I'm Terry Gipson and I'm running for the New York State Senate in the Hudson Valley. At the moment, Rhinebeck, where I live, is in the 41st District, just so you can get your bearings. Who knows what the redistricting map will eventually look like... and that's really the subject of this diary. It's my first here at The Albany Project, but, rest assured, it won't be my last.
I've actually been very busy these last seven months. I've been traveling all around Dutchess and Columbia counties listening to voters' concerns. They aren't happy, and this campaign will be about protecting the middle class from the constant assault from the power elite in our state government. I was talking about the 99% long before that phrase reached the headlines...and I'm sure glad that it has.
I hope you will take a minute to check out my web site to find out more about me and the campaign. First, I want to share with you an article of mine that was printed in the Hudson Valley News about my testimony before the LATFOR committee hearing on Long Island.
I'd also like to hear from you, so drop me a line and let me know what's on your mind and how the people can finally occupy our state government in Albany.
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The Game is Rigged
GUEST COLUMN
by TERRY GIPSON
Recently I testified at a hearing of The New York Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment, also known as LATFOR. This task force is supposed to produce new district maps for all U.S. Congressional, NYS Senate and NYS Assembly Districts in New York. Our United States Constitution requires that all states do this every ten years in conjunction with new U.S. Census results.
LATFOR is composed of State Senators and Assembly Members, which is the equivalent of putting the wolf in charge of the hen house. The very idea that elected officials should have the opportunity to draw their own district lines works against the democratic principles that they are elected to uphold.
LATFOR is one of the most effective incumbent protection programs in this country. It has been around since the 70's and I would encourage everyone to visit the Senate and Assembly websites to see how many officials have been in Albany since the 70's, 80's and 90's. I know we like to think that this is a result of their hard work and diligence. The truth, however, is that this occurs more often than not because districts are drawn to favor incumbents, special interests, and the reigning majority in both houses. This will not change until we remove politics from the process - and LATFOR is politics at its most political.
We need redistricting that is fair, transparent, and independent. During the last election cycle, it looked like we might be headed in that direction when many Legislative members signed the New York Uprising Pledge. This pledge promised support for the creation of an independent, non-partisan Redistricting Commission and the entire Republican Senate block, signed it. But that was as far as they were willing to go.
In a cynical move last session, the Republican Senate majority turned their backs on the pledge and broke their promise. This includes Mid-Hudson region Senators Saland, Larkin, Seward and Ball. As a "cover", they created the concept that fair redistricting requires a constitutional amendment. They proposed a constitutional amendment "redistricting bill", knowing full well that amendments require action by two successive legislatures and a public referendum. They did this knowing that it would delay any redistricting until at least 2022, and there would be no guarantee that those future legislative bodies would even take the necessary action to approve the amendment and set a public referendum.
In other words, the reigning Senate majority came up with an idea that would make fair redistricting impossible. They quickly put that idea into a bill and passed it. In doing so, they blew a historic opportunity to show America that New York is above all the partisanship that has paralyzed this country, and LATFOR is now in the process of doing their partisan business as usual. It is completely unfair to every voter in this state.
I, for one, refuse to stand by for another minute and let our democracy be held in jeopardy by a process that routinely allows our State Legislators to select their voters instead of the voters selecting them. It is exactly this type of self-serving behavior that has inspired me to take on the enormous challenge of running for the State Senate myself. My goal is to help finally end this type of political gamesmanship.
Hopefully my actions will influence others across the state to not wait another minute to campaign for office against entrenched career politicians at both the state and federal level. "Waiting" is exactly what they hope we will do, and this partisan redistricting process is just another wall incumbents have created to protect themselves.
There is an important state and federal election just 13 months ahead. Every day that goes by without new and fairly drawn district maps increases the weighted chance of an incumbent's re-election. Just imagine how difficult it is to get to know one's constituents and raise the necessary funds without knowing where the district lines are or when the primary will take place.
