Good Question

by: phillip anderson

Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 15:14:17 PM EST

Who's Protecting Whose Wallet?

Three Democratic state senators who have blocked the plan to charge tolls on the East River bridges and so prevent transit service cuts and fare hikes say they simply want to protect their constituents.

But which constituents?

Last year, in the midst of the congestion pricing debate, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and the Pratt Center for Community Development took a legislative  district by district look at where people work and how they get there. This data does not directly translate to the toll debate, since the tolls would affect anyone who crosses a now-free bridge to Manhattan while the congestion pricing proposal, in its final incarnation, only charges drivers south of 60th Street.

It provides some indication, nonetheless, and makes the stands of Sens. Ruben Diaz,  Pedro Espada and Carl Kruger somewhat baffling.

Most of Krueger’s constituents do have a car but do not use it for a daily drive to Manhattan’s central business district. Of the 32 percent of his constituents who commute to that part of Manhttan, about 84 percent take mass transit.

In Diaz’s Bronx district more than five times as many people take mass transit to the business district as drive. Two thirds of his constituents do not even own a car. In Espada's adjacent Bronx district, more than 70 percent of residents do not have a car and less than 4 percent drive to the central business district as compared with 29 percent who take mass transit.

Taxi drivers have to pay, too, and they will have to increase their fares. Who is gonna pay for that? The people,” Diaz  told Gotham Gazette. Or at least all those residents of the South Bronx who take cabs to work every day.

...

The impasse among the Democrats leaves the decision on the tolls up to the Republicans, particularly the three GOP state senators from the city, the Times reports. In the meantime, the South Bronx restaurant worker and the medical tech from Mill Basin can rest easy knowing that, if subway fares rise, thy can always take a taxi to work.

I'm not sure just whose interests the Diva Three think they are standing up for, but it's pretty obvious it's not those of the people they were elected to represent.

It's Really Over This Time: Senate Majority Leader Smith

by: phillip anderson

Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 21:16:48 PM EST

The Senate leadership deal is officially done, and Queens Democrat Malcolm Smith has finally landed the 32 votes he needs to be majority leader of the Senate, putting the chamber back into Democratic hands for the first time in 43 years.

Flanked by members of his conference - including all of the Gang of Three - who marched from Sen. Carl Kruger's office in the LOB to the Capitol to join their fellow Democrats, Smith announced his victory.

Smith confirmed the details of the deal between himself and the three erstwhile renegades that have been reported throughout the day.

In short:

- Kruger, who ducked out without speaking to reporters, will chair the Finance Committee ($34,000 lu-lu), which Smith said does have a budget of between $5 million and $6 million. Sen. Liz Krueger will be vice chair of that committee (that's a new position, and so has no existing lu-lu; she's also chair of Select Committee on Budget Reform).

- Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. will chair the Aging Committe ($12,500 lu-lu), and also will head a new Latino Task Force.

- Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. will chair the Housing Committee ($12,500 lu-lu) and will also serve as vice chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, the most powerful committee in the Senate, (Smith is the chairman) and president of the Senate for Urban Policy.

From a release just sent from the next Senate Majority Leader:

The Senate Democratic Conference emerged from their meeting tonight with the announcement that Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm A. Smith will serve as Senate Majority Leader, securing a Democratic Majority for the first time in 43 years.

Under the leadership of Senator Smith, the Senate will move New York in a new direction, taking steps to create a more open, accountable and inclusive legislative process.

"We are one Senate, united behind the common purpose of getting New York back on track and creating a government that operates in a more efficient and transparent manner to meet the needs of all New Yorkers," said Senator Smith.

At the meeting, the Democratic Conference solidified its commitment to reform the Senate into a more functional legislative body that allows good ideas to be openly debated by all members.

"Through the appointment of committee chairs with real standing and duties and a comprehensive review of the Senate's rules of procedure, we will restore the Senate's ability to achieve the peoples' agenda," said Senator Smith.

"In the face of the worst fiscal crisis since the Great Depression, the new Democratic Majority will work with the Governor and all of our legislative colleagues to revive the economy through job creation and economic development," said Senator Smith.

And there it is. It's going to be a very interesting session.

I've greatly enjoyed a much needed vacation from regular posting, but posting will be back to normal as of tomorrow morning.

It's put up or shut up time for Dems in Albany. I plan to be all over it. I hope you will be, too.

Stay tuned...

A Deal For The Diva Three?

by: phillip anderson

Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 09:37:46 AM EST

Senate Democrats appeared on the verge of a last-minute deal Monday night that could avoid chaos when lawmakers go back in session Tuesday.

...

