...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 Buffalo News reports that three complaints filed against Tom Golisano's PAC, "Responsible New York," have been referred by the state Board of Elections to the Albany County DA.
Apparently, in two campaigns where Golisano's PAC helped they may not have stayed fully independent of the campaigns, as they are required to under law. The article says that coordinating activities with a campaign is "a felony."
Almost a month ago today, I questioned the motives of Sen. Pedro Espada Jr., Sen. Hiram Monserrate, Senate Republicans, Tom Golisano and Steve Pigeon in the aftermath of the coup that made a dysfunctional legislature even more dysfunctional.
With the news today that Sen. Espada will rejoin the Senate Democratic caucus and as a result, will serve as Senate Majority Leader, it is hard to argue that what the Republicans (along with Espada) did on June 8 and what the Democrats have done (again, with Espada) on July 9 are any different. What the Republicans did was an obvious power grab. What the Democrats have done, along with the Republicans, is hold the state senate hostage until one of them got the result they wanted.
The losers today are the people of New York, who have been put on the back burner in favor of posturing and a disgusting lust for power that has distracted the legislature away from the people's business for a long time. The people of New York have lost out over the last month with key legislation not being addressed and a group of state senators putting their interests first and the interests of the state last. We deserve better. In fact, we deserve 62 better senators.
But the winners are clear. The winners don't include either the Senate Republicans or the Senate Democrats. Both are guilty of having a lust for power, but their lust isn't as great as Pedro Espada's. Espada might be with the Democrats, but he will receive special perks. He will get to name one of the two co-secretaries of the Senate, with the Senate Democrats picking the other. Espada ally and coup coordinator Steve Pigeon is also getting a job, according to the Times-Union. And if Pigeon is getting a job, that means inside access to the New York State Senate for Florida billionaire Tom Golisano.
So how does this help things? At least now, the Senate will be able to get to work and address key issues. But at what price? The Senate Democrats (the leadership anyway, maybe not each individual senator in the conference) have sold their souls to Espada. In doing so, they should face the same scrutiny that Espada shall face going forward. And that also means that in 2010, we should look at serious primary challenges to those individuals who think that the people's business is something that can be toyed with.
Many of us, including myself, worked very hard in our efforts to elect a Senate Democratic majority in 2008. I did not work hard to elect a Pedro Espada majority. Pedro Espada represents everything that is wrong with our legislative process and everything that is wrong with politics and governance in New York. Why the same Democratic leadership that I assisted in getting elected the majority is siding with this walking disaster is troubling and makes me feel as if all that hard work in pushing out Republicans who did nothing for 40-plus years (even though they tried to take the high road a month ago) was for nothing.
I advocated for a Democratic majority, not Pedro Espada. The Senate Democrats need to ask themselves who they work for. Because right now, it seems like Pedro Espada has them in the palm of his hand. And that is a bad thing for New York and bad for the Democratic Party.
Well, actually, I'm not sorry, but it seemed polite to say that I was since I'm about to ask you to do something. A really big something.
See, I'm thinking you're pretty much responsible for getting us into this mess. And I think the only way we're going to get out of it is if it becomes bigger. A whole lot bigger. And I think you're the right guy to take a big mess and make it huge.
Let the historians note that it only took 9 days for the state's highest ranking Republican, Dean Skelos' ethically challenged pet Pedro Espada, to let the power dangled in front of him take him completely around the bend. It would seem that the Il Duce of the Bronx has jumped the shark in record time. He now claims that he is the awesomest of all the senators, more equal than all the others, and that he has the power to cast not one, but two votes.
Outside an uneventful GOP-plus-Pedro Espada Jr. meeting of the Senate Rules Committee, the breakaway Democrat repeated his claim that as president pro tempore he is also "acting lieutenant governor," and therefore could wield not one but two votes in the chamber, which is deadlocked 31-31.
"I didn't invent that - it's in the Constitution," said Espada.
Espada said his only reluctance to unsheath his second vote and establish a quorum is his desire to avoid landing the Senate in an even more protracted legal battle. "We don't want to end up in court," he said.
He really believes this apparently. He was quoted saying the same thing to the Post this morning:
Renegade Democratic Sen. Pedro Espada claimed yesterday he and his Republican allies are forging an explosive new plan to give him an unprecedented two votes to break the newly emerged deadlock in the state Senate.
"I can have two votes," Espada boldly told The Post.
"We're going to maintain that, as the president pro tempore of the Senate, I am also the acting lieutenant governor, and the lieutenant governor can vote when there's a tie."
This man actually believes that he has been vested with the power to vote exactly twice as many times as anyone else in the New York State Senate. Does he also believe that he can manufacture a quorum by voting twice? What other superpowers does he believe he now has? Does he think he can fly?
