Well that was quick. Less than two days after I post on Liz Krueger's potential primarygeneral any-ballot-lines challenger, Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, the guy up and drops out. Via OurTown:
Cohen released a statement citing professional and personal reasons that prevented him from mounting a successful campaign.
"Giving the people of this district anything less than a fully committed alternative to the status quo would be wrong," he wrote in an e-mail.
Clearly, helping The Donald erect ugly monoliths and do whatever else he does is more important than taking the time out for public service. Krueger's response to the news (via Liz Benjamin) is great:
I called Krueger to break the news. Her initial response: "Oh, dear, and I didn't even get to meet him."
While Liz is definitely one of the good ones and we should be happy this guy's out of the mix, it's sort of a mixed blessing. I was kind of hoping that watching Cohen's campaign would provide us with some insight into the practical ramifications of the real estate industry's supposed plans to team up with the Independence Party to take over the known universe, starting with the state senate. Oh well.
From this week's City Hall News, it seems that Trump lawyer Michael Cohen not only wants to primary State Senator Liz Krueger, but is interested in running against her on the Republican and BloombergReal Estate Independence party lines as well. Wondering: is this what the REBNY/Independence Party project to elect "business-friendly" (read: real-estate friendly!) state senators in the 2010 cycle will look like? And how much of a threat is he against a popular incumbent like Krueger who's taken the right stances against the insanity in Albany? Hard to know, but he doesn't look so special so far...
It's no secret that if Carolyn Maloney decides to primary Senator Gillibrand next year as expected, she'll need to give up running for reelection to her House seat to do so. With the near certainty that Maloney is going to announce, speculation is already buzzing about who will want to replace her.
An article at Roll Call (subscription only, I'm afraid) points out that excluding special elections, this would be the first open-seat House race in Manhattan since 1976, meaning that competition would be fierce and fundraising would be fiercer. The article mentions a laundry list of potential candidates, some of which have already bowed out: a family spokesman today said on behalf of Karenna Gore Schiff, the eldest daughter of former Vice President Al Gore, that Schiff was not interested in possibly running. Schiff's only previous political experience was as Youth Outreach Chair for her father's 2000 Presidential campaign.
One of the other potential candidates, one widely talked about by the party base, is current State Senator Liz Krueger. Popular with the activists and netroots for her steadfast support of gay marriage (something Rep. Maloney hasn't supported) and transparency reform in the State Senate, Krueger is speculated to be able to partially self-finance, although to what extent is unclear.
Krueger would have somewhat of an uphill battle within the party machine, since she's known to be on less than entirely fond terms with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver... which knowing Silver could only further endear her to the netroots.
The Roll Call article goes on to present a laundry list of potential candidates out of the Assembly, State Senate, city council, and elsewhere. One thing is for sure, when and if Maloney runs there's going to be no shortage of people looking to represent her district.
(It's the longest of long shots and I'd hate lose Liz in the state Senate now that we've finally taken the majority, but I do think that she'd be an awesome US Senator. - promoted by phillip anderson)
The jostling among New York State's political heavy weights is underway to replace Hillary Clinton. New York State governor David Paterson has opted not to select himself. Instead names ranging from Brooklyn Congresswoman Nydia Vasquez (my district) to Suffolk County Executive Thomas Suozzi are mentioned. There is also Westchester Congresswoman Nita Lowrey who stepped aside eight years ago to allow Hillary Clinton a clear path to the Senate.
Joe Bruno and his gang in the Senate rarely meet a dumb idea that they fail to embrace. The concept of a useless and potentially harmful gas tax "holiday" was apparently too dumb and too ridiculously gimmicky for them to ignore. Liz Krueger knows better and calls out this foolishness in an emailed press release:
Senator Krueger Speaks Out Against Gas Tax Bill Says Gas Tax "Holiday" is a Vacation from Real Solutions
Senator Krueger today criticized Senate Republicans for passing S.7594-B which would create a gas tax "holiday" from Memorial Day to Labor Day. "I voted against this legislation because it is bad fiscal and environmental policy that will only result in windfall profits for oil companies and no real relief for consumers," said Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan).