One source said that Sen. Carl Kruger, a Brooklyn Democrat and a leader of the rebel Democrats, would become chairman of the powerful Finance Committee, and Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., a Bronx Democrat and another so-called Gang of Three member, would become chairman of the Aging Committee. Bronx Democrat Sen. Pedro Espada Jr., who under a previous deal that fell apart was to become majority leader, would receive an "influential policy position," sources said.

"Espada will come out the most senior and influential Hispanic in state government," one source said of the Bronx Democrat.

Unlike the previously aborted deal, the positions of president pro tempore and majority leader will not be decoupled. Smith (D-Queens) will hold both titles.

Also, Kruger's Finance Committee will not get a separately funded staff, a source said.

Another source said the Gang of Three will get the titles they seek, but will have no power over the legislative agenda.

Will the caucus sign off on this deal after they pretty much revolted after the last one? I suspect that they will. That said, as I've said before, I'd have gone all Michael Corleone on the Diva Three.

My offer is this: nothing.

Also, this proposed deal proves once again that this whole ridiculous charade was always what it looked like. This was never about "empowering Latinos" or any other such thing. This was about extorting the best possible deal for themselves from the rest of the caucus, a caucus they didn't lift a finger to grow. It also shows what many folks suspected for years, namely that Carl Kruger would never pull the trigger and caucus with the GOP, despite the millions of dollars of your money they invested in him over the years. He was happy to take the money, but never had the guts to do what they the Senate GOP thought they were paying for.

More On Deal With "Gang Of Three"

by: robert.harding

Thu Dec 04, 2008 at 17:13:49 PM EST

- The positions of Senate majority leader and president pro tempore, which were both held by former Majority Leader Joe Bruno, have now been bifurcated. Senator-elect Pedro Espada Jr. will be the majority leader while Smith is president pro tempore.

The majority leader post in other legislative bodies in New York, the City Council and the Assembly, for example, is not one with a lot of power. Espada told me he has been assured by Smith that his position will "have absolute substance," and, as a result, "the Latino empowerment issue has been substantially enhanced."

Espada said he will have a "meaningful role" (Nick Confessore reports it's vice chairman) with the Senate Rules Committee, arguably one of the more powerful committees in the chamber and the last stop for all the bills before they go to the floor for a vote. He'll also have a part to play in the next big fight coming down the pike: Redistricting.

- Sen. Carl Kruger will not get the Housing Committee, as some activists like ACORN's Bertha Lewis, had feared, but he will chair a pumped-up Senate Finance Committee. Recall that this was something the Republicans proposed in an effort to woo the Gang of Three to their side. The committee will have an enhanced staff and a fair degree of independence.

- Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. will chair the Aging Committee.

A few things here: Espada got a nice deal. It must be nice to walk into a legislative body and be anointed someone who will wield a certain amount of power. How much exactly remains to be seen. But Espada got a nice deal here.

Naming Kruger to the Senate Finance Committee is interesting, especially considering here in Western New York we were pushing during the campaign that Sen. Bill Stachowski would become the Chairman of the Finance Committee. In fact, Stachowski was the ranking minority member of the committee. Kruger jumped Stachowski, plus two other members of the soon-to-be majority to get the chair. I don't like this deal, considering Stachowski's service in the Senate, and I hope that Stachowski receives some sort of post in return.

Giving Diaz the Aging Committee isn't a huge deal. Diaz was in line to chair that committee anyway considering his ranking minority member status.

There is one other notable part of this deal. According to Liz's report, senators will be seated in alphabetical order instead of by party. Espada argues that this could mean the end to party-line voting, although I'm not sure how much a New York State Senate game of musical chairs matters to how senators vote.

I'm sure there is more to this that we haven't been told yet. But we will see what details come out over the next day or two.  

And Then There Were None - It's Over

by: phillip anderson

Thu Dec 04, 2008 at 16:09:51 PM EST

The leadership battle that has frozen the Senate since Election Day is over, and the three renegade senators known as the Gang of Three have all pledged to support Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith for majority leader in exchange for an agreement that will result in what Sen. Carl Kruger called "significant and historic reform" of how the chamber operates.

...

I called Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., and he confirmed: "It's over. It's a done deal. We agreed."

But what about gay marriage - Diaz's signature issue and the one thing he said he absolutely wouldn't abide coming to the floor?

The senator refused to tell me anything about what kind of deal Smith struck on that (recall that Diaz said he wanted a written pledge that whoever he supported for leader would not bring a bill legalizing same-sex marriage). The only thing he would say was: "I'm comfortable that everything's going to be OK."