More importantly, can he point a single instance anywhere in history where this has been the case for anyone else, no matter what titles they may have had? No? I wonder why that is. Oh right. It's because IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.
I did a brief Google search for the idea. What Espada is proposing has no precedent that I can find over the last four hundred years of Anglo-American parliamentary procedure. Not here, not in the UK, not in the Dominions.
Not anywhere, ever.
Not only is Pedro Espada a common criminal, he has obviously also lost his mind.
Here's some powerful video from inside the Capitol as the so called "reform coalition" made their way to the senate chamber to hold their fake session:
When the Republicans claimed that they had taken over the New York State Senate on Monday, they said that reform had come to the Senate. In fact, Tom Golisano issued a statement yesterday saying that "reform has come to the New York State Senate."
Those so-called reforms were passed soon after the Republicans took over the Senate. By all accounts, the reforms are a good starting point, but don't address several other areas that needed to be changed.
But as more and more comes out, it is looking like this whole takeover was more about patronage and power than it was about reform and revolution.
The news yesterday that Sen. Pedro Espada's request for $2 million was turned down by Sen. Malcolm Smith because the two groups that Espada was seeking the money for could not be considered legitimate. Also, Espada was guilty of a previous power grab: His attempt, along with three others (including Sen. Hiram Monserrate) to get goodies for themselves in exchange for their support of Smith. Espada didn't get what he wanted out of that deal, so when the Republicans offered him something sweeter - the President Pro Tempore seat he had previously cherished - that was the only selling point Espada needed.
Then there is the Buffalo News report today that Steve Pigeon, who is Golisano's chief adviser, started constructing this coup attempt after his requests for hires in the Buffalo Senate office were turned down by Smith.
From the Buffalo News:
Steve Pigeon, the former Erie County Democratic Party chairman and political adviser to Buffalo Sabres owner B. Thomas Golisano, sought to "take over" the Buffalo office and install his confidantes, spoils for the help Golisano provided Democrats in last fall's elections, according to a Senate Democratic official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The official said three people with ties in various ways to Pigeon, including David Pfaff, a longtime friend and political associate, did not keep their Senate jobs once the Democrats took over the chamber in January.
Pigeon's plan was to have Pfaff run the office, an idea Aponte also rejected.
"We weren't going to farm out the office to political operatives no matter how grateful we were for their support," the official said of the work Pigeon did and the millions Golisano spent last fall helping the Democrats take over the Senate.
There was a story reported by Liz yesterday that Pigeon was already trying to land a job with the "reform Democratic conference." One thought was that Pigeon would replace Angelo Aponte, who serves as Secretary of the Senate, but according to the report, it appears more likely that Pigeon will land a job as chief counsel to Espada, a long-time friend of Pigeon's.
Back to the question I asked in the title: What this about reform and revolution or patronage and power? Clearly, it's the latter. For the Senate Republicans, all they wanted was power. But they weren't going to do it with 30 members. So they picked two corrupt individuals - one who you can't find a campaign finance filing for and has tried to funnel money to his non-existent non-profits and the other who was just indicted for assaulting his girlfriend - to be there 31st and 32nd votes.
For Golisano, this is all about power. Money is power for Golisano and while he is shouting reform from the rooftops, he felt that his investment in 2008 wasn't doing what he wanted. So he decided that he was going to switch alliances and make himself famous in the process.
Pigeon's involvement highlights just exactly why this whole coup was a farce to begin with. For Pigeon, he pushed all the buttons and got Espada and Monserrate aligned with the Republicans (keep in mind, Pigeon was once a county Democratic chair) and is now angling for a job. The news today also shows that there was motive for Pigeon.
All of this comes back to what Malcolm Smith didn't do. A lot of criticism has been thrown Smith's way, but let's put this in perspective:
- Smith didn't give in to Espada and give him the majority leader's post, which led to Espada saying he was "tremendously dismayed and disappointed" at Smith, adding that he would "suspend my support for Malcolm Smith as leader." That was in December. That was the right move. Espada didn't deserve such a high-profile spot right off the bat. But because it's all about power for Espada, because he didn't get what he wanted, he was already saying he was suspending his support.
Add the new revelations about Smith turning down Espada's requests for $2 million and you have a very angry Espada seeking to get what he wants.
- Golisano said that one of the things that motivated him was when Smith was playing on his Blackberry when Golisano met with him a couple of months ago. That seems petty to most right-thinking people, but for Golisano, that is how he is. He used that as motivation to target Smith because, in his mind, Smith wasn't paying attention.
