Saturday, November 23, 2013

Let's Say the Headlines Said, “Attorneys for State Senator Martin Golden Fight Alongside Sheldon Silver against Anti-corruption Moreland Commission Subpoenas” ! ! !

In what significant way would anything be different than its being NY State Senators Dean Skelos and Jeff Klein instead ?


Golden’s conference/caucus leader Dean Skelos says he alerted his members about the intended legal fight against the activities of the Moreland Commission addressing public corruption, conflicts of interest, and ethics in State Government that are in part aimed at the “employers of all legislators” that give more than $20,000 income to the legislators

                                                        

                                                              ***

Marty Golden himself has indicated that he had been fully informed of Leaders Skelos’ and Klein’s, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s legal plans and maneuvers opposing the Moreland Commission’s actions weeks ago



According to Kenneth Lovett’s report  in the Daily News, “Now it's Senate GOP Leader Dean Skelos alerting his members to the Moreland Commission goings on today. ***  Skelos said the Legislature has worked to enact ethics reform and is open to "sensible" ideas moving forward. ***  But he said the Legislature will fight Gov. Cuomo's anti-corruption commission for what he says is its attempts to pressure the lawmakers into a new ethics deal....” (See “NYS Senate GOP Leader Dean Skelos Says Legislature Won't Be Coerced Into Ethics Deal” by Kenneth Lovett, 11/22/13, Daily News/ Daily Politics [http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2013/11/nys-senate-gop-leader-dean-skelos-says-legislature-wont-be-coerced-into-ethics]).

On November 10th State Senator Martin Golden seemed fully briefed about the plans to fight the Moreland Commission subpoenas. He clearly stated that the Governor’s Commission’s overreach had united the members of both chambers, and that everybody was back behind Sheldon Silver after it looked like he had lost control on anything related to ethics issues.

A lawsuit was actually filed yesterday on behalf of the leaders of the New York State Assembly and Senate against the governor's commission, created via the Moreland Act, claiming that the commission is overstepping its authority by trying to get protected information from the lawmakers' clients and business associates in lawful “private businesses” (See “Document Drop: NY Pols V. Moreland Subpoenas” by Celeste Katz, 11/22/13, Daily News/ Daily Politics [http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2013/11/document-drop-ny-pols-v-moreland-subpoenas]).

What is clear is that the trio of leaders, Skelos, Klein and Silver aren’t carrying this lawsuit forward just for their own benefit. Its being done for every state senator and member of the assembly whose outside employers, clients and associates might be generating $20,000 or more in income for the effected New York State legislator (btw, can you say Bay Ridge Manor ?).

Senator Golden’s constituents should ask him if he completely supports his joint conference/caucus’ joint leadership and Shelley Silver in their lawsuit against the Moreland Commission; and if Golden does, the constituents should ask why he thinks that’s right.  However, if by some chance State Senator Golden says that he does not support the Skelos-Klein-Silver lawsuit; then Golden's constituents should ask Golden if he isn't benefiting from it, and whether he’s doing anything to distance himself from it.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not one to agree with Golden, but isn't it obvious that evrything Cuomo does is a just an effort to consolidate his power?

Or do you think Andys just a good government type?

Galewyn Massey said...

Even if I concede your point, how does that change anything above ?

Skelos, Klein and Silver alleged in their suit that Governor Cuomo is trying to coerce them into going along with more "Ethics Legislation" --- Okay, politics ain't beanbag...... and neither is the Moreland Commission.

Anonymous said...

Is this a GOP blog?
Seems like a platform for Cuomo agenda.
try something new, like criticizing a democrat for once.

Anonymous said...

Yeah. Try bashing democrats like jeff krauss or conservatives like gerry kassar. Leave our republican state senator alone. It isn't his fault that his staff is made up of all nonrepublicans and that the bay ridge manor generates lots of cold hard cash for his family. If the dems can use public $ to pay their friends then gold3ns council candidates can blow ome public $ at the manor. Its only fair.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous above - you are probably Marty Golden writing behind an anonymous wall. Senator Golden is a crooked politician and it will all catch up to him one day - he couldn't be a cop, and he can't be a politician and he will figure that out soon enough.

Anonymous said...

