State legislators from across the aisle and both ends of the statehouse are responding to Andrew Cuomo’s proposed plans for independent redistricting legislation and their reactions should surprise no one: enthusiastic cheers from those in the minority, and wait-and-see from those who have the power to redraw the lines.
Democratic Leader John L. Sampson has released Read More
ALBANY—John Sampson thinks, not unreasonably, that the State Senate needs a new look.
“We need to come out of the box in January and start to really pass some progressive and positive legislation because people have one characterization of us,” Sampson, the leader of the chamber’s Democratic conference, told reporters during an informal chat in Read More
ALBANY—Malcolm Smith is supposed to leave the top post in the State Senate with the New Year. But nothing in the chamber is ever that easy.
Smith, a Queens Democrat who was
“He’s like an ambassador for the State Senate,” said his spokesman, Austin Shafran. He added that Smith and Sampson “have an outstanding Read More
ALBANY—Assemblyman Michael Benedetto has formed a campaign committee to look at a run for Jeff Klein’s State Senate seat, should Klein run for attorney general, should Attorney General Andrew Cuomo run for governor.
Benedetto had promised to do this previously, and now Benedetto for New York is registered with the State Read More
ALBANY—There’s a computer shortage in the State Senate because federal investigators seized over 100 terminals in connection with their investigation of former Majority Leader Joe Bruno, whose trial is now underway.
“Due to the allegations against former majority leader Joe Bruno, the feds confiscated a number of Senate computers, which left the senate Read More
ALBANY—It’s a Hail Mary pass for same-sex marriage.
State Senator Tom Duane, the measure’s sponsor in that chamber, just walked across the back of the floor trailed by Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson and Eric Adams, his top lieutenant. Along with Senators Malcolm Smith, Eric Schneiderman and Deputy Majority Leader Jeff Klein, they walked Read More
Bill Rudin, the civic-minded real estate billionaire, admired in New York for his family’s remarkable success, apparent functionality, and steadfast devotion to New York civic life, made a startling declaration on Wednesday morning at the Harvard Club.
“I got a call the other day from an Albany politician,” said Mr. Rudin, the chairman of the Read More
ALBANY—State Senator Hiram Monserrate is guilty–but not guilty enough to automatically lose his seat or throw the already-unstable chamber into complete disarray.
Already there are rumblings in the chamber to have a committee review the matter; under the Legislative Law, senators could then approve Monserrate's expulsion.
"Hopefully he would step aside on his Read More
ALBANY—State Senator Jeff Klein's quote this morning in The Capitol about his colleagues in the Democratic conference was pretty blistering: he said that "quite frankly, all of these people shouldn't be in the majority."
"I'd hate to have to be the judge, but they should really be in the minority. Because they're really not Read More
State Senator Jeff Klein, who represents parts of the Bronx and Westchester, endorsed David Yassky for city comptroller, bucking the county organization in the Bronx that is going with rival Melinda Katz.
At a press conference this morning by City Hall, Yassky said, “I’m talking to every single voter and every elected official about their Read More
