ALBANY—It’s David Paterson against the world.
The unelected governor—whose poll standing remains low, whose ability to raise campaign cash has been hampered and who has called legislators “liars” as some of them have brought up his prior drug use—used the greatest platform he is afforded to bludgeon legislators, lobbyists and in Read More
ALBANY—Assembly Republicans are wishing Greg Ball the best in his bid for the State Senate.
“Is he? Oh, I thought he was running for Congress,” Assemblyman Ron Canestrari, a Cohoes Democrat, said, referencing an already-begun race against Representative John Hall that included robocalls and town halls on health care. “As long as he’s out Read More
ALBANY—Several members of the Assembly Democratic conference let their frustrations with what they see as State Senate’s inability to coalesce around a deficit-reduction agreement boil over in a closed-door conference this afternoon, sources said. Some members suggested cutting an agreement with David Paterson and leaving it on the Senate’s desk. That chamber is at Read More
ALBANY—The Assembly is planning to be back on Monday.
Members are recessed until 4 p.m., and have been told to prepare to return to Albany on Monday to deal with a $3.2 billion deficit.
“Theres no way we won’t be back Monday,” Assemblyman Bill Parment, a Democrat from western New York, told me just Read More
TROY—Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari says it was "unfortunate" that the White House told David Paterson to step aside, and said that he stands by him.
"I think the governor should run, yes I support him, and I think it's much too early to think about anything other than governing the state," Canestrari told Read More
ALBANY—Since they were both in the same room yesterday, I took Assemblyman Mark Schroeder's suggestion and asked State Senators Antoine Thompson and Bill Stachowski—all three men are Democrats from Buffalo—whether they agreed with Schroeder that Senator Pedro Espada Jr. is a "thug" and should resign as his chamber's majority leader.
"No, I Read More
ALBANY—That's Paul Tonko with retiring Representative Mike McNulty, just before taking the oath of office to serve in Congress.
Democrats packed the Assembly chamber for an omnibus swearing-in ceremony. In addition to Tonko, Assemblymen Jack McEneny, Tim Gordon and Bob Reilly were sworn in, as was Albany County District Attorney David Soares.
Many Read More