"My colleagues and I understand New Yorkers have been hit hard by rising fuel costs," said Senator Krueger. "However, we must not act foolishly by passing this gimmicky measure. We need to adopt policies that will create long-term solutions to the growing energy crisis facing our state and decrease our dependence on foreign oil."
S.7594-B, introduced by Senator Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island), would exempt gasoline and diesel from the State's excise tax, Sales Tax, and Petroleum Business Tax, from May 23, 2008 to September 2, 2008. These taxes are currently used to provide funds for highways, roads, bridges, and mass transit. By suspending the taxes the Senate Republicans will create an estimated $600 million budget gap for these necessary services.
"This bill is obviously meant to prey on the desperate need for relief of New York's suffering drivers," said Senator Liz Krueger. "In reality this bill will only worsen the economic crisis in New York, and at best result in little to none of the intended aid. Increased demand will lead to higher prices and negate any positive effect the gas tax holiday was meant to have."
One of the biggest problems with S.7594-B is that it will not even ensure that the tax savings will be passed along to the consumer. The gas tax suspension will happen at the distribution level and there is no way to guarantee that prices will reflect this suspension when the consumer goes to buy their gas from a local retailer. Prices can be inflated at any point in the chain of fuel distribution, which goes from manufacturer, to supplier, to wholesaler, to distributor, and finally to the retail seller.
"There is currently no way to guarantee that the savings from a gas tax holiday will be passed on to the consumer," stated Senator Krueger. "Can we really afford to rely on the good will of the oil industry?"
It's a terrible idea in so many ways, yet Senate Dems did offer a number of amendments to try dilute the dumb.
Initiating a middle income gas and diesel fuel tax rebate program, which will give a $100 tax rebate to all New Yorkers, who earn $75,000 or less, that live in and have a vehicle registered in New York.
Implementing a long-term solution to our dependence on foreign oil by increasing energy conservation and shifting New York to the use of renewable energy sources.
Instituting criminal penalties for price gouging and increasing fines of offenders to $25,000.
Reducing the gas consumption by the State's motor vehicle fleet through the creation of a State workforce fuel reduction and conservation program.
Creating a task force to monitor gas pricing systems across the State.
As just about anyone could have predicted, every single one of these amendments failed.
Perhaps no politician, other than Eliot Spitzer himself, has been associated with the cause of promoting ethics reform and transparency in Albany than New York State Senator Liz Krueger. It's hard to believe that early last year I interviewed Senator Krueger when our hopes were so high during the early days of Governor Spitzer's administration. The tragic demise of Governor Spitzer's political career means that change agents such as Senator Liz Krueger are more important than ever today.
Today, I received an email from her office issuing the following statement:
One of my favorite state Senators is hosting a forum on climate change tonight in NYC and I'll be there to cover the event. She'll be joined by new DEC chief Pete Grannis, Comptroller DiNapoli and singer/songwriter Kathy Mattea who will be presenting Al Gore's "An Incovenient Truth" slideshow. From the press release:
State Senator Liz Krueger, Environmental Advocates of New York, and St. Bartholomew's Church tomorrow, October 23rd, will host a large-scale NYC event aimed at fighting the climate crisis. The event will feature Grammy winning recording artist and 2-time Country Music Association Female (CMA) Vocalist of the Year Kathy Mattea, Commissioner Pete Grannis of the State Department of Environment Conservation (DEC), and NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
Mattea will present former Vice President Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth slideshow. Her presentation will be followed by a discussion about what New York is doing to fight global warming, including the new Climate Control Office within the DEC, led by Commissioner Grannis and Comptroller DiNapoli.
Due to New York City's regional population and business density, as well as our geographic vulnerability to the impacts of global warming, New York plays a key role in the future of the debate. The event is free and open to the public.
