Not Being Shocked by Bad Albany Politics
The state Assembly voted 150-56 to elect Long Island Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli as state Comptroller to replace Alan Hevesi. I’m sure Mr. Silver is happily basking in his victory over the troublemaking new governor. The candidate who was up for consideration out of the process that Governor Spitzer set up with Bruno and Silver was New York City Finance Commissioner Martha Stark.
Let’s review.
1. Here is a link to the press release that Spitzer issued on January 9th announcing the deal that three ex-comptrollers interview and select up to five Comptroller candidates. You can safely assume that every person quoted therein had a chance to review and vet the press release, and signed off on its content. That includes Assemblyman Silver, whose legal training and common sense should provide him with the difference between “at least five” and “up to five”.
2. According to the law, Spitzer waived a chance to unilaterally appoint Hevesi’s replacement on January 1 or 2.
…if a vacancy occurs in the governor’s office when the Legislature is out of session, the governor has the legal right to fill it. That means Spitzer could have unilaterally appointed someone to replace Alan Hevesi on Jan. 1 or 2, before the newly elected Legislature met for the first time on Jan. 3.
Dopp says Spitzer refrained from taking that step after getting assurances from Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno that they would allow outsiders to vet applicants for the job and recommend finalists.
Spitzer made a deal, and was stabbed in the back.
3. Of our local delegation, the only people to vote for Stark were Stachowski, Thompson, and Maziarz. In fact, every single Senate Democrat voted for Stark, upholding the tripartite deal with Spitzer. Most Senate Republicans, except for Maziarz and two others, voted for DiNapoli, thus backing Silver. Strange bedfellows.
4. Spitzer is angry, and Silver has played right into his hands:
“a stark reminder of all that is wrong with our Legislature and its leadership and what we have so much ground to cover in our efforts to reform Albany.â€
“You have just witnessed the insider game of self-dealing that unfortunately confirms every New Yorker’s worst fear and image of all that goes on in the Legislature of this state,†Spitzer said.
“Legislators and their leaders had an opportunity to rise above and show they have listened, learned, absorbed, but they did just the opposite. They returned to the cocoon of the Albany status quo that has driven their behavior for too long.â€
Spitzer said the “nature of the relationship†between himself, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan; and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, R-Brunswick, “will change†as a result of today’s vote.
I certainly hope so. The beauty here is that most New York voters are fed up with Albany status quo, and Silver has just made himself the poster boy for it. (If he wasn’t already). It’s high time Silver faced a credible challenge. Not just from the governor’s mansion, but from his own district.
Let’s make no mistake about this. This was a power play by Sheldon Silver and the Assembly Democrats. No one at any time denied them their constitutional right to essentially select the next Comptroller. The issue here is that they contracted that right away in their deal with Silver to set up the troika of ex-Comptrollers. When they didn’t like the outcome, they simply reneged on their deal.
To make matters worse, they couldn’t care less that you’re angry about it.
“Today is a sad day for New York,’’ groused Assemblyman Greg Ball, R-Carmel, who amplified Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s contention that to go against his outside panel and elect an Assemblyman (Tom DiNapoli) typifies the kind of inside baseball that the Legislature has long been guilty of.
‘’This is the most dysfunctional legislature in the United States of America,’’ Ball went on, evoking scattered boos, hisses and calls of “resign then,’’ from his fellow lawmakers.
For a moment, I felt like I was watching the British (or Canadian) Parliment where back benchers feel free to boo and heckle those with whom they differ.
UPDATE: The call of “resign then†came from Assemblyman Keith Wright, D-Harlem, who has been quite voluble this afternoon, saying things like “tell it!†when he agrees with his colleagues’ comments – generally when they talk about the Legislature’s need to assert its constitutional authority in this case.
The response to “we’re dysfunctional” is “resign then”. Don’t try to fix anything. Just shut up and leave.
Buffaloi has a great summary of why today’s vote was particularly foul-smelling.
I do know that the New York netroots, for what it’s worth, was pretty solidly behind Spitzer in this fight. We can help change bad Albany politics. One legislator at a time.
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It’s good to see Spitzer calling foul right away. Do you think the original plan was his “olive branch” to the legislature, or was he just unaware that he could directly appoint a replacement at the time?
..and well said, indeed.
Did we not see every scum sucking Assembly Democrat in the WNY delegation campaigning last fall with Spitzer photo opps, Spitzer endorsements, and “On Day One Everything Changes” slogans in their ads. Where the f**k were THEY today when it was time to show some guts and courage.
Ugh!
What a bunch of losers we are…putting these people in again and again and again. When will we learn?!
::cancel::
(followed the link)
Instead of getting angry with some yenta from the LES of Manhattan, why not hold Buffalo’s representatives accountable?
BP, if folks are dead serious about supporting Gov. Spitzer then shouldn’t they support a movement that requests Sam Hoyt’s resignation?…. hold the local guys feet to the fire until they cry.
For change to occur in Albany, should it not begin on the shores of the Niagara River first? Would not such a movement make Albany hacks take notice?
However, I doubt that will happen because people in WNY don’t have the chutzpah for real meaningful change. They will bitch and complain. However, nobody ever will get their hands dirty to make any deviation from the status quo.
I want Elliot Spitzer to make good on his attempts at reforming New York State. I support his reform agenda. Those who support Spitzer should begin to organize against the Democrat machine. Its time for Sam Hoyt to go.
“I certainly hope so. The beauty here is that most New York voters are fed up with Albany status quo, and Silver has just made himself the poster boy for it.”
Are most NY’ers fed up? I doubt it. Most folks around here say ther’re fed up, but then re-elect the same asshats over and over again simply because they have a “D” or an “R” after their name.
And what about NYC? Since most NY’ers live in NYC, how do they feel about Albany? They’re probably pretty satisfied since they seem to get whatever they want. So, most NY’ers aren’t fed up at all, methinks.
Actually, Spitzer played right into the hands of the Assembly. His problem is our probelem because we now have a serious fight between the executive and legislative branch in NYS. The 3 men in the room was really 2 in this fight. Once Silver and Bruno agreed on a candidate it was a done deal regardless of whatever dog-and-pony show they agreed to with the governor.
If you thought it was dysfunctional before, wait until the fireworks really start over Spitzer’s budget now. He might be a steamroller in his eyes, but I think he (as well as us) got rolled over pretty good yesterday. The legislature (and its leaders) will never give up its power and now they are spoiling for a fight. And Spitzer, while not powerless, can’t subpoena the legislature into submission. This is going to get really ugly.
Good. Maybe it’s high time it got ugly. Spitzer may have lost this battle, but there’s still a war to fight.
Can you list the local Assemblymen who voted for Ms. Starks? I would like to send them a thank you note for having the conviction to stand up to Assemblyman Silver and his goons. It should be interesting to see what Spitzer does in response to the local Assemblymen and Senators who voted for Mr. DiNapoli….
Good. Maybe it’s high time it got ugly. Spitzer may have lost this battle, but there’s still a war to fight.
Lets hope it gets real ugly. Eliot Spitzer was the first governor in this state I voted for because I thought he was the best candidate for the job and not because he was the lesser of two evils. If he is what he says he is, he will put the screws to the vassals in the assembly and senate. If he has to destroy a couple of political careers, so be it. Most of them haven’t done anything good for this state in the 28 short years I’ve been around.
From Buffaloi:
“Do they think New Yorkers will be looking over their morning newspapers tomorrow saying “Wow, that’s good government in action……..”
Most New Yorkers wouldn’t know “GOOD GOVERNMENT” if it fell on their heads. This is the third or fourth generation of dysfunctional political hacks……same names with jr. at the end. I’m so sick of “holding my nose & voting.”
Then there are ALL of those who gain financially from the graft & corruption of Albany.
Therefore, HOW is it ever possible to get rid of these people? I also hope it gets REALLY UGLY….but it’s pretty ugly already!
ridonkulous
BP — you are right that the Gov does have the ability to appoint if the leg is not in session. however, a little known fact is that every single day (including all holidays) an albany based assemblyman takes the trip into the chamber and calls the house to order. no one else is there but this prevents all sorts of executive powers that come into play should the leg be “out of session”. Just thought you would want to know.
Silver is wrong and Sptizer also made a bad decision. While he was still the Attorney General he chose to remain silent and play back room politics while trying to gain a political advantage. Perhaps if he had spoken up and exercised his authority the voters could have had a real choice.
This Banana Republic in Albany stuff SUCKS. It’s like politics in Puerto Rico or the Phillipines. The Empire State? Bullshit.
Not that I think they wouldn’t have jammed the shiv in Suozzi’s back had HE won. Spitzer stuck out an olive branch, and had his arm removed at the shoulder. Looks like the Assembly took lessons from Hezbollah.