Diaz said all three of the gang members, including Senator-elect Pedro Espada Jr., were present at a meeting with Smith that lasted most of the afternoon.

Sorry, Dean. The calvary was never coming. You were never going to pick these folks off. You were never going to become Pedro Espada's Deputy ML.

I'd like to congratulate Senator Smith. He worked his tail off to get this majority and he's been working hard to prepare his caucus for the transition from the minority. And now it is time to deliver.

I both support the Senator and expect big things from him. That said, it's now put up or shut up time. For decades, the NY State Senate has been where reform went to die. There are no more excuses now. The people of this state have waited far too long for the type of leadership on these issues. We deserve better and we expect it, Senator.

Best of luck.  

The New York Rally Against H8 Just Got Out (w/pics!!!)

by: joshingny

Sat Nov 15, 2008 at 18:01:40 PM EST

It should be a no-brainer that all Americans should receive equal rights under the law, yet hate, ignorance and bigotry have prevented us from that from the beginning of our country. Yet as Jon Stewart so eloquently shoved in Bill O'Reilly's face the other night, the side of history is with us. That isn't just in Greenwich Village but every village and every city across our country. This is what progress looked like here in New York City.

Pics on the flip...

What "Gang Of Three" Member Poses The Biggest Threat?

by: robert.harding

Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 12:00:17 PM EST

You can make your arguments for any of the three: Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., Pedro Espada Jr. and Sen. Carl Kruger. While there are compelling arguments to make for Diaz and Espada, my pick is for Sen. Kruger.

Why Kruger? A few reasons. First, it is worth noting that the first paragraph of Kruger's state senate biography reads like this:

Senator Carl Kruger of Brooklyn, a lifelong and staunch independent Democrat, made history in early 2007 when he was appointed Chair of the Senate Committee on Social Services, Children and Families - the first time in the history of the Legislature that a member of the minority conference was named to head a standing committee.

It is also worth mentioning that Kruger, during 2008-09, will receive the highest total of member item money than any other Democrat. Kruger received $850,000, which is more than the $657,000 that Sen. Malcolm Smith received.

Recent history has shown that Kruger has what it takes to get something for his willingness to deal with the Senate Republicans. That committee chair assignment is proof, as is his member item total for 2008-09. Those member item numbers came out in May, so it makes you wonder if the GOP saw the writing on the wall and figured that if it came close as it is now, having some sort of "in" with Kruger would help them. Whether they are successful or not is up to Kruger.

The Drum Major Institute's Middle Class Scorecard from 2001-2005 also gives us an idea of what kind of senator Kruger has been. According to my observations, Kruger received the second-lowest score (69 percent) of all the Senate Democrats in the scorecard.

So here you have Kruger, nowhere near a progressive, and he could be the difference between a 32-30 Democratic majority and a split. While Ruben Diaz Sr. might differ with the Democrats on certain social issues (he is anti-choice and anti-marriage equality), there are other issues he does align himself with the Democrats with. I can't see him leaving solely because of his social issues, but you never know. Espada Jr. is an interesting case too. He hasn't feared working with Republicans, so he could be a threat just as Kruger is. The only problem for Espada Jr. is that he replaced Efrain Gonzalez, who was also known to align himself with the GOP. If Espada Jr. plans on working with the GOP, he won't last more than one term in office. Period.

Then we come back to Kruger. Keep in mind that the other three members of the now-"Gang of Three" were Latinos. The Latino element of the group - Diaz Sr., Espada Jr. and Monserrate - claimed that Latinos lacked representation in the Senate Democratic caucus. Because Sen. Smith decided to create a new Latino caucus, that might be enough to please Diaz Sr. and Espada Jr. It appears that the creation of that caucus (along with a couple other gifts) was enough to get Monserrate on board. I assume the same could work for Diaz Sr. and Espada Jr.

But Kruger isn't Latino, so that won't work with him. The Senate Democrats shouldn't pander to him. If Kruger wants to represent the Democrats in the New York State Senate (as he was elected to do), then he should do that. If he wants to side with the GOP, that's his choice. But it's a choice he will have to live with when 2010 rolls around and, in the spirit of electing Governor David Paterson to his first full term, Democrats in the 27th Senate District will drop Kruger by the wayside.

The ball is in Kruger's court. Either become irrelevant in 2010 or ensure that your political career will be alive by joining the party that you have used to run on since 1994.  

"Gang of Four's" Latest B.S. About Latino Representation

by: Roatti

Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 13:55:04 PM EST

Three of the four holdouts are Latino legislators who feel Latinos have been underrepresented in leadership roles in city and state government and want to press the issue in the Senate.