- Pigeon's patronage picks didn't get in after Smith's disapproval, leading Pigeon to concoct a plan that would remove Smith from power and install a more favorable environment (who better than a good friend, Espada) so that he could still have this Buffalo office to plant his cronies and go after the local party leadership and so he could get a job of his own.
So if you thought this was about reform, guess again. This was about all of these characters - the Senate GOP, Golisano, Pigeon and Espada - getting their piece of the action: Patronage and power.
This isn't about New York State. This isn't about the 19 million New Yorkers these men are affecting. This is about a lust for power so strong that they are willing to disrupt government at a time when government should not be disrupted so they can get the power they long for.
I'm taking advantage of how we can post more than a diary a day to take exception with this characterization of Pedro Espada, that he's a "Republican." He isn't. He obviously isn't a democrat either. He's a criminal, plain and simple.
Tommy Golisano and Dean Skelos' new pet some piece of work:
* We learned today that Pedro tried to extort a cool $2 million bucks from the senate Dems before he went home with Skelos. He wanted that 2 million bucks for two of his fake nonprofits that just happened to share the same addresses as his Soundview Scam and his personal PAC.
* Espada and two associates were indicted on charges that they siphoned $ 221,000 in Medicaid funds from Espada's Soundview Health Care Center to finance his 1996 political campaign.
* Hasn't filed a single campaign report to the BOE for his race last year. Not one. In fact he couldn't legally have raised or spent a dime to even get elected because he didn't even have a legal entity, a campaign committee, before about 3 weeks ago. He owes the BOE about $60K for campaign violations.
* Back in 2003, NYC pulled all WIC funds, the money intended for the nutritional benefit of "women infants and children", from all of Espada's sham clinics saying that the funds were mismanaged (stolen).
See what I mean? This is the man now claiming to be leading the "reform coalition" or some other such nonsense. Tommy Golisano and Dean Skelos have hijacked our democracy with this criminal's help. That's where the GOP finds itself today. They are so desperate to hold on to power that they have made common cause with a common criminal, a man who has spent most of the past two decades under investigation or indictment is now being investigated again. They really should be ashamed of themselves. Not only have the subverted the will of the people of New York, the are trying to put a criminal in charge of this circus. Pedro Espada belongs behind bars in prison, not as president of the senate. Of course this is the second time in a row that the GOP has put a criminal next in line to the governor. This makes a mockery of the empty "reform" rhetoric they keep spouting.
Reform doesn't come from a billionaire buying up crooks with a history of stealing from the poor and the sick and the weak to advance his own agenda. Reform shouldn't look so much like Florida in 2000, the last time the Republicans tried to steal our democracy. (How did that work out, btw? Oh, right. It kind of sucked.)
I just received this statement from Responsible New York on behalf of Tom Golisano:
Five years ago, the Brennan Center at NYU called New York's Legislature the "most dysfunctional" legislature in America. This report was widely reported throughout the state. Business leaders read it. Labor leaders read it. Voters and politicians read it and nothing changed. Statewide elections came and went. Candidates quoted the report and . . . nothing changed.
In fact things got worse. The 2009 budget process was the most secretive in history and resulted in huge, irresponsible tax increases on New Yorkers at a time when they already faced remarkable economic conditions.
Yesterday, in the New York State Senate for the first time since that report was passed, something happened. Something changed. Reform has come to the New York State Senate. I'm proud of the part that Responsible New York and I played in this change.
The reforms are both sweeping and meaningful. They range from term limits for the Majority Leader and Committee Chairs to an independent Budget Office to a true C-SPAN type network with access for independent groups to critique and criticize leadership as well as many more substantive changes. Overall, these reforms will make the Senate more democratic, encourage new and better ideas and actually involve all 62 senators in governing. Overdue.
These reforms languished for years when Republicans controlled the Senate and continued to be delayed after Democrats took control of the Senate. That these reforms passed after years of failure was remarkable. How they passed was truly revolutionary.
These reforms were passed by a bipartisan coalition of Democrats and Republicans who put the people above partisan politics. Amazing.
As with any true reform, not everyone is happy. When the process of changing the Senate began it was met by attempts to close down the motion, a failed attempt to adjourn, the shut down of lights, the cessation of the live video feed and finally an attempt to get State Troopers to clear the room. These were disappointing reactions to the will of 32 democratically elected senators finally doing the right thing. Any other subsequent legal action will be nothing but a distraction from doing the people's business.
It is truly ironic that the Governor would object to wealthy donors being involved in this process while at the same time raising money at $100,000 per table fundraisers.
Responsible New York was founded to fight for reform without regard to party. We did that by helping to bring together an historical coalition that passed remarkable reforms. Of course, this coalition is fragile and there are strong special interests pushing back to protect the status quo. Responsible New York will make sure that these reforms materialize and will continue our fight for fiscal restraint in Albany.
