ALBANY—I just asked State Senator Marty Golden, a Brooklyn Republican and former police officer, whether he feels at all responsible for a hiring freeze in New York City that will stall a class of 250 police cadets. He spun.
"You'd think that would spur the Democrats to want to broker a deal here, and Read More
ALBANY—District attorneys from around the state, led by Staten Island's Dan Donovan, released this tape recording (caveat: it contains explicit language) supposedly of an incarcerated inmate talking with an associate out of jail, proclaiming newly enacted restructurings of the state's drug laws are creating "the beast."
"Now that I know I'm never gonna Read More
ALBANY—District attorneys from around the state, led by Staten Island's Dan Donovan, released this tape recording (caveat: it contains explicit language) supposedly of an incarcerated inmate talking with an associate out of jail, proclaiming newly enacted restructurings of the state's drug laws are creating "the beast." "Now that I know I'm never gonna face no Read More
ALBANY—At the weekly open leaders meeting called by David Paterson, Minority Leader Dean Skelos spent over 15 minutes raging about a proposal that would make it easier to seal the records of some drug offenders, but David Paterson held firm. "Just so you're aware, Senator, I can only speak for myself: I signed the bill, Read More
ALBANY—At the weekly open leaders meeting called by David Paterson,
ALBANY—State senators are roaring at each other as they try to postpone a provision of the state budget that gives judges the ability to seal criminal records for some drug offenders if they move to do so. Minority Leader Dean Skelos held a press conference with his members of the Senate Republican conference to unveil Read More
ALBANY—State senators are roaring at each other as they try to postpone a provision of the state budget that gives judges the ability to seal criminal records for some drug offenders if they move to do so.
Minority Leader Dean Skelos held a press conference with his members of the Senate Republican conference to Read More
ALBANY—It looks like the State Senate will - gasp - have to hold session on Friday.
Members on both sides of the aisle said they expect to be at the Capitol tomorrow, and while debate on the bills comprising the state budget - three have been passed so far, the fourth, containing a Read More
ALBANY—It looks like the State Senate will - gasp - have to hold session on Friday. Members on both sides of the aisle said they expect to be at the Capitol tomorrow, and while debate on the bills comprising the state budget - three have been passed so far, the fourth, containing a restructuring of Read More
Most of the news coming out of Albany has been of the unwelcome variety, but let it be noted that the Legislature and Governor David Paterson managed to provide some great news as well. Finally, after years of agitation and argument, the Rockefeller-era drug laws have been relegated to history. This is a momentous change Read More
I’m at the City Council budget hearing where Ray Kelly is testifying about the mayor’s budget.
Before Kelly started, Peter Vallone Jr. picked up where he left off expressing outrage over state lawmakers rolling back what's left of the Rockefeller Drug Laws.
“It’s the elimination, not reform,” said Vallone, “They’ve been completely Read More
I’m at the City Council budget hearing where Ray Kelly is testifying about the mayor’s budget. Before Kelly started, Peter Vallone Jr. picked up where he left off expressing outrage over state lawmakers rolling back what's left of the Rockefeller Drug Laws. “It’s the elimination, not reform,” said Vallone, “They’ve been completely eliminated.” According to Read More
The framework for a deal on reforming Rockefeller drug laws has become a real deal. David Paterson, alongside legislative leaders, just announced a sweeping restructuring of the laws, which is also a much-needed political victory for the governor, whose poll numbers have been sinking. "Drug abuse is an illness," Paterson said at a Red Room Read More
Not unexpectedly, some State Senate Republicans have already publicly opposed the measure, saying it would release criminals back into communities.
ALBANY—As we figured the other day, any reforms to the Rockefeller drug laws will be addressed by the State Senate as part of the budget, and not before. "It became clear in our discussions that this is as much a budgetary and economic issue as it is a sentencing issue," Majority Leader Malcolm Smith said Read More
