?

Thanks, Center for Competitive Politics, I needed that.

Campaign Finance Deal Dead?

by: phillip anderson

Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 12:25:53 PM EDT

Spitzer Probe May Derail Campaign Finance Agreement

New York's Republican-controlled Senate may reconsider a deal with New York Governor Eliot Spitzer over campaign finance following revelations that Spitzer aides improperly used the state police to compile information on Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, lawmakers said.

"I don't know if it's totally unraveling, but certainly right now the governor doesn't have the moral high ground to be talking about the ethics of campaign finance," said Nassau County Republican Senator Dean Skelos, the Deputy Majority Leader for Legislative Operations.

Here's where we see how smart Bruno and his people actually are. The smartest thing they could do right now is pass the deal agreed to last week. They can then claim some moral high ground while they bash the Governor silly. If they don't pass it, they give the Governor a stick (and he is utterly stickless at the moment) to beat them with from now until November '08.

My guess? The deal is dead.

The Campaign Finance Reform Deal Details

by: phillip anderson

Thu Jul 19, 2007 at 16:24:27 PM EDT

Overall, I think it looks pretty good, much better than what I had feared would be agreed to.

Lower Contribution Limits
-  Significant reductions of the limits on contributions to individual
  candidates for State and local offices, with state office contribution
  reductions as follows:
  - Statewide candidates – from $52,427/$55,900 (depending on party) to
  $25,000
  - Senate candidates – from $15,500 to $11,500
  - Assembly candidates – from $7,600 to $4,600
-  Closing the corporate subsidiary loophole;
-  Prohibition against contributions from sham LLCs by banning
  contributions from LLCs that have little or no assets, income, or that
  have been recently created;
-  Prohibition against contributions from registered lobbyists;
-  Imposition of a $300,000 annual cap on contributions to parties’
  housekeeping accounts to take effect in January 2009, with a gradual
  lowering to $225,000 in January 2011, and $150,000 in January 2013;
-  A reduction from $94,200 to $50,000 in the aggregate annual cap on
  donations to party committees; and,
-  Provisions to level the playing field when a race includes a wealthy
  self-financed candidate.
Enhanced Enforcement
-  Creation of a statutory enforcement unit within the Board of Elections;
-  Expansion of the jurisdiction of the Board of Elections;
-  Increases in civil penalties;
Enhanced Disclosure and Transparency
-  Disclosure of bundling by registered lobbyists and other individuals;
-  Requirement that contributors disclose employer and occupation
  information;
-  Prohibition against candidates maintaining more than two authorized
  committees;
-  More frequent filing requirements;
-  Increased reporting of information about contributions and expenditures
  that occur close to the day of the election;
-  Increased itemization of expenditures; and,
-  Greater public access to computerized campaign finance information.

It's certainly not CMCE, but for the first significant reform in campaign finance in New York in decades, I'd say this is a pretty solid first step.

What do YOU think?

Behold the 'Big Ugly'

by: phillip anderson

Thu Jul 19, 2007 at 15:19:31 PM EDT

  * Congestion pricing: the state will set up a commission that will actually establish a plan for New York City, but the state will notify the federal Dept. of Transportation right away that a plan is, generically speaking, authorized, which supposedly keeps the city in the running for roughly $500 million.
  * Campaign finance reform: Details to come.
  * Capital projects: More than $300 million; Bruno says the Senate’s share along is $300 million. Presumably, negotiators have sopped up some of the fat dripping off the pork, as Gov. Eliot Spitzer described the earlier package.
  * Property tax rebates: A package for senior citizens, totalling $200 million.

The CFR part of the deal looks at first glance to be a much better deal than I thought we would see.  Liz Benjamin summarizes:

The agreement reduces contribution limits, bans donations from both lobbyists and corporate subsidiaries, prohibits contributions from "sham" LLCs with no assets created specifically to skirt the LLC loophole (which seems hard to proove) and creates an enforcement unit in the state Board of Elections.

She also notes the disparity between the announcements:

Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno says he believes there are four components to the deal: Campaign finance reform, congestion pricing, capital funding and property tax rebates for seniors.