Manhattan State Senator Liz Krueger has posted a fantastic piece on the sub prime lending debacle over at Daily Gotham. It's a great post and definitely well worth reading the whole thing. Here's a taste:
We have all seen the ads: "No money? No Credit? No problem!" It is this type of irresponsible misinformation to consumers that has contributed to the sub-prime mortgage crisis facing New York, and gripping the country. Impacts of the sub-prime mortgage crisis are reverberating throughout the entire economy. As we saw with the savings and loan crisis of the late 1980s, irresponsible and overly risky behavior on the part of financial institutions has the potential to undermine major sectors of the economy, affecting everyone. And as with the savings and loan crisis, much of the focus has been placed on bailing out the companies who made unwise investments. It is critical to remember that the victims in this sad situation are not the financial institutions, or even the broader community of investors in these companies, but the homeowners who were literally manipulated into taking loans they could not afford, many of whom have already lost their homes. The impact of foreclosures goes beyond the individual, destabilizing entire communities.
The truth is, we are talking about people who wanted the "American dream." They wanted to buy a house—to have a stable home for themselves and their families, and improve their communities. But there have been too many disingenuous, predatory lenders out there who have not been following the rules of the game, and who have been manipulating information in order to get people to sign on the dotted line for mortgages they can't afford.
Congestion Pricing passed both chambers of the legislature today by comfortable margins. (122-16 in the Assembly and 39-19 in the Senate) There were a few surprise votes as well. Caesar Trunzo (R-Florida) voted for the measure, for example. The nos in the Senate were:
State Senator Liz Krueger who, oddly enough, absent from the vote today (Duh, it was Carl Kruger playing hooky.), is pleased but wants some answers:
"Today's legislative passage of a congestion pricing bill is very good news for the City of New York. My district encompasses much of the proposed pricing zone, and the need to cut the number of vehicles on the streets is clear. Congestion is much more than just an annoyance for drivers—it has far-reaching negative consequences to New Yorkers' health and quality of life.
In my district, for a significant part of the day, senior citizens, the mobility-impaired, and families with young children do not feel safe crossing the street because of gridlock with traffic "blocking the box" at every corner. In addition, ambulances, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles have great difficulty getting to those who need their immediate help.
A plan to mitigate congestion in the City's core has the potential to fundamentally change the transportation practices of the entire region. The commission we have created will ensure that the plan ultimately implemented is comprehensive and allows for maximum results. And a very important part of this plan is allowing the proposal to be first approved by the City Council, the local legislative body, meaning that those who are actually affected by our transportation infrastructure have a direct oversight role.
However, the devil is in the details, and there are a number of pieces left to work out. In the coming months, I expect answers related to:
· Implementing a long-term strategy that increases access to, and the reliability of, regional mass transit options, including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), the 2nd Avenue Subway, and expansion of alternatives to private-vehicles into and out of the City;
· Resolving serious concerns about the potential traffic and parking impacts on communities in and around the designated zone;
· Ensuring that concerns related to the use of cameras as a means to enforce a congestion zone are sufficiently addressed, and civil liberties protected; and
· Re-evaluating the City's flawed parking permit system for government workers and reducing the number of unnecessary vehicles through the confiscation of non-justifiable and fake permits."
I want those answers as well.
Congratulations, Mr. Mayor. You've got your congestion pricing plan. Can you make it work?
State Senator Liz Krueger will be on Your World with Neil Cavuto this afternoon to discuss subprime lending foreclosures. If you can stomach FAUX and the truly odious Neil Cavuto for a few minutes, do tune in.
It's only July of 2007, but that isn't stopping the increasingly narrow and endangered GOP Senate majority from going on the offensive in an effort to save their skins. They are launching a new website lambasting the Senate Dems and claim to be targeting at least ten seats held by Democratic incumbents. It sounds to me like a pretty tall order for a party in serious decline statewide, but Uncle Joe does have a pretty impressive fundraising machine. Of course, this is exactly why Bruno has been so hostile to campaign finance reform. Milking the crap out of the status quo is the only hope he's got to preserve his majority. Danny Hakim has the scoop:
Republicans are preparing an unusually public political counterattack in the face of Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s designs on retaking the State Senate for the first time in more than four decades.
