From Citizens Union: Silver Challenger Lacks Support

The good government group Citizens Union declined to endorse Sheldon Silver or either of the candidates challenging him in the Democratic primary this fall.

In explaining the decision, C.U. wrote, “[Silver] needed to embrace and advance a broader agenda of reform issues that included a nonpartisan redistricting commission, greater transparency in, and public scrutiny of, the decisions that are made by the Assembly, and strengthening state legislative ethics rules in the areas of financial disclosure and conflicts of interest.”

Oddly, C.U.’s reason for not endorsing Paul Newell was electability.

“One of his challengers was a compelling candidate, Paul Newell, who had a good grasp of the issues, but had not been able to demonstrate that he had broad community support for his election,” the release says.

Maybe that's what Silver was was getting at when he said he didn't know who Newell is.

C.U. also announced it’s endorsement of former State Senator Pedro Espada of the Bronx, who is running against indicted State Senator Efrain Gonzalez.

In Brooklyn, C.U. chose incumbent State Senator Kevin Parker over either of his two challengers from the City Council, Kendall Stewart and Simcha Felder.