Gov. Eliot Spitzer says there are only two components: Campaign finance reform and congestion pricing.

It looks as if it may take awhile to find out just how ugly or not the "Big Ugly" actually is...

UPDATE: The Governor's full press release on the flip...

Chasing the 'Big Ugly'

by: phillip anderson

Thu Jul 19, 2007 at 13:02:30 PM EDT

Now we're beginning to see just why. Reports of a deal have been trickling out for a day or so now and they describe a process that yet again makes a mockery of our system of government, shows once again how our entire state government is held hostage to the petty whims of petty men, hardly represents the wishes or concerns of those our representatives are supposed to serve and shows us once again why and how we so often end up with truly terrible legislation. Surely, this is isn't any proper way to actually govern.

Here's a breakdown of what we know so far:

Sheldon Silver and Joe Bruno seem to have struck a deal that would set up a commission to study congestion pricing and develop a plan for implementation.

A person briefed on the talks said a deal would set up a congestion pricing commission, contingent on the feds coughing up $350 million by Oct. 31. The arrangement would allow the city to start spending federal funds for new rapid bus routes and toll-collection devices, the source said. The commission would be required to make recommendations on how congestion pricing would be implemented by March 31, suggestions that would be subject to approval by both the City Council and the Legislature. The actual collection of tolls could not begin without both bodies signing off.

Much more on the flip...

Just What Is Happening in Albany Today?

by: phillip anderson

Wed Jul 18, 2007 at 13:10:07 PM EDT

Breakthrough?

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's office is contacting members of the Democratic majority and asking them whether they are available to return to Albany tomorrow, one downstate lawmaker reports.

So far, there are no deals. The members are essentially on standby.

...

UPDATE: All sides are being very tight-lipped, but confirm that the marathon talks are continuing. Everything - not just congestion pricing - is on the table right now, including the Senate Republicans' much-hated campaign finance reform.

Gov. Eliot Spitzer called off his plans to travel to Buffalo today so he could stick around and keep negotiating.

Honestly, I'm glad that things seem to be moving in Albany. But, really, is this any way to actually govern?

Bruno Flips Out on NY1

by: phillip anderson

Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 09:15:34 AM EDT

Spitzer, Bruno Continue To Trade Insults Days Into Summer Break

"He's too temperamental. He can be charming, he is extremely bright, he's very personable, he's very articulate, when he wants to be,” said Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno. “But just as soon as you're telling him things that are disagreeable to him well then you can see the change take place in his face. He flared up with me a couple of times on the phone and in person in a very unbecoming way. All I could think about was some little rich kid having a tantrum. I almost expected him to be wandering around stomping his feet."

Bruno says he will no longer privately meet with the governor – insisting other people be in the room.

I think someone needs a time out.

Wild Bill Fingers Bruno

by: phillip anderson

Tue Jun 26, 2007 at 10:49:32 AM EDT

Back on the warpath

Feisty Spitzer pins blame for Albany breakdown on Bruno - and that's exactly where it belongs

Now that the dust has settled on Albany's end-of-session collapse, it's obvious who's to blame for blowing things up: Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.

He tries to point the finger at Gov. Spitzer, but Bruno's the one standing there like Wile E. Coyote, with half his fur singed off and a receipt from the Acme Explosives Co. in his back pocket.

Spitzer spent months pushing the Legislature to the brink of agreement on a bunch of worthwhile bills. Among other things, he wanted to clean up pollution at abandoned buildings, speed construction of power plants, collect DNA from all convicted criminals and grant paid leave to workers spending time with newborns or sick family members.

And Bruno torpedoed it all. Why? Because he fears his dwindling GOP majority could not survive without unlimited special-interest cash and bottomless pork-barrel spending.

As Spitzer revealed to the Daily News Editorial Board yesterday, Bruno was blunt about why he wouldn't go along with closing a loophole that lets some companies make unlimited, untraceable donations to Albany power brokers and other much-needed campaign finance reforms.

"Joe Bruno's statement to me was, 'We need that money,'" Spitzer said. "That was a direct quote."

...