New York has the highest rate of migration out of state in the nation. In fact, people are leaving New York at a rate that is 50% higher than Massachusetts with the second highest rate. When more people are leaving than coming in, even politicians should recognize something is wrong. This is a first step-a small but important step-in changing that.
After the headlines and sensational reporting about control and legislative maneuvering there are to key things that happened:
· The New York State Senate now has a bi-partisan government unique in our history for putting ideas above partisanship.
· This coalition already delivered real reform that promotes democracy, encouraging new and smarter ideas and an opportunity to change New York.
Together, this has a real chance to break the political stranglehold that special interests have in Albany. These changes are revolutionary by Albany standards but only, in truth, a beginning but it is a beginning that may lead to a more responsive government.
One important concrete change is that with these rules reforms and coalition government all 62 senators will play a role in negotiating the next budget. That means in one fell swoop one of the infamous "three men in the room" is gone. Who's next? Hopefully there are some members of the State Assembly who are willing to put reform above party and the people above politics.
Yes, Golisano is trying to invade the Assembly now. And yes, he just used the putting "people above politics" line, even though the effort he backed yesterday was nothing more than politics at a time when we don't have time for politics. Elections are held every two years in November, not whenever we want and not when Golisano wants to overthrow someone who won't listen to him.
Bravo, Republicans! Just when it looked like your party would have to deal with and vote on actual campaign finance reform, you saw Pedro at the end of the bar, a man who follows no campaign laws at all to help bail you out. Who better to take home at the end of the party than a guy who hasn't filed a single campaign report, even though he was elected last November and it's now June?
You (and the rest of us 19 million or so New Yorkers have no idea who contributed to his campaign, how he spent that money or even if he again used his taxpayer funded hospital for electoral purposes (again) to get elected! This ethical ticking time bomb didn't even have a campaign committee to legally handle a single red cent until a few weeks ago when Malcolm Smith told him he had to get right with the BOE and file something. How on earth was he even allowed to be sworn in in the first place? He spat on the already lame campaign finance laws your zombie corpse party spent 40 years defending.
Well done, GOP! G-d only knows (literally) where the money came from and where it went. I'm sure you'll be happy to defend your new Bronx Zoo pet when it turns out that Pedro is just as slimy and crooked as he has always been and maybe even more so than the man he replaced, the guy who is heading to prison. Amirite? I mean, he'll have to file a campaign report and stuff, but I'm sure there's a perfectly kosher reason he's hidden everything from the BOE, his constituents and the rest of the state. Pedro and his finances are a mystery box, Dean, and now you own it, senator. We have no idea who bought and paid for his campaign and, more to the point, neither do you.
He's all yours now, Dean Skelos. Surely you'll embrace him just as tightly when he blows up in your face, right? Because you know he will. He always does. And surely this is the last time he'll cut a deal with someone on the other side too. Lucky you.
I can see what caught your eye about Pedro. He's seriously ethically challenged. So are you. It's a match made in heaven. Or some backroom in the Bronx.
Oh and did you tell him he actually has to move to the Bronx now? Was that part of the deal? Or will he just keep hiding behind babies every morning when he leaves his home in Westchester?
Update! Dean's new best buddy tried to extort $2 MILLION DOLLARS for his bogus non profits before Dean took him home. Congratulations again, Republicans!
State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. requested more than $2 million dollars in Senate earmarks earlier this year for two groups with links to the health care organization that he founded and which appeared to have been created in part to receive such grants, according to several Democratic officials and aides with knowledge of the requests.
But Senate Democrats rejected the grant requests in early April because they could not confirm that the groups were legitimate nonprofit organizations. Around the same time, Mr. Espada began discussions with Senate Republicans to leave the Democratic caucus, ending with the Republicans' stunning surprise takeover of the Senate on Monday.
At the end of March, Mr. Espada requested $1,348,000 in grants for the Bronx Human Services Council Inc., an organization that registered with the state as a nonprofit organization on March 26, roughly a week before the state budget deal under which the Senate and Assembly were allocated some $170 million in pork-barrel spending, known as member items.
State records indicate that the council is headquartered at the same Bronx address as a clinic that is part of the Soundview HealthCare Network, which Mr. Espada founded. The chairman of the board of Soundview, John A. Feliciano, Jr., is also listed as a special assistant on Mr. Espada's Senate staff, according to Senate records.
Mr. Espada also requested $875,000 for Green ECO Energy Incorporated, a group that was created on March 19. State records list the contact for the organization as Daniel Pagano, a lawyer who works part-time for Mr. Espada as counsel to the Senate Housing Committee and who is also representing the senator in his ongoing dispute with the state Board of Elections over missing campaign filings.
