Written on Wednesday, February 7th, 2007 at 11:19am by Alan Bedenko | 18 Comments

Dear State Legislator:

Hey. How’s it going? Everyone settling in nicely now that Pataki’s gone? Congrats, too, on adding another Democratic State Senator. Slowly but surely, eh?

Anyhow, I want to talk with you a little bit about this whole Hevesi replacement situation.

See, I like Governor Spitzer. I voted for him. I am hopeful about his agenda to reform the way you guys all do business on the Hudson. I didn’t vote for Shelly Silver. I didn’t vote for Joe Bruno. Neither of those guys represent me, neither of those guys represent anyone in WNY, and none of them are particularly interested in what goes on out here in the stix, right? I mean, Silver is from the lower east side of Manhattan, and Bruno has a nice horse farm near Saratoga. I don’t mind Silver running the Assembly or Bruno running the Senate. After all, they’re elected to do so by their membership. What I do mind is that they see themselves as co-Governors of the state along with Spitzer.

So, when it came time to select someone to replace the disgraced convict Alan Hevesi, I thought it was a nice deal that was struck between Bruno, Silver, and Spitzer to have a panel of three ex state and NYC Comptrollers interview potential candidates and select up to five finalists for the job, and then having the state legislature select one of the finalists.

It heralded something new and different for you guys out there – the idea of meritocracy versus patronage. The idea of compromise for the good of the state. The idea that people in state government could be flexible.

The panel selected three finalists. None of them were members of the state Assembly. It appears that Silver and the Assembly Democrats are having a collective temper tantrum about this. Nowhere did I read that any of the finalists had to, by definition, be a Democratic Assemblyperson.

I heard that there had been a closed-door meeting where Silver caught bloody hell from his members.

So?

Leadership here would be to follow the deal struck with the Governor for a selection process based on merit, rather than political payback and turf-protection. I’m sure Tom DiNapoli is a swell guy and would be the bee’s knees as State Comptroller, but what about the three best candidates as set forth by the independent panel of ex-comptrollers?

It’s time for you guys to stop being little lords of your little fiefdoms and start looking to and working for the benefit of your constituents, and the state at large where appropriate. People are pretty sick and tired of you lot – what was your approval rating late last year? In the 20s? Well, Spitzer is the one who got what can easily be called a mandate to lead us out of the madness in which Albany has been mired these past decades.

I don’t think I’m out of order saying that the people of this state would go with Spitzer instead of Silver. Ultimately, we’re the bosses of you.

So, today when you vote on the person to replace Alan Hevesi, Mr. Albany Legislator, are you going to follow the guy who answers to the Lower East Side or the guy who answers to the whole state? Are you going to vote merit over turf? The choice is up to you. Your conscience knows the answer to that question.

Please don’t disappoint us.

Love, BP.

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18 Comments

  1. Tatonka says:
    February 7, 2007 at 12:14 pm

    Dear BP:

    Here is my answer.

    Love,

    Sheldon Silver and Pretty Much Everyone Else in the Legislature

  2. raoul duke says:
    February 7, 2007 at 12:27 pm

    Well said, BP.

  3. hank kaczmarek says:
    February 7, 2007 at 12:36 pm

    VERY Well Said, Alan.

    I also hope NOT to be disappointed by the next move of the Assembly.

  4. ApolloCreed says:
    February 7, 2007 at 1:33 pm

    The Steamroller bit off more than he can chew when he tried to dictate the Comptroller process. Sptzer is so angry about this that I am told he may fire his Buffalo Regional Rep as payback to the Assembly Dems whom pressed for her hiring.

  5. Reinmoose says:
    February 7, 2007 at 2:18 pm

    I actually wrote my Assemblyman an email to a very similar tune to what BP just posted. While I requested a response, I have not, however, gotten one. This was over a week ago. He can’t have that many emails; he’s an f’n State Assembly member.

    I reiterate what I said in previous comments about the Assembly just not getting that it’s not about THEM and their power. It’s about their responsibilities. But why waste my breath, they’re going to do what they want to do, not what New York wants them to do.