Regardless of who said what to whom, here's the bottom line: Bruno and the Senate GOP are just two seats away from losing their majority. They've managed to hang on this long only because they ruthlessly gerrymander districts, shower their voters with pork and go into every election with a massive money advantage over the Democrats. So they view even modest campaign-finance reforms as a mortal threat.

As I have been saying for quite some time, all that ridiculous BS about protecting the LLC loophole as a defense of "freedom of expression" and all the other laughable rationales for the status quo that have spewed forth from Bruno's mouth in recent months are nothing but a smokescreen for what is really motivating him. He knows that without that cash, he and his majority are finished. Not only are they finished, they aren't coming back anytime soon, for a generation or two at a minimum.

At least he's now admitting it.

Legislative Session Falls Apart, Looks Like We're Going to OT

by: phillip anderson

Fri Jun 22, 2007 at 12:03:37 PM EDT

Session crumbles; Sematech survives

Spitzer, Senate feud waylays many deals, though lawmakers may return

The 2007 regular legislative session expired late Thursday with deals going sour as the governor accused the Senate of trying to push through a half-billion dollar plan laden with pork.

...

The Legislature could return, however, within a month.

Gov. Eliot Spitzer refused more than $1 billion in capital spending lawmakers wanted for projects across the state, saying much of it was "fat."

Agreements were few and far between, although both chambers agreed to a bill to end solitary confinement of mentally ill prisoners. Both also passed a late-arriving bill called the "airline passengers' bill of rights" to require food, water and other comforts for passengers when flights are delayed more than three hours.

One-house bills were passed in volumes, including $350,000 Sen. Hugh Farley, R-Niskayuna, sought for a free medical clinic in Schenectady County. But negotiations continued almost to the last minute on that money and various other deals that could get sewn up later in the year.

A push to let racetrack casino operators, including Saratoga Gaming and Raceway, keep more revenues from video lottery terminals for marketing seemed ripe for an agreement.

Good to see that we can at least agree to subsidize the marketing of video lottery with public money, isn't it?

What was Uncle Joe's big concern? Spitzer's "obsession" with campaign finance reform.

Bruno blamed Spitzer for what he called a ruined finish to what started out as a promising session. He said deals were impossible because of the governor's "obsession" with achieving a campaign finance reform deal desired by no one other than misguided special interest groups.

He said the governor was holding several issues "hostage" unless he got his way on reforming the political donation process.

I have real doubts that anything significant is going to happen on CFR with this legislature. Bruno knows he's going to need every filthy penny he can get his hands on to try to hold on to his majority next year and has decided to to both run out the clock and milk as much money as he possibly can from special interests before November of 2008. In fact, one could say that he seems "obsessed" with preserving the shameful status quo.

Bruno: Campaign Finance Reform = "Hocus Pocus Rules"

by: phillip anderson

Fri Jun 15, 2007 at 08:51:44 AM EDT

Bruno Attacks Spitzer's Plan For Campaign Finance Reform

Throwing a wrench into Governor Eliot Spitzer's campaign finance reform goals, Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno said Thursday he's philosophically opposed to the idea – right to Spitzer's face.

"That's a wrong premise, I’m sorry,” said Spitzer. “Money does not buy elections."

...

"What are they buying? They write checks on this side and on that side. Now what do you do? Do you vote, let's see who gave us the biggest check? That's bull, in plain English,” said Bruno. “We keep saying that and talking about that and ‘I'm sorry.’ Then you want to make all these hocus pocus rules."

Dude...

June 14: Support Campaign Finance Reform at Brooklyn forum

by: greenheron

Wed Jun 13, 2007 at 14:50:43 PM EDT

Following last week's successful and spirited Queens forum, Citizen Action is co-sponsoring another this week, Thursday, June 14 at 7:30 pm at Borough Hall, Brooklyn.

Among the cosponsors: Assembly Members Karim Camara, Hakeem Jeffries, James Brennan, Joan Millman and Felix Ortiz; co-host, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.

Former Vice President of Maryland's NAACP Elbridge James said: "As long as money rules the political process, people of good will and of color will continue to lack access to politicians." Publicly funded elections can play a role in changing a campaign finance system that has privileged some and hindered others based on race and wealth. We must develop an electoral system whose outcomes are determined not by wealth or race, but by notions of fairness, justice, equality and democracy.