Democratic aides said that the Senate earmark request for Green Eco Energy listed the nonprofit's address as 1786 Adelaide Court in East Meadow, N.Y. The same address is also listed on campaign filings from Mr. Espada's political action committee as the home address of David C. Collymore, who is also the medical director of Soundview, according to Mr. Espada. (The Soundview network is currently under investigation by Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo.)
New York lost today. Democracy was suspended in the name of partisan politics (or if you want to believe those who now believe they are the Senate majority, a "coalition government") in a move that was self-serving on many levels.
Florida resident Tom Golisano apparently thinks that he is still relevant in New York politics. This comes only weeks after his big publicity stunt of a move to Florida (where he already had a home anyway), deciding to list his legal residence in Florida so that he could save what he contends would be $5 million in taxes. He whined endlessly about taxes, even though he was stealing the stage from the real victims of high taxation: The millions of middle-class New Yorkers who are feeling the pinch every year they pay their tax bill.
Golisano's involvement in this attempted coup today raises some serious ethical questions. He was right at the forefront during a press conference today and it has been said that he was involved in this all along. Reports have said that this was in the works for months and Golisano was one of the figures involved with it the whole step of the way.
But Dean Skelos and his Senate Republicans also win, although I wouldn't be hoping for Espada and Monserrate to keep their majority in 2010. The Republicans, who were railing against Monserrate for the assault on his girlfriend earlier this year, were more than willing to put that aside as long as it gave them majority. The Senate Republicans were calling for Monserrate's resignation months ago when these charges first came to light. Now, they can call Monserrate one of their own.
And then there is Pedro Espada Jr. He is touting this as a "coalition government." The only problem with that is the coalition only exists to meet his demands. He benefits most from the coalition: He gets the post he was looking for from the beginning (President Pro Tempore). Again, the Republicans are now siding with someone who has campaign finance fines against him and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is looking into Espada's dealings as well. Why would the Republicans, who are now bragging about the reforms they allegedly passed after taking over today, accept these two on as members? Are they that desperate to be in power that they would throw their morals and ethics out the window and welcome these two in with open arms?
Apparently, yes.
But Espada and Monserrate are the winners here. In my eyes (and many others), they are the villians. They betrayed their party and decided that their own power and glory was more important than the important business this state needs to address in the weeks to come. But they win because they (at least, Espada) got what they wanted: Power. That lust for power was evident early on when the new Senate wasn't even official yet, and Espada and three colleagues, which included Monserrate, were pushing Smith for perks in exchange for their votes. Monserrate broke away from that group, leaving Espada, Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. and Sen. Carl Kruger. But Espada pushed forward, seeking the same seat he was given today by the Senate GOP.
Now, we have the doors locked on the Senate chamber. For all the talk that the Senate Democrats haven't accomplished anything and for all the charges and criticisms that the Senate Democrats have been on the receiving end of since they took control in January, let's see how everyone reacts now that this so-called "coalition government" has led to a shutdown of the Senate chamber. The doors are locked and no one is getting in. This is apparently headed to court, just in time for what many consider the most important time (apart from budget season) on the legislative calendar.
All because a couple of guys don't care about their districts or New York. This is all because they care about empowering themselves, not their constituents. This is about getting their titles, not getting New Yorkers what they need.
The Senate Republicans are willing participants. And this is all being pushed by a billionaire who really lives in Florida now, but still wants to keep his hand in New York politics. This isn't a democracy. Perhaps it never was. But this isn't reform. This is a travesty.
Tom Golisano announced yesterday that he is moving to Florida. For any common citizen without the media at his or her fingertips, getting a story in The Buffalo News or any newspaper about a move out-of-state wouldn't be an option.
But this is Tom Golisano. He is a billionaire. He is the founder of Responsible New York. So he gets the attention.
The attention shouldn't be put on Golisano. Golisano saying that he is moving to Florida shouldn't be a surprise. Golisano already had a home in Naples, Florida, where he has split time in the past. That home is estimated to be about $13 million.
Golisano says that becoming a resident of Florida will save him $5 million a year. Last year, he could have saved that money by not investing $5 million in Responsible New York, which was the first investment he made in his group. This is the same guy who has also spent millions on three runs for governor.
So why is Golisano getting media attention? Merely because he can get it. The real problem, which has now been overshadowed with Golisano's billionaire whining, is the impact of New York State's taxes on the lower and middle classes. Golisano doesn't fit in that group. He is far from a poster boy for the problems that we face as average New Yorkers.