LATFOR is not only engaging in partisan gerrymandering, they are also discouraging many highly qualified candidates from running for office - for both parties. New York deserves to be represented by the best and brightest among us. We deserve a non-partisan process that encourages all citizens to come out and take part in their government. If LATFOR represents the best we have to offer, then it is a sad day indeed for all New Yorkers.
During my testimony, I asked that they halt the LATFOR proceedings immediately and go back to Albany to pass the independent redistricting legislation that was promised to the people of New York last year. "Stand up for democracy", I said. "Tell your respective leaders what all New Yorkers already know: This game is rigged! Tell them you refuse to take part in this embarrassing process any longer. Wouldn't you rather be remembered as those who took part in a historic movement to make New York a shining example of democracy?"
I know that I would, and for the sake of our great state, I hope that LATFOR will return our state government to its rightful owners, the people of New York.
If you have some time, there is a segment from this year's Netroots conference, called Primaries Matter worth watching. I have advocated, over the objections of several others here, that primaries matter. Right now the state senate primaries matter most. (See video on the flip)
As Markos points out in the video, the only way we are going to get better government, which reflects progressive values, at any level of government, is to have MORE and BETTER Democrats. This has been the goal in this year's NYS Senate campaign since we first opened the discussion at last year's Netroots meeting.
We will get more Democrats this November, but for the next seven weeks (September 14), grassroots and progressive activists should focus their energies on the primary races. These primaries will not get us more Democrats in the state senate, but we can get some better ones. Referencing BingChester's Ranker #2, the three in the top eleven are Gustavo Rivera, Charlie Ramos and Lynn Nunes. Yes, there are a few other primaries, but these are the three which will make the difference.
I applaud the New York State Democratic Party for taking measures to remove Senator Pedro Espada from its ranks. The details of Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's investigation and his subsiquent filing of a civil suit claiming that Espada and his company, Soundview Healthcare Network, set up a scam to defraud unemployed workers, is exactly the kind of corrupt behavior we need to root out and end in Albany.
I understand that a court of law hasn't heard the case or rendered judgement and that, sadly, will mean that Senator Espada can keep his position in the legislature. But his behavior in this matter, combined with his proven violations of election law filing proceedures, have obviously led the Democratic Party of New York to reach its decision. I support the Party's decision and as Senator, I will work from the moment I'm sworn in, to change the way the legislature does business; from ethics/disclosure reform to campaign finance reform to redistricting reform. There is no room for unethical behavior on the part of our elected officials from any political party, and I will do everything I can to return the trust of the people to it's governmental institutions.
How many solicitations for donations to a federal race have you received in the past few days? The New York State deadline may be more important to your daily life. (The filing date is 7/15, but the cut-off date is 7/11.)
In many ways, our task of electing a better state senate is more important than the federal races. We can't afford to keep the current bunch of turkeys around next year.
You need to dig deep and give your political dollars to New York State Senate candidates:
Just some of the issues for the state legislature:
Frakking, or how to avoid a Gulf of Mexico type disaster in the Catskills and Southern Tier
Property Taxes Something has got to give, it should be fair
Marriage Equality and a host of other issues that need to be addressed - better - for the LGBT community
Mass Transit Do you go to work? How do you get there
Public Education How much will it cost? Whose taxes will pay for Education?
Housing Rent Stabilization that works. Foreclosure reform.
These are State issues, not federal issues. To have your voice heard on these issues we must have a responsive and effective state government.
Our campaign for the NY State Senate has just entered its fourth week and everywhere I go the buzz is building and people tell me how excited they are to talk to a citizen candidate with fresh ideas.
Last week we held our first Live Blog -- an Online Town Meeting on The Albany Project: Good questions and great fun.You can read the whole conversation here. Thanks again to TAP for hosting!
I love collaborations so I was delighted to be part of a conference on cultural tourism hosted by Dutchess County Tourism & the Dutchess County Arts Council earlier this week. Arts, history and tourism are huge economic drivers for our region. By thinking creatively we have a real opportunity to both build our local economy in a sustainable way and create new jobs in the building trades, hospitality, food services, arts and on and on. Kudos to Mary Kay Vrba and Benjamin Krevolin for spearheading this great brainstorming opportunity and to Lydia Higginson for her gracious organizing skills.