As part of that, they have set up a new Web site, www.nyinjeopardy.com, which cheekily lambastes 10 of the 29 Senate Democrats whom Republican strategists see as particularly vulnerable in next year’s election. The Republicans plan to make the 10 Democrats the focus of a media and advertising campaign in the coming weeks.
...
Among the senators considered vulnerable to challenge is Craig M. Johnson, the Nassau County Democrat who won a bitter special election this year, a blow to one of the Republicans’ most reliable strongholds, where all nine Long Island seats had long been Republican. Another is Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who defeated Nicholas Spano last year in another closely watched race; both Hillary and Bill Clinton appeared at a fund-raiser for Ms. Stewart-Cousins late in the campaign.
Other Democrats on the list include Jeffrey D. Klein of the Bronx, Toby Ann Stavisky of Queens, Suzi Oppenheimer of Westchester, David J. Valesky of Syracuse, John D. Sabini of Queens, Kevin S. Parker of Brooklyn, Diane J. Savino of Brooklyn and Liz Krueger of Manhattan.
...
On Tuesday, Senate Republicans reported nearly $2.6 million in donations to their central campaign accounts, compared with roughly $626,000 for Senate Democrats. Donors included Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who gave $100,000 in February, and a wide range of interests who see Mr. Bruno as a counterweight to the increasing Democratic dominance of New York.
The article quotes Matthew Walter, a spokesman for the NYRSC, as saying, “The goal is to be aggressive and to ensure that the people within these Senate districts know where exactly their representatives stand."
I'm more than fine with that. In fact, we are working on something that will hopefully do exactly that.
Regardless, I think the fact that they are starting as early and aggressively as they are shows a couple of things pretty clearly.
1. They're scared. They know that this is an existential fight for them.
2. They aren't going down without a hell of a fight. The battle for the state Senate will be epic.
State Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) is calling out my dear friend Joe Bruno for not bringing a number of "Super Bills" on the environment that have widespread support in both parties to the floor for a full debate and vote. Many of these bills have languished for years despite both public and legislative support. Liz lays down the law at Room 8:
Another legislative session will come to an end in just over a week, and it is looking like there is a lot that will remain undone. One of the biggest concerns amongst these is the complete lack of movement on the environmental Super Bills.
The most frustrating aspect of the Super Bills not passing, is that they are not even brought to the Senate floor for a debate or full vote.
The Super Bills are The Community Preservation Act (S.3836), The Wetlands Bill (S.3835), The Bigger Better Bottle Bill (S.3434), The Climate Change Solutions Act and Fund (S.5347 & S.5371). And they are all sponsored by Republicans!
The Super Bills help underscore the serious problem the Senate has under current legislative rules: the Majority Leader (in this case, Senator Joe Bruno) has unilateral control over what legislation comes to the floor, and he has allowed these environmental bills to languish in the Environmental Conservation committee -- most for numerous legislative sessions.
Experts and advocates have made strong, sound, and convincing arguments for why each of these pieces of legislation should be passed; the Assembly has repeatedly supported the Super Bills; and yet, one man, Senator Joe Bruno, is stonewalling efforts to protect our State's environment.
...
Not only are these Republican sponsored bills not moving anywhere, but Democratic Senators continue to be denied the opportunity to co-sponsor any of them.
In fact, I along with most of my Senate Democratic colleagues, have filed official requests (known as buckslips) to cosponsor the Super Bills. But our requests have been ignored. Senator Bruno does this, in part, to weaken the appearance of support for pieces of legislation that he knows should be passed.
Testify, Senator!
I post this just in case you need yet another reminder of why Uncle Joe has got to go.
Yesterday I posted about Senator Liz Krueger's Stem Cell bill and her effort to finally get it out of committee. Today she moved to have the full state Senate consider that bill after many years in committee. Wanna guess what happened? I'll let Senator Krueger tell you. I just received this press release via email:
KRUEGER MOVES TO BRING STEM CELL LEGISLATION TO A FULL SENATE VOTE
Republican Majority Unanimously Opposes Debate on Bill, Despite Support for Stem Cell Funding in Recent Budget; Krueger Bill Would Set Research Standards & Oversight
In an effort to bring her bill to the floor of the Senate for debate and a full Senate vote, Krueger today filed a Motion to Petition to circumvent Majority Leader Joe Bruno's unilateral control over what bills make it out of committee and to the floor. The Republican majority unanimously opposed her motion, again leaving the bill stalled in committee where it has been for many years.
