The Morning Read: Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Andrew Cuomo gets sworn in under Spitzer's shadow.
Cuomo backs an independent review of Spitzer's decision to grant George Pataki 24-hour security.
Errol Louis takes note of Spitzer's use of uplifting images, but wonders if that'll translate to something tangible.
The new head of the MTA will ride all the subways, buses, trains and cross all the bridges and tunnels.
The head of the city's Independent Budget Office gets profiled.
Ben obtains Rudy Giuliani's campaign plans, which say his main problems are his private business, disgraced former aide Bernie Kerik and his positions on social issues.
Giuliani considers changing his role in the consulting company he founded.
And a troop surge will almost certainly be part of the president's plan for Iraq, the WSJ reports.
-- Azi Paybarah
For 12 years, Sheldon Silver stood up to the Republican juggernaut of Pataki and Bruno two essentially right wing and corrupt politicos. He helped save education, health care, transportation, and help for urban centers of the state like New York City. So he doesn't disclose his income from his law firm which is not required by law...if it were law, he would disclose it. Bottom line is he held the damage the fundamentalist Republicans who were in bed with Mike Long & Company would do to all New Yorkers especially the kids and elderly. It is sickening that so called Democrats (reformers and fakers) are now trying to sell him out. After 12 years of having every initiative of the Assembly killed by our evil monarch Pataki (and his dastardly wizard Gargano) , it will be nice to give him a chance to show his stuff with an ally and good guy Governor like Spitzer, who by the way Silver supported from day one of his campaign. Let's see some loyalty from all those who were served so well by the Speaker.
pataki is using the "security" issue to give himself additional bodies while he walks campaign lines in other states. If he has a security detail, he needs less paid staffers on the ropes. Besides, State Troopers give him status in another state. It is sad to see him pulling a Hevesi. And you folks are dopes when you believe the cost estimate. Pataki will spend the next three months out of state at least 25 days per month. if his security is with him, that means 24 hours a day for each officer. And since he will be in another state, that means at least 3 of the detail will be there, 24/7. now do the math. NY is being asked to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for pataki's political dreamwalk.