The very next day, Mary Kay, Lydia and Dutchess County Tourism hosted a Welcome Reception for Walkway Over the Hudson's new Executive Director Elizabeth Waldstein Hart. It was held at the delightful new Poughkeepsie eatery Cafe Bocca on Mt. Carmel Street in the shadow of the Walkway -- and the foods prepared by Erik Morabito, a fan of supporting local farms were yummy.
In my own continuing commitment to our local farmers, Friday I will participate in the Buy Local Agricultural Conference hosted by Congressman Scott Murphy in Lagrangeville's Tymor Park. I look forward to strategizing with small business owners, farmers, consumers and others to explore the best way to build this essential economic engine.
My grassroots campaign is all about talking directly to the voters and bringing your voices to Albany. Thanks to Dutchess County Legislator Jim Doxsey for introducing me to his constituents in the Fairview section of the Town of Poughkeepsie Saturday.
On Saturday, May 1, please join us for canvassing in the city of Hudson in Columbia County. Meet us at 12:30 pm @ Parlour Coffee House, 742 Warren St in Hudson to get your walk lists. By the way, Parlour's comfy chairs and sofas are a favorite gathering place with an excellent selection of coffees and teas!
I'd like to welcome everyone to this evening's live blogging event with the Democratic candidate for NYS Senate in the 41st District, Didi Barrett.
Didi is here to answer your questions and probably ask a few herself. Let's have a great conversation and don't be shy. Hop in and enjoy the back and forth.
The 41st District is my district and I am very pleased to see a strong candidate step forward to take on Steve Saland, who has been part of the problem for over 30 years.
But Didi will need our help. With that in mind, we are taking this opportunity to begin an Albany Project blograising event. We have set a goal of 100 donors over the next week. Any amount, large or small, will be appreciated. If you like what you hear tonight, please donate and tell your friends about Didi.
I have asked her to send along an intro for tonight's event:
Hello New York Netroots!!
My name is Didi Barrett and I'm running for New York State Senate. I am excited to participate in my first Live Blog Town Hall
I want to thank The Albany Project for this opportunity and am looking forward to a great converstation.
I'm guessing that since you read this blog, you have had enough of the Albany antics.
Enough scandals.
Enough blaming the other side of the aisle.
Enough decisions behind closed doors.
Enough of the craziness that has come to characterize our state government!
But it would be equally crazy for us to expect that the politicians, who got us into this mess, can lead us out.
Albany needs fresh faces and new ideas.
I'm not a politician; I am a citizen candidate who is stepping up to the plate to be part of the solution. Simply put: I believe in open, ethical government that serves the people.
The 41st District, in the Hudson Valley, encompasses most of Dutchess and all of Columbia counties. These are hard times for the people in the Hudson Valley, as well as the rest of what we once proudly called The Empire State. Fifteen thousand of our neighbors right here are out of work and several longtime economic pillars have either closed or shipped more jobs overseas.
Until we fundamentally change the way business is done in Albany we will not be able to turn our economy around. We cannot truly help Main Street until we fix State Street.
I strongly believe that a country founded on the principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness should not deny anyone the right to marry the partner of their choice. I would advocate for the passage of a bill in New York State that guarantees Marriage Equality to everyone. And while I'm on the subject of human rights, I am unequivocally Pro Choice.
I am running for the New York Senate because Albany needs creative thinkers and new ideas. With more than 20 years as a leader in the not for profit community I am an experienced problem solver and outside the box thinker.
I'm not afraid to make tough decisions and forge coalitions. Most of all, I am not afraid to challenge the dysfunctional status quo of state government. I will not sit idly by as our families are overtaxed and underserved, while corruption, inertia and indifference plague Albany.
This is our moment in time. We are ready for a New York State Government that works for us, the people, not the politicians. We can win this race. Let's do it!!