"It's downright irresponsible that for years now the Republicans have refused to set up standards for stem cell research," Krueger declared. "Now that we have approved a State budget that includes $100 million for this research-$600 million over the next 11 years-it is beyond troubling that they still won't allow debate on the parameters for how these funds are to be used. This is indicative of a larger problem up here in Albany: throwing money around without taking the time to develop protocols to ensure the money is spent appropriately."
The Act would define stem cell research, as well as establish an ethical policy framework, complete with an oversight board, to ensure that proper procedures are followed. The bill would address ethical issues by banning reproductive human cloning, with criminal penalties for violators, and would protect individuals by requiring the clear and informed consent of donors by creating a mechanism for the transfer of unused genetic material to scientific institutions.
...
"New Yorkers overwhelmingly support advancing the cause of science because of the potential opportunities still undiscovered. With the Governor's commitment to funding, it is critical that the Senate Republicans not abdicate the legislature's responsibility in ensuring that stem cell research is conducted under careful scrutiny, in an ethically-responsible and scientifically-reviewed environment," Krueger concluded.
What exactly is so offensive for the Senate Republicans about this bill? Is it really just a petty display of power for them?
It's ridiculous that the states are even contemplating having to fill the gap created by our wingnut President and his coterie of rabidly anti-science nutjobs but, given the promise held by such vital research, they have no choice. Though both the US House and Senate have passed new stem cell legislation, King George II has promised to veto in an effort to appease the only folks left in the country who still support him.
The recently passed New York state budget does provide funding for stem cell research, but it provides very little guidance as to how that money should be spent. Senator Liz Krueger has had a bill regarding this issue stuck in committee for years. Tomorrow she'll be trying to move it yet again.
I just received this via email:
Tomorrow, (Wednesday, April 18) during the 11 am Senate Session, I will attempt to move my bill authorizing Stem Cell Research (S.1257) to the floor for a debate and vote. This bill has been stuck in committee for several years.
Nine other states have already acted. An estimated 128 Million Americans suffer from chronic, degenerative and acute diseases such as Diabetes, Cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Our best scientists believe that cures may evolve from embryonic stem cell research.
New York's new budget, voted for by both parties, provides financing for stem cell research - $600 million over 11 years. Yet, we have no legal guidelines for what is and is not permitted in our State.
Senate Bill 1257 authorizes the conduct of stem cell research in New York State, requires informed consent for research purposes, and prohibits human reproductive cloning. This bill also addresses the numerous ethical and policy concerns that have been raised regarding the use of embryonic stem cells for medical research.
Any bets on how many of my Republican colleagues will vote in support of allowing a debate on this important legislation?
What is your state Senator's position on stem cell research?
State Senator Liz Krueger just sent out a press release blasting "borrow and spend Senate Republicans" for the fiscal shenanigans they are attempting to play with the state's budget. It's brutal and spot on. Some highlights:
BORROW-AND-SPEND SENATE REPUBLICANS APPROVE NEARLY $5-BILLION IN TAX CUTS & BUDGET INCREASES WHILE OPPOSING HEALTHCARE RESTRUCTURING
Albany-State Senator Liz Krueger today criticized Senate Republicans for approving $3.3-billion in new tax cuts, $1-billion in increased spending, leaving $500-million in tax loopholes open, and rejecting the Governor's healthcare budget proposals. Just moments before approving these unsustainable increases, the Republican majority unanimously opposed Governor Spitzer's initiatives to restructure our broken healthcare system in order to move to a more cost-effective model of prevention, primary, and community-based care.
The Republican increases throw money at a broken system without enacting restructuring to alleviate the financial burden that the State has placed on local government to cover ballooning Medicaid costs. These local communities, saddled with Medicaid costs, must often increase property taxes in order to meet their healthcare obligations.