When the Golisano-owned Buffalo Sabres played the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals, it was said that there were 1,200 former Western New York residents living in the Raleigh area, the home of the Hurricanes. Those weren't 1,200 billionaires. They were 1,200 middle class people who moved to North Carolina for better job opportunities and lower taxes. Golisano can afford his taxes. The thousands of residents who have left Buffalo, Rochester and upstate New York over the years cannot.
If you live in upstate New York, you probably know someone who has moved out of state. I know plenty. I know people who have moved because of a job opportunity. I know people who have moved because of taxes. I know people who have moved because of both.
Golisano's move is only something that will feed his ego. While he will be living in his mansion, average New Yorkers will still be struggling. Yet, they don't get the same media attention.
Hopefully, this move will mark Golisano's exit from New York politics. That might be wishful thinking since the only way he has really been involved in politics is through his wallet. Nothing will prevent him from spending his money on New York candidates if he wishes to do so. But not being a resident of New York will give him less credence going forward.
The only lesson learned from Golisano's exit is that we need to focus more on the middle class residents of this state, not the millionaires and billionaires. We have long been ignored. It is time that changes.
There has been a lot of discussion in the past and present about Responsible New York and what Responsible New York represents. The main points usually center around Responsible New York's founder, billionaire Tom Golisano. Some say he started this group just to influence elections. Others point to his adviser, Steve Pigeon, and the decision to back certain candidates that are known (or were known) as Pigeon-backed candidates (i.e. Joe Mesi and Barbra Kavanaugh).
I will say that I have my own questions about the intentions of this group. Did Golisano start this just to get in on the action during a key state election? Or does he have his own personal agenda that he wants to push on other candidates? Or is it something else?
If you count RNY's endorsement of Paloma Capanna, RNY has endorsed 26 Democrats and 22 Republicans. Of those 48 candidates that RNY has endorsed, 39 of them are incumbent senators. A common theme that is mentioned about RNY is their desire for reform. However, it is hard to argue for reform when you only back nine challengers and endorse 63 percent of the current New York State Senate. Nothing against some of the current senators who are pushing for change, but when you are a group that is calling for change, you might want to endorse more challengers than incumbents.
It should be noted that RNY endorsed seven Democratic challengers: Brian Foley (SD-3), B.K. Keramati (who lost the Democratic primary in SD-44), Paloma Capanna (SD-54), David Nachbar (SD-55), Rick Dollinger (SD-56), Kathy Konst (SD-59) and Joe Mesi (SD-61). Foley and Dollinger are in perhaps the most competitive seats in the state, while candidates like Mesi and Nachbar are in competitive seats in districts that lean Republican. If anything, Golisano has decided to back key upstate challengers in districts that could mean a larger majority for the Democrats in the New York State Senate come January.
There have been questions about what Golisano is doing with this group. It's hard to argue against his desire to influence an election by supporting candidates of his choice with his large pocketbook. But as RNY's campaign finance filings show, RNY has not given directly to any candidate. Expenditures show that RNY, aside from paying for consulting and staff expenses, has paid for TV and radio ads as well as spending money to send out mailers. These ads and mailers have helped candidates, but it's not as if RNY has directly invested with a contribution in these campaigns. And according to Golisano's own contributions, he has only given to one state level candidate: Kavanaugh, who lost the primary to Assemblyman Sam Hoyt. Other than that, no contribution has been given from RNY or Tom Golisano directly to any of the candidates that have been backed by RNY.
The point here is that if Golisano is trying to buy influence, he's not showing it. You could make the argument that he's still supporting campaigns with ads and mailers and that, in itself, is influence. Maybe so, but it's not as if he has cut massive checks for each of these candidates. All he is doing right now is taking care of a necessary expense for them. Campaigns, especially in a big media town like Rochester, need to spend money on radio and TV ads and send out direct mail. If Golisano isn't doing it, the campaign does it. But you don't see him writing $9,500 checks to these candidates and leaving it at that, which would probably make a better argument for Golisano wanting influence over these candidates than the current situation would
So what is Golisano doing? I have read speculation about another run for governor, only this time as a Republican. That's an interesting thought, although if that were the case I don't think he would be investing in Democratic challengers and Democratic incumbents. But I believe that it isn't about Golisano wanting influence. He already has that. As a billionaire he has given to many charities, including hospitals in the Rochester area, and has been a prominent figure in Western New York for years.
What I think is that this is about Golisano showing that he has the influence. As I stated above, he already has the influence. So why not show it by saying I am investing $5 million into state races this year. He already has the influence. This is a guy who many people in Buffalo consider the savior of the Buffalo Sabres. This is a guy who is well known in Rochester for his charitable giving and his big heart. He has a reputation statewide from three gubernatorial campaigns. People don't need to know who Tom Golisano is. They already know who he is.