Back in 2006, I ran for the NYS Senate in the 41st District which includes a little more than half of Dutchess and all of Columbia County.
That race was an amazing educational experience for me about politics and campaigns, but most of all, it also gave me a keen insight into what kind of district this is. I met thousands of people in my travels and learned things about our communities that were both surprising and humbling. Although I lost that race, some good came from the experience because the day after the election, Phillip Anderson and I created The Albany Project in my home in the Hudson Valley.
I say all of this as background to talk about what is happening this year in the 41st District.
In short, I am endorsing a terrific candidate who has what it takes to win this year...and serve the Hudson Valley for many years to come. I am endorsing Didi Barrett for the State Senate and I am asking you to do the same.
I have met with her on a number of occasions and find her to be exactly what this district needs to finally have real representation in Albany. Her experience in the non-profit world, her knowledge of the area and her passion to serve will carry her far in the Fall.
But you will have a chance to get to know her and ask her some questions yourself.
Next Wednesday, April 21st from 7:00-7:45 PM, Didi will be taking your questions during a live blogging event here at The Albany Project. We have had some pretty great sessions in the past and I encourage to get to know Didi and get ready to be impressed.
Mark it in your calendar and join us next Wednesday. You won't be sorry.
It seems in tough times, when no one thinks the folks now in the Senate are doing a great job, incumbents are having trouble raising campaign cash.
"They are relentless in their calling lobbyists this year, mainly the Democrats in the Senate, and it's unbelievable," a prominent lobbyist with strong Democratic ties told The Post yesterday.
"None of us has ever seen anything like it."
A lobbyist with strong GOP connections said legislators "are all crazed because they're scared of running this year and not having the funds they think they need to do it."
Via Liz, here's a direct quote from Senator Eric Adams that supports the exact point that RebootNY is making about the State Senate.
"I have a news flash: I don't know many elected officials that don't have a credibility problem. And if that becomes a criteria on who can sit in office and who can't, than we're in trouble."
Well, Eric, I have a news flash: Credibility SHOULD be a criteria of who can sit in office and who can't...so what does that mean about office holders? They should be removed?
RebootNY has launched its website! There are several cool things to check out. Perhaps best of all is our senate district map.
But where are all the challengers? (Check out SD-1.) Well if you are a challenger, campaign committee, exploratory committee, drop us a line. Lets us know something about the challenger and how to contact him or her. The idea is to clean up the house that is called the New York State Senate, but it won't happen without good challengers.
Our map is really great fun. There is a ton of information. Like why do we have a 13 year Republican incumbent in a district with a 19% Democratic enrollment advantage? Can you find which district it is?
File under: Absolutely Hilarious and Incredibly Accurate Unintended Irony on the Part of Facebook.
It seems that the folks at the automatic responder department of Facebook know their politics. The photo on the left is a screenshot from Facebook. The photo is of a page titled, "Nys MajorityLeader." I kid you not. That's the title. Nice start.
Obviously someone from the Nys MajorityLeader's office set this up to gather support for everyone's favorite Monserrate protector, Pedro Espada.
Setting aside the actual lack of Facebook understanding on the part of the administrator of the page, how about that photo? Instills a quiet confidence that the Nys Majority is in good hands.
The Facebook irony comes in if, while not signed in on Facebook, you do a search for NYS Senate Majority Leader, you get the results on the left.
To see the entire page, make sure you are logged out of Facebook and go HERE.
The irony is that Facebook is asking the exactly correct questions.
The Senate is getting a dose of sunshine - Sen. Eric Schneiderman, talking on the Fred Dicker show, mentioned that the transcripts behind yesterday's report on Hiram Monserrate will soon be posted on-line.
More of that, and, who knows, maybe we'll actually get some good government.
...and it seems that Steve Pigeon and Tom Golisano are behind this one as well.
Must read from the Buffalo Pundit on all the details. In a nutshell, but read Alan's entire post:
...Tim Kennedy approached Democratic HQ to ask to run against Stachowski. Lenihan reportedly told Kennedy that he was going to stick with Stachowski and let him decide when he wanted to stop going to Albany. Kennedy then turned to Steve Pigeon and asked for his help to run against Stachowski. Golisano's money was pledged, but Pigeon wanted something in exchange.
Pigeon wanted Kennedy to deliver the legislature to him. Three Democrats to flip so Collins would have his majority. Rumor has it that Pigeon is working on Collins' gubernatorial campaign behind the scenes.
Kennedy delivered Miller-Williams, who is affiliated with Grassroots, which is currently aligned with Pigeon and City Hall, as well as Christina Bove. It is also rumored that Brian Higgins is one of the people behind the scenes brokering this on Kennedy's behalf.
Tim Kennedy, the man who wants Stach's job in the Senate, seems to be the new Pigeon/Golisano/Higgins/Collins owned Pedro Espada.
Just what we need in the State Senate...another Pedro Espada...and more coups about jobs and patronage staff hires.
"The state ethics and disclosure laws make it much harder for law enforcement to investigate and prosecute public corruption involving state officials,'' Baxter said. "There's just so little transparency in the legislative process that it takes an enormous amount of time and effort to uncover what really happened."
--snip--
Baxter said the Justice Department normally would defer to local or state prosecutors in cases of public corruption involving state and local government. But he said the structure of the state Legislature and the rules the elected officials created have made such referrals difficult.
--emphasis mine--
Should legislators be nervous?
Federal authorities who oversaw the prosecution of Joseph L. Bruno said they will continue to investigate allegations of corruption within the state Legislature, and that the FBI's resources for such cases have more than doubled in recent years.
--snip--
"It really is the state Legislature," Pikus said of where they are focusing. "The bureau understands that in any government form of the legislature there's going to be some allegations of wrongdoing and we are constantly on the outlook for that. I have the agents now, very experienced agents, working on information that's come to us and we're taking a look at it."
Yesterday, Joe Bruno, former Republican Senate Majority Leader, was found guilty on two counts of essentially taking payola money from a business associate in return for favors and contracts. He was acquitted on five other felony charges and one where they just couldn't decide.
The details brought out in the trial have finally opened the window on exactly how the Senate was run under his leadership and how business was done in Albany for the 15 years he was in charge.
What we saw was a textbook example of how a powerful politician used his position in the Senate to enrich himself and his associates via the activities of his "other outside jobs" as a consultant and business owner.
As disturbing (and unsurprising to those who have followed Albany politics) as his law-breaking was, what should be more disturbing are the activities for which he was not convicted. The fact that they were NOT against the law speaks volumes about the law itself and the way the rules of the Senate have evolved over the decades.
Because there has been no threat to the power structure in Albany for so long, players left and right have learned to play the system, and the lawmakers have done nothing to upset the cart.
An example of strange bedfellows that this system created is the incredible union support Uncle Joe and the Republicans received over the years. Why would unions support a Republican party that repeatedly passed environmental, education and taxation legislation that hurt working class people? Well, it turns out that Bruno did consulting work for an organization that had the unions as clients so now we have a pretty good reason why he gave the unions everything they asked for come contract time. Nice pay off using state money.
Well, the times they are a changing.
The rocks that have been turned over this year have shown a particularly seedy and messy world; a world that New Yorkers should no longer tolerate. They certainly can't afford it anymore.
Now the question becomes, how do we change the State Senate and how it does business? Well, it begins with the Senators themselves. More specifically, YOUR Senator.
If your Senator isn't committed to real reform, they shouldn't get your support. It's pretty simple.
We should be dedicated to electing Senators who listen to dissenting opinion, make decisions based on fact and discussion - not influence and money, and that they represent the people that elected them - not their own self-interest. If we elect an army of these people to represent us, as was the intent when the Constitution was drafted, then all the other issues most of us are concerned about will take care of themselves through ethics reform, open debate, and the electoral process. (h/t to AB)
Last week, I posted the diary, NYS Senate: The Perfect System of Corruption. I made the point that the system in New York is not broken, as many people have said in the past, but that it was, in fact, running perfectly...for the power grabbers and moneyed special interests.
