On Working with the Governor
In a conversation yesterday that should serve as a preview for the kind of talk we'll be hearing today, Bronx Assemblyman Ruben Diaz, Jr. told me that the duty to fill the comptroller vacancy belongs to the legislature in the same way that the responsibility for a U.S. Senate seat belongs to the governor.
"We want to work with the governor. Lets see if that's the case should Ms. Clinton be president. Will he call together a panel from both houses to interview and fill that vacancy? So, we totally welcome his suggestions."
He also made a point of reminding me that the legislature had (at least techically) agreed to work with the panel voluntarily. "We came to the table on this with Spitzer, and you people in the media never give us credit for that. Only Spitzer."
I wonder, now that the panel has come up with a list that includes exactly zero legislators, how many members think that credit was worth it.
-- Azi Paybarah
Imagine for a second that the Republican wins the Senate seat in long island; Silver gets DiNapoli, Morrelle or Brodsky as Comptroller and Carl Andrews gets indicted. Spitzer's White House aspirations go up in a cloud of smoke. His 2nd term becomes questionable. Andrew Cuomo is smacking his lips.
Hey Smokey - Imagine for a second that Bruno gets indicted; Spitzer overthrows Silver and picks a woman of color for Controller.
Imagine if 95% of the voters in NY don't know and couldn't care less about who is the Speaker of the Assembly or Comptoller or Senate Leader?
you can tell which legislators represent "safe" districts: they say the stupidest shit.
yoda - imagine??? that is the way it already is!!!
Spitzer's health care speech today is one reason why his foolish role in Comptroller-gate (how much did he influence the panel inappropriately) shows that its easier to be a crusader when you are Attorney General but it does not help you govern.
To really achieve the health care agenda, he needs to work WITH the legislature. Everything he has done so far from opposing salary increases, to opposing a member of the assembly, even getting too involved in the Balboni senate race, demonstrate that he doesnt realize that his actions will have consequences. Why should legislators stick their necks out for him against healthcare unions, hospitals and nursing homes if he is, as one legislator told me, a "Selfish pr*ck."
Why indeed?
Soldier is right. At some point, the Legislature will make Spitzer pay for his high-handedness.