This is about Golisano reinforcing that. This is about Tom Golisano showing that he has the money and that he can be a great asset to candidates who support his desire for reform. Maybe Golisano wants to become the face of reform in New York? It's possible.
Lastly, consider this: On the RNY questionnaire for candidates, it asks whether or not you support election and campaign finance reform. When you go deeper into the questionnaire (it has seven pages), there is a question about whether or not you support publicly financed elections. To me, this indicates that Golisano wants to see real campaign finance reform in New York (possibly PFEs) and is willing to spend his money to make sure that he has candidates that will support his whole agenda.
I don't think this is all about influence. I believe that Golisano is genuine about his desire for reform. If that means he supports publicly financed elections but is willing to spend some of his wealth to support candidates who also side with him on that issue, so be it. Right now, the New York political system is what it is. Right now, Golisano can reign supreme because he has one thing that others don't.
Nachbar has been added to the list of roughly 15 candidates running for the state Legislature that the committee, Responsible New York, has said it will endorse in the November elections.
Nachbar, a former executive at Bausch & Lomb in Rochester, is challenging Sen. James Alesi, R-Perinton, in the 55th District, which covers parts of Rochester and most of eastern Monroe County.
Nachbar's name was being floated as a possible Golisano-backed candidate when this PAC was first announced. Nachbar is taking on Sen. Jim Alesi for the privilege of representing the 55th Senate District.
The first round of endorsements by Tom Golisano and Responsible New York were announced today and the list includes a bi-partisan group of candidates and incumbents.
REPUBLICANS - SD-7: Barbara Donno
- SD-43: Roy McDonald
- SD-51: Sen. Jim Seward
- SD-57: Sen. Catharine Young
- SD-62: Sen. George Maziarz
- AD-138: Paula Banks-Dahlke
- AD-142: Jane Corwin
So who are they going to be helping out more than the rest?
The organization said it would devote particular energy to helping four candidates in key races: Mr. Connor, who once did legal work for one of Mr. Golisano's campaigns; Mr. Dollinger; Mr. Mesi; and Barbra Kavanaugh, a former member of the Buffalo City Council who is running in the Democratic primary against Assemblyman Sam Hoyt.
The choice of Connor is interesting to me. But this is Tom Golisano and if you are extremely loyal to him, he will return the favor. Based on what I have heard, Golisano and Dollinger actually are friends. That explains that endorsement. The Mesi endorsement was expected, because of Golisano aide Steve Pigeon's connection to the Mesi campaign. Kavanaugh shouldn't be surprising either, not only because of the Pigeon connection but because Golisano has already given her $3,800.
No big surprises on the Republican side. Seward's name was being mentioned in the past as a possible Golisano endorsed candidate. The Donno endorsement is intriguing considering that race, at least to my knowledge, wasn't mentioned in any previous speculation about who Golisano/Responsible New York would endorse. Maziarz and Dahlke all have links to Pigeon (more on that later). Backing McDonald in SD-43 means that Golisano will be helping the GOP take back Joe Bruno's seat.
There is a much larger story for a few of these candidates. I will have more on that later. I am certain more endorsements will be coming. There has been speculation about David Nachbar being endorsed by Golisano and there have been other names mentioned in the past. We'll see what that turns into.
For now though, these are your first 13 Golisano-backed candidates.
The contribution to the Democratic committee planning the Denver convention, which was first reported in today's New York Times, gives Golisano a skybox and 50 tickets to the gathering at Invesco Field where Democrats will be promoting their presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama.
One million dollars for a skybox and 50 tickets? Not bad, I guess.
Maybe Golisano will make me one of his 50 guests...
Dean Skelos can't seem to keep his story straight, which must be difficult seeing that what he's saying depends on who he's talking to. Days after practically begging Western New York billionaire Tom Golisano to take another look at his doomed GOP Senate majority and apparently being conspicuously ignored, Dean Skelos showed up at Mayor Mike's place, hat in hand, telling Bloomberg he needs to $10 million bucks just to hang on.
State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos told Mayor Bloomberg yesterday the GOP needs roughly $10 million to hold on to its one-vote majority - a breathtaking figure that's nearly double what the Republican Senate Campaign Committee has raised in the past.
The discussion came during a private sit-down at a Midtown hotel, where billionaire Bloomberg said he would be "helpful," a source said.
In past election cycles, the committee has raised between $5 million and $6 million, but the $10 million figure caught veteran political watchers by surprise.
Bloomberg aides had had discussions with Senate Republicans privately about the possibility of forming a committee through which he would donate his money, with some discussing a figure as high as $10 million - but others saying a much lower amount had been discussed.