In that diary, I introduced a new organization called ReBootNY.org. This is how I described it:
...a statewide organization to elect not necessarily more Democrats or Republicans, but to elect BETTER SENATORS who have had enough of the crap and are willing to actually do their job...serve the people of their district and New York...NOT SIMPLY GET ELECTED TO BE A COG IN THE PERFECT MEMBER ITEM DOLLAR DELIVERY SYSTEM OF CORRUPTION.
I am honored to have been asked to be the Executive Director of ReBootNY.org, and I have accepted with pleasure.
Today's vote on marriage equality has brought the need for our organization to the fore.
We need Better Senators in New York and the next cycle will be a great opportunity to elect them.
ReBootNY.org's efforts will not be single issue centric, but ME will certainly be in the mix. We need to rid ourselves of as many of the incumbent Republicans as possible (Do you realize that they didn't say a WORD during debate today?) and we need better Dems to help Folks like Liz Krueger and Eric Schneiderman pass common sense, progressive legislation.
We will be raising money, approaching candidates, and lining up folks to help train campaign staff. We have activist from across the state on board and want your help. If you can, please go to our temp. site (we are in the process of building a really good one) and sign up for updates and toss some $ our way if you can.
Today's vote proves to us all, once again, that we have to ReBootNY to make it work for us.
Anybody else watching this? Diaz sounded like a bigot, Schneiderman sounded GOOD. Just figured this would be a good place for a discussion, but can't embed the player.
Diaz - no (yikes)
Schneiderman - yes (understands the law, as usual)
Adams - yes (passionate appeal)
Klein - yes
Valesky - yes (big vote)
Parker - yes
Espada - yes (even, Pedro is a yes)
Savino - yes (personal appeal)
Liz Krueger - yes (everyone's favorite Senator. It's about personal discrimination)
Squadron - yes (little bill with big impact)
Montgomery - yes (to keep people from having to live in sin. Interesting point.)
Serano - yes (I have always liked him)
Hassell-Thompson - yes (touching family appeal)
C. Johnson - yes (Thanks to Tom Duane)
Perkins - yes
Oppenheimer - yes (very emotional)
Stavisky - yes (single sentence argument...and right)
Smith - yes (his religion allows him to vote yes)
Duane - yes (No. Thank YOU, Senator Duane.)
I often ask people, "What would you pick as the most outrageous scandal on the part of the NYS Senate during the past year?"
Most folks initially say, "Do I have to pick just one?" . After a few minutes of derisive laughter and disgust, they come up with answers that have been varied but all of them have a good deal of merit. Most point out the June coup, others chime in about the Monserrate broken glass attack of his girlfriend, and still others make mention of the January power blackmail of the Three Amigos --Diaz, Espada and Kruger--(which eventually led to the coup, BTW).
Those more in the know have referred to Espada's attempt to funnel a couple of million in member items to his own "non-profit" organizations, while other insiders insist that Dean Skelos' demand for millions of state payroll dollars in exchange for votes or even basic co-operation to pay for a large minority Central Staff that could then be used as a state funded campaign army for Republicans in 2009 and 2010. In reality, those examples just scratch the surface.
Dysfunction is everywhere, from the battle between Paterson and, well, everyone while the budget crumbles, to Kevin Parker's attack of a NY Post reporter, to the revelations of decades of systemic, "legal" corruption and institutionalized "pay to play" on the part of the entire Republican leadership that has been made public during the Joe Bruno trial.
Let's face it, the entire Senate and how it operates reminds one of the recent Cavemen episode, where state workers drew a hefty paycheck while holed up in a private "cave" where they watched TV, did drugs and hung out. In the case of the Senate, the cave is right there in the open. It's called the third floor of the Capitol Building in Albany. And though they don't do drugs in the Capitol, an argument can be made that don't do much to deserve their paychecks. I know. I used to work there.