    I would love to see Spitzer have something up his sleeve to retaliate against them if they go back on the agreement. If nothing else, the next time Assembly elections are held, I’d love to see him endorse candidates that run against the current representatives and actively publicize corruptions of current members. Just the threat of such a thing might help?

  6. Bouldin says:
    February 7, 2007 at 2:19 pm

    Bravo! Bravo! More! More!

    Seriously, this is the best summary of the issues I’ve seen. Brilliant.

  7. IntelRep says:
    February 7, 2007 at 4:31 pm

    They picked – shocker – an assemblyman. Tom DiNapoli.

    *sigh*

  8. Tatonka says:
    February 7, 2007 at 4:53 pm

    The aftermath might be interesting. The Albany Times Union blog noted that three Spitzer staffers were in the Assembly gallery, presumably to see who voted and how.

  9. raoul duke says:
    February 7, 2007 at 5:42 pm

    They picked – shocker – an assemblyman. Tom DiNapoli.

    More of the same. I’m not one for messy and petty political battles, but I hope to God Spitzer puts the screws to every politician, Democrat and Republican, for this “same ‘ole, same ‘ole” routine. If there is justince anywhere it will spell the end of co-Govenors Bruno and Silver.

  10. Mr. Pink says:
    February 7, 2007 at 5:46 pm

    At least two of our Senators — Maziarz and Thompson — did the right thing and voted for Martha Stark. Maybe there’s hope down the road.

  11. ApolloCreed says:
    February 7, 2007 at 5:48 pm

    I just heard from a few sources over at the ellicott Square Building that Spitzer does in fact want “pay back” from the Leaders in Albany for breaking their deal?

  12. raoul duke says:
    February 7, 2007 at 5:51 pm

    Could someone please show me where, in Tom DiNapoli’s bio, it reflects any accounting or money management experience? I mean sheesh, he’s only going to be in charge of the states books!! Why worry? We’re great financial shape … Please call you representative and complain.

    http://www.nydems.org/html/electedofficials/dinapoli.html

  13. TheRover says:
    February 7, 2007 at 9:21 pm

    Pataki was a slug, Bruno is a putz and I don’t care for Spitzer at all, but I did like his idea. Silver on the other hand is a cancer; a true enemy of the state. He needs to be taken out.

  14. Rifle Dude says:
    February 7, 2007 at 10:39 pm

    Oy vey! Sit back and grab a seltzer….. Sheldon Silver is just warming up.

  15. CB says:
    February 7, 2007 at 11:40 pm

    Yep…what did we expect…problem is Spitzer is no different than the rest of them…stop kidding yourselves…

  16. Nelson Muntz says:
    February 7, 2007 at 11:42 pm

    Illuzzi’s rumor last week about DiNapoli’s certain appointment was much better than the rumor on certain other sites about Buffalo having been secretly promised that it will host a Super Bowl. His site is actually becoming slightly less amateurish of late, at least comparatively speaking.

    About the issue at hand here, it was just a political pissing contest on *both* sides.

    Chopping the recommended list from five down to three was a pure political power play that Spitzer engineered by lobbying that selection committee at the last minute. Just silly one-ups-man-ship that was thrown back in his face.

    Regarding complaints about DiNapoli’s lack of financial qualifications, is this from the same crowd here who supported lawyer Poloncarz for Erie County Comptroller last year instead of his non-politician opponent who had a very strong accounting background?

    DiNapoli seems about as qualified for NYS comptroller as Poloncarz was for Erie Co. comptroller.

    And actually Poloncarz seems to be doing a fine job here, so DiNapoli might as well, who knows. Mostly it’s the professional staff people of those offices who do the real work anyway.

    If one of the three “finalists” had been chosen, that person would have owed at least some small debt of gratitude to Steam Roller at some point.

  17. liza says:
    February 7, 2007 at 11:58 pm

    And just as I did over at TAP …

  18. liza says:
    February 7, 2007 at 11:59 pm

    awwwww … no images?
    :P

    I wanted throw my bloomers at ya :)

 

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