That's a lot of dough just to hold on to a one seat majority. Apparently Dean isn't all that worried at all though. Just hours later he told NY1 that his GOP caucus would pick up seats. "No doubt about it", he said.
On what looks at best like the cusp of the lean years for his party, State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) told NY1's Rita Nissan tonight: "I think we're gonna pick up seats, no doubt about it."
This must explain why he is so publicly playing offense on longshots, while leaving endangered incumbents twisting in the wind. Or is it that he really thinks he can hold on to his Majority Leader's gavel with an unprecedented $10 million bucks.
I guess it depends who he is speaking to at any given moment. One of these statements is for suckers and small fish donors, namely the bravado of playing offense and keeping up hopes. The other is for the billionaires, the only ones anyone thinks can save him and his doomed majority.
Such is a day in the life of the last GOP Majority Leader of our lifetimes.
Michele Iannello has filed a complaint against Joe Mesi for his connections with Responsible New York which include ties to Steve Pigeon, former Erie County Democratic Party chair and current co-chair for Responsible New York - the committee started by billionaire Tom Golisano to fund political campaigns. One of the campaigns reported to be a possible beneficiary of Golisano's giving was Mesi's, which was in line to receive $1 million from Golisano before Golisano declared that no decisions about giving had been made.
Iannello laid out the extensive connections and coordination between Mesi and Responsible New York, focused mainly around Steve Pigeon.
Pigeon, who has been a major advisor to Mesi since his campaign began earlier this year and has been authorized to sign checks for the committee, is now the co-chair of Responsible New York. Responsible New York has indicated that it intends to spend up to $1 million dollars on Mesi's behalf. New York State Election Law prohibits the coordination by candidates and independent committees if they intend to spend more than the contribution limits. In the State Senate primary the contribution limit is $6,000.
"I'm not a lawyer, but the law is clear - you can't spend more than the $6,000 on behalf of a candidate if you are coordinating with them - period. It is clear that there has been extensive coordination between Mr. Mesi and a committee that wants to spend $1 million on his behalf," stated Iannello.
Iannello also called on Mesi to answer questions about his association with this group.
"Mr. Mesi needs to look the voters in the eye and tell them whether or not he is going to allow the law to be broken to help him try to win the election. We can't afford any more politics as usual in Albany. Politicians hiding behind "lawyer-speak" to try and justify shady actions is exactly what the voters are sick of," continued Iannello."
Iannello provided supporting documentation which shows the connection between Mesi and Pigeon. According to the committee designation form submitted to the state Board of Elections, "Friends of Mesi" authorized two people (other than the treasurer) to sign checks. One of those people is Steve Pigeon.
Here is a flow chart showing this relationship:
Iannello and her campaign have made a compelling (and strong) case against this. The evidence looks damning. Let's wait and see if this is investigated or not.
Dan Jamison at the Newsday Spincycle had this remarkable post today.
Battling to keep and expand on the Republicans' currently razor-thin majority in the State Senate, their leader Dean Skelos today sent a letter to Rocheser billionaire Tom Golisano urging him to support GOP incumbents this fall.
Skelos of Rockville Centre pointed out that his party's policies are more closely allied with that of Golisano (in photo, posted on his charity foundation's Web site), co-founder of the state's Independence Party, whose leaders have sided with the GOP, than the Democrats'.
The not-so surprising picks include Democrats Rick Dollinger (SD-56), Kathy Konst (SD-59) and Joe Mesi (SD-61). Golisano will also be backing Democrat David Nachbar (SD-55).
Golisano will also reach outside of his Western New York comfort zone to back Democrats Joseph Addabbo (SD-15) and Sen. Darrel Aubertine (SD-48).
The one interesting choice is Golisano's reported support going to Sen. James Seward. This is a very disappointing choice should Golisano follow through with it. Don Barber is the much better option and the strongest candidate in SD-51.
Two key Democratic primaries Golisano has either decided not to enter or hasn't decided on who to back are AD-64 and SD-25. According to The Capitol, Golisano will not get involved in the primary between Sen. Martin Connor and Daniel Squadron. However, he has not decided on AD-64 or, as The Capitol put it, hasn't given any "serious consideration" of opposing Sheldon Silver by giving to one of his two primary opponents: Paul Newell and Luke Henry.
One other race to watch is SD-3. Golisano is said to be ready to oppose Sen. Caesar Trunzo but has not decided on who to back: Brian Foley or Jimmy Dahroug. If Golisano gives to Foley, that is an open and shut case. If Golisano gives to Dahroug, it's a whole new ball game.
I am not too thrilled with Golisano backing Seward over Barber. Actually, that is really disappointing. How can you back all Democrats and then decide you want to back Seward? There has got to be something more to that story.