"They are trying to pretend that they are not increasing the budget, but the numbers don't lie, they do," Krueger declared. "There is no logic in their spending and if you follow the numbers you will find there is no logic in their arguments. There is also no plan for how we will account for $4.5-billion in new spending and lost revenue, and there is no initiative to re-evaluate how we are currently spending the taxpayer's money. That is the very definition of fiscal irresponsibility."
"Joe Bruno has turned his caucus into the borrow-and-spend caucus," she said
Three-decade incumbent Republican Roy Goodman represented the 26th Senate District of New York. He was a "Rockefeller" Republican and symbol of Albany's unchanging status quo. Goodman had delivered for this district covering Manhattan's east side and midtown. He appeared invulnerable and his continued success helped the GOP maintain their Senate majority for decades.
I forgot to write about this earlier. It's a very busy day here at TAP. DFNYC is sponsoring a very interesting forum tonight about the NY State Senate. I'll be there and I hope to bring back some video of the discussions. If you are in NYC, come on down!
Please join Democracy for NYC, ACTNOW NY, and Manhattan Young Democrats TONIGHT as we host "A Look Back...A Look Forward" - a forum on the quest to take back the New York State Senate in 2008 for the Democratic Party and the issue of Albany reform.
The event, which will be open to the general public and the media, will be held at Via Lounge, 16 West 21st Street in Manhattan from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM on Thursday February 15. The actual forum will take place from 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM with time allocated before and afterwards for socializing, mingling and conversation. There will be a cash bar and cash menu available throughout the evening.
Special guests at the forum will be State Senators Liz Krueger and Eric Schneiderman, who will be fielding questions and suggestions from the audience. The results of the Feb. 6 special election to fill Michael Balboni's state senate seat on Long Island will also be discussed. There will be no charge to attend the event. It promises to be an informative and entertaining evening.
Senator Liz Kreuger has just released a statement questioning the sincerity of state Senate candidate Maureen O'Connell's evolving stance on stem cell research. It's definitely worth a read.
STATEMENT BY STATE SENATOR LIZ KRUEGER ON REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE MAUREEN O'CONNELL'S SHIFTING STEM CELL RESEARCH STANCE
It was reported today that Maureen O'Connell, Republican Leader Joe Bruno's candidate to fill the Senate vacancy left by former Senator Michael Balboni, said efforts to fund a $1 billion stem-cell research plan do not "go far enough." Her statement implies that she fully supports the medical promise of stem-cell research.
Maureen O'Connell speaks a good game come campaign time, but she does not have the record to back up her rhetoric.
In 2004, then-Assemblywoman O'Connell sponsored legislation (A10256) that would have banned medical procedures necessary to conduct stem-cell research. In 2003 and again in 2004, she voted against the "Reproductive Cloning Prohibition and Research Protection Act." While serving on the Assembly Health Committee, O'Connell voted against A6300, which would have established a state-funded institute for stem cell research in New York State.
As the lead sponsor of legislation that would advance stem-cell research in our State (S433B), I find it disheartening that Maureen O'Connell is actively misleading the voters of the 7th Senate District. Despite being a registered nurse, O'Connell voted against legislation that is medically accurate, ethically sound, and economically wise.
In a fine piece of political theater absolutely nothing changed in the New York Senate this evening.
Liz Benjamin reports at the Capital Confidential that the Democratic Minority boxed Joe Bruno, Dean Skelos, and the Republican Majority into a corner they couldn't figure out how to get out of.
Apparently recent rumors of a Republican Rules Reform package were greatly exaggerated. In the end the Republicans re-adopted the old broken rules from last year.
What happened in-between was a fine piece of political maneuvering indeed.
One of my favorite state Senators is hosting a forum on climate change tonight in NYC and I'll be there to cover the event. She'll be joined by new DEC chief Pete Grannis, Comptroller DiNapoli and singer/songwriter Kathy Mattea who will be presenting Al Gore's "An Incovenient Truth" slideshow. From the press release:
