Bloomberg Defends Support of State Senate G.O.P.

Earlier today, Michael Bloomberg defended the pledge he reportedly made to help Dean Skelos keep the narrow majority Republicans hold in the State Senate.

“Because I have said repeatedly I will help those who help this city,” Bloomberg said when he was asked why he made the promise during a Q&A with reporters in Lower Manhattan after unveiling the Waterfalls. “The Republicans in the State Senate were willing to vote for congestion pricing, and the Democrats were not. And there’s been a whole bunch of things where they have been there to help us," he added. "If the Democrats help us, I’ll support them as well.”

For the record, Skelos was one of the State Senate Republicans who voted against the bill that created the commission that studied the idea of congestion pricing. The actual congestion pricing bill never went to a vote in the state legislature.

Skelos said recently that his priorities may change now that he’s gone statewide.