Mr. Díaz said the four men, who have formed an independent political caucus, may put off making a decision on whom to back for leader until the new legislative session begins in January.

"There's a concern that we have a black president, a black governor and we have a concern that we have to be sharing power," said Mr. Díaz.

Funny how Mr. Diaz didn't have any problems two years ago when we had a white Governor and a white President.  

Additionally, how exactly will a Skelos-led Senate give latinos any power?  I don't believe there is a single latino Republican Senator.  As far as I can tell, every Latino Senator is a Democrat, so if you side with Skelos, you will be keeping the most powerful state latino officials in a powerless minority.  So I suppose this little tantrum isn't really about latino power- it's about your power.  

What's your next excuse?

I'm Going to be Blunt

by: Roatti

Wed Nov 05, 2008 at 18:38:20 PM EST

To these four Senators, Ruben Diaz Sr., Pedro Espada Jr., Carl Kruger, Hiram Monserrate, I have message to you from the Netroots community:

If you do not vote for Malcolm Smith for Senate Majoirty Leader, we will expel you from political office in the 2010 Democratic primaries.    

Look at your colleague Marty Connor as he packs up his office to leave public life.  That will be you in 2 years if dare to stifle the will of the people who elected you.  

Remember Nancy Lorraine Hoffman?  Remember Olga Mendez? 26 years in the Senate for Olga; she switched to being a Republican and she was voted out by an 81-18% margin.  That will be YOU if you make such a foolhardy move.  

And Senator Espada- you yourself already lost an election because you supported the GOP. Are you really that much of an idiot to make the same mistake twice?  

So go ahead, "gang of four"- vote for Skelos.  We dare you.  

Carl Kruger (D/R) Strikes Again

by: phillip anderson

Fri Oct 12, 2007 at 13:26:59 PM EDT

That said, I am intrigued by how this latest "scandal" came to be. It appears that Bruno got another chance to pout and play the victim after someone emailed a draft of the letter to Senator Carl Kruger instead of Senator Liz Krueger. Carl then passed it to Bruno himself.

What's interesting is that both Kruger and Krueger are Democrats, though not all Democrats are created equal, especially not in the New York State Senate.

Surely you remember when Bruno the Republican chose Kruger the Democrat to become chairman of the Senate's Committee on Social Services, Children and Families, right? It certainly raised some eyebrows at the time as Uncle Joe isn't particularly known for his refined sense of bipartisanship. It was good for Kruger as well as the job came with a tidy $12,500 a year bonus.

But then again, Kruger is something of a special Democrat. In fact, he appears to get member item dollars from the Republican majority, a nice $397,000 of it last year alone. in 2002, he told the Village Voice that "his member-item budget has increased as a result of his new alliance with the Republicans, but refused to say how much." Boy, do those Republicans love Carl!

It's pretty obvious that Carl loves them, too. In fact, he loves them so much he became vice chair of Democrats for Pataki, campaigned for Brooklyn Republican Marty Golden and endorsed Rudy Giuliani.

But none of this compares with Kruger's love for Bruno. In the days after Bruno had to publicly admit that he'd been under federal investigation for months without informing anyone, let alone his own constituents, Kruger was there for him.

Kruger, as you may recall, released a statement in support of Bruno after the majority leader revealed late last year that his outside business interests are the subject of an FBI probe. Kruger said questions about Bruno's integrity were "appalling and ironic," given his commitment to "openness and fairness."

I guess it makes sense that Kruger couldn't wait to "defend" Bruno from yet another investigation by a federal entity. Obviously Uncle Joe isn't crooked, he's merely misunderstood.

The again, maybe the immortal Gatemouth was correct when he said:

Don't know why Weiner yelled at Kruger and don't really care; my only objection is that he didn't slug him. Kruger should be buried up to his neck in horse dung, and beaten senseless with a baseball bat three times a day until he comes out of the closet and admits he's a Republican. If the Democrats ever gain control of the Senate, they'd better do it by more than one vote or Kruger will conference with the Republicans, but he won't ever have the cojones to actually change his party enrollment. Karl Kruger; the RuPaul of the Democratic Party. For when ugly, nasty, reactionary and completely lacking in charm aren't enough.

Bipartisan Back Scratching In The Senate

by: joshingny

Thu Mar 01, 2007 at 01:28:35 AM EST

Senator Carl Kruger of Brooklyn was recently appointed to head the Social Service Committee. The position pays Kruger an additional $12,500 a year and affords him the power that a chairman naturally acquires. The question is, why would Joe Bruno appoint a Democrat while the Republicans still hold the majority (albeit a slim one) in the Senate? Let's take a look, shall we?

Crossposted from Joshing Politics