Now, not all Senators are cavemen, but the system has created the ability for a few of them to hold the entire state hostage to their greed.
The System is Broken
How many times have you heard that phrase? I want to disagree. Unfortunately, the system is not broken. If it were, it would be easy to fix. The problem is that the system is running incredibly well and it has evolved into a perfect self protective, re-election pay-to-play machine that would make any systems analyst drool. It's like the alien of Hollywood fame; a magnificent organism that uses the travels and bodies of its enemies to propagate and spread its evil throughout the universe.
As an example, look at how the Senate System has trained the special interest groups, good government organizations, political parties and the media to play its game. They all have adapted and know what buttons to push to get what they want, and none of that has to do with democracy (with a small d). In the media's case, the press even occupies space on the same third floor of the Capitol Building and is constantly played like a cheap violin by the senate leadership and rank and file to distract the public from what is really happening.
What can we do?
That's a great question...and many organizations in the past have tried to "fix" Albany, but they haven't really had a chance against the "perfect system." They have failed for one, simple reason...they have played by the system's rules...which is just what the system wants.
Some have tried to reform by working with one political party or the other, but the parties have been, unfortunately, co-opted by the system and have no interest in changing it substantively. Others have appealed to specific Senators to champion specific legislation, only to run into a complicated maze of Committee rules and fiefdoms and the veto power of the leadership.
Like I said, this system is far from broken. A broken system doesn't last as long as this one has and doesn't come up stronger each time it is threatened.
A New Way Forward
The folks who created Fire Monserrate, the effort to gather signatures and create public pressure on the Senate to remove Hiram Monserrate from office, have decided to tackle a greater mission; to substantively change the way the New York Senate does business. It's one thing to have a criminal Senator removed from office, but it doesn't change the political system that has allowed far too many "Monserrate Events" to happen...all at the cost of the people of New York.
The new organization is a PAC and is called Rebootny.org and it will take quite a different approach to change. We have no interest, for example, of getting rid of Hiram Monserrate or Dean Skelos only to replace them with another Hiram Monserrate and Dean Skelos with the same or a different party affiliation.
We are in the early stages of development...in the process of raising money, approaching candidates, lining up folks to help train campaign staff and building a statewide organization to elect not necessarily more Democrats or Republicans, but to elect BETTER SENATORS who have had enough of the crap and are willing to actually do their job...serve the people of their district and New York...NOT SIMPLY GET ELECTED TO BE A COG IN THE PERFECT MEMBER ITEM DOLLAR DELIVERY SYSTEM OF CORRUPTION. Remember, every Senator supported Pedro Espada for either President of the Senate or Majority Leader at some point this summer. No one should get a free ride.
Initially, we have a core organization of about 50 people from around the state to get us going. We, of course, will be looking for thousands more to join our effort.
Watch for more about ReBootNY here and on other blogs, in ads, editorials, and local meetings in the near future.
We can't trust the people who created this system to dismantle it. We, the people of New York, have to do it ourselves and we are hopeful that all the attention on the corrupt Albany way-of-doing-things will motivate Democrats, Republicans and Independents to toss out the dead weight and find some quality people who will do the hard work necessary to make New York the best it can be.
I'm Terry Gipson and I'm running for the New York State Senate in the Hudson Valley. At the moment, Rhinebeck, where I live, is in the 41st District, just so you can get your bearings. Who knows what the redistricting map will eventually look like... and that's really the subject of this diary. It's my first here at The Albany Project, but, rest assured, it won't be my last.
I'd like to welcome everyone to this evening's live blogging event with the Democratic candidate for NYS Senate in the 41st District, Didi Barrett.
Just want to remind everyone that Didi will be here tomorrow evening for a live blogging session.
Back in 2006, I ran for the NYS Senate in the 41st District which includes a little more than half of Dutchess and all of Columbia County.
The details brought out in the trial have finally opened the window on exactly how the Senate was run under his leadership and how business was done in Albany for the 15 years he was in charge.