By removing the influence of big business and the special interests in Albany, we can address many of the problems which affect our daily lives from the lack of affordable housing to the high price of prescription drugs for seniors. That is why it is so crucial that we all come together this Thursday to show our support for these critical reforms.

For more information, please feel free to contact Zachary Naidich of Citizen Action at 212.523.0180 x 44.

Senate GOP Kills Campaign Finance Reform

by: phillip anderson

Wed Jun 13, 2007 at 10:59:07 AM EDT

The Senate's Republican majority set their own timetable Tuesday for reforming New York's campaign finance laws, ignoring Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer's priority of tightening the laws by the end of the legislative session.

Senate Election Committee Chairman Joseph Griffo announced the Senate majority will begin its "round-table" discussions with invited experts on June 27 _ a week after the legislative session ends.

Those meetings could be followed by the public hearings that Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno had promised weeks ago.

Make no mistake, this maneuver has nothing to do with studying this issue. It's not as if the problems, the gaping loopholes, haven't been studied to death. This is all about squeezing one more cycle out of the status quo of campaign finance law, a status quo that could be the worst campaign finance regime in the nation. Bruno's shrinking majority in the Senate is going to be tested in 2008 in ways it never has been and he and his crew are gonna need every crooked cent they can muster to hold on. Arguing that the problem needs more study is a straight up sham.

“This information has been available for decades,” said Sen. Eric Schneiderman, D-Manhattan. “I’m surprised the (Senate GOP) leadership has gone to this molecular level of analysis of things we already know.”

I'm not so surprised, Senator. Neither is Barbara Bartoletti of the LWV.

“This is classic end-of-session, run-out-the-clock foot dragging,” said Barbara Bartoletti of the League of Women Voters. “(Senate Majority Leader) Bruno promised prompt public hearings, but in a bait and switch is offering up a committee briefing.”

Indeed. And why would they do such a thing?

She said most legislators hate campaign finance reform because, "It's how they get elected and stay elected."

Shameful.

Bruno's Boys to Punt on Campaign Finance

by: phillip anderson

Tue Jun 12, 2007 at 09:00:06 AM EDT

Senate GOP, good-government groups spar over campaign finance

Campaign finance reform, one of Gov. Eliot Spitzer's top priorities in the waning days of his first legislative session, may be taken off the table Tuesday by the Senate's Republican majority.

The Senate GOP will hold the first meeting on campaign finance in its Elections Committee after fending off the Democratic governor on the issue by promising public meetings.

After the committee hears from an elections law scholar, Sen. Joseph Griffo, an Oneida County Republican, "is expected to announce a statewide series of campaign finance reform round-table discussions," according to the meeting announcement.

Senate majority spokesman Mark Hansen wouldn't say if those meetings would be done in time for a bill to be drafted and passed in the session scheduled to end June 21.

"I think this is posturing," said Barbara Bartoletti of the League of Women Voters, which has pushed campaign finance reform as the key to reforming Albany. "There are eight days left in the session. Our lax campaign finance laws and the lack of enforcement can't wait for another year ... this should have been addressed a year ago."

Disgusting. Want real reform? Then Bruno and his boys have got to go. Period.

New York Senate Republicans Blocking Reform

by: pontificator

Sat Jun 09, 2007 at 21:02:45 PM EDT

According to an analysis by Common Cause, a group that monitors campaign financing, L.L.C.’s are providing more and more cash for candidates in New York State, and now account for $12 million in state political donations, up from less than $600,000 in 1999. And no one has given more through L.L.C.’s than [real estate developer Leonard] Litwin, according to Common Cause.

The system allows L.L.C.’s to donate simply under the company name, making the identity of the donors hard to trace. The companies Mr. Litwin donated through include 80th Realty L.L.C. and Arwin 88th Street L.L.C., for instance.

The establishment of such companies is particularly common among real estate developers. The L.L.C. structure allows a company’s owners to avoid putting their own assets at risk in a business venture.

Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who raised more money from L.L.C.’s last year than any other state official, swore off them after the election and is now proposing to ban the donations as part of an overhaul of the state’s campaign finance laws. He and others have argued that L.L.C.’s have made the state’s contribution limits essentially meaningless. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and city officials have moved to restrict donations though L.L.C.’s for city candidates.

But the governor’s proposal has met stiff resistance from Senate Republicans, who have reaped big money from limited liability companies. That is in part because real estate developers are especially generous to Republicans in Albany.

Anyone in this State interested in true reform needs to kick Bruno and his Senate Republican compatriots out of office, and to do so sooner rather than later.

Hold Fast, Mr Spitzer

by: phillip anderson

Wed Jun 06, 2007 at 15:58:51 PM EDT

Pay Raises, Political Giving at Center of Albany Face-Off

Pressure is building on Governor Spitzer to back down from his demands and grant lawmakers their first pay raise in more than eight years.

Earlier this year, Mr. Spitzer indicated he would not give his consent to a pay raise unless the Legislature approved his plan to significantly lower campaign contribution limits and impose other restrictions on political giving.

Now, with time running out in the legislative session and Senate Republicans showing no signs of yielding on their opposition to the governor's campaign finance proposal, Mr. Spitzer faces a tough choice: Either he adjusts his demands or risks alienating lawmakers, particularly Assembly Democrats, who have made no secret of their desire for a bigger paycheck.

...

...The governor, however, needs the cooperation of the speaker of the Assembly, Sheldon Silver, who is under pressure from his own members to deliver a pay raise.

...

By refusing to compromise on pay raise, Mr. Spitzer also risks angering state judges, who have not received a salary increase since 1999. Chief Judge Judith Kaye has been so enflamed over the issue that she has threatened to sue the state. Mr. Spitzer supports giving judges more money, but lawmakers have refused to approve a judiciary pay raise bill that does not increase their own pay as well.

Lawmakers are predicting that Mr. Spitzer will break the logjam and downgrade his demands on a campaign finance bill. In April, the governor said talks between his administration and Senate Republicans collapsed because lawmakers would not agree to ban political contributions from limited liability companies, which can give the same amount as individuals and have been used by wealthy donors as a tool for unlimited giving, as donors can set up as many as the entities as they choose.

"I think you have to lower the bar," the minority leader of the state Senate, Malcolm Smith of Queens, said. "There has to be something everybody can live with." Mr. Smith said he thought the Legislature and the governor would come to an agreement before session ends on June 21.

I disagree, Mr. Smith. We've been lowering the bar for decades and look where that has gotten us.

Want a raise? Deliver meaningful campaign finance reform.

As we have said here since we launched this site, No Reform? No Raise!

Public Hearings: It's What All the Cool Kids Are Doing

by: phillip anderson

Thu May 31, 2007 at 11:21:33 AM EDT

Once Secretive Legislators Go Public

The hottest new trend among Legislature leaders is the public hearing.

At a meeting with state leaders yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno declared that he would hold public hearings on the issue of campaign finance reform. Moments later, the speaker of the Assembly, Sheldon Silver, was promoting his idea for public hearings to examine Mayor Bloomberg's anti-traffic tax plan.

"The real way to bring the public in is to invite them in and let them tell us what they think about it," Mr. Silver said.

The sudden popularity of the public hearing, a forum that allows elected officials to receive public input on important policy matters, may seem like a strange development in a place known for its commitment to secrecy.

...

Saying the Assembly would convene another hearing today on legislation to expand the state's criminal DNA database, Mr. Silver said hearings were an important forum for guiding lawmakers on issues that affect many people.

What a novel idea, public participation in the process by which they are governed. Who knew that they had, like, opinions and stuff they wanted to share with those they elect to serve them?

Still, don't get too excited.

Asked if he would hold public hearings on a proposed bill to legalize gay marriage, Mr. Silver said, "There are only so many public hearings that we're going to do."

We wouldn't want to, ya know, take a position on a controversial subject with the riff raff watching or anything, would we?

I Like This Ad from Upstate Blue

by: phillip anderson

Fri May 25, 2007 at 11:33:56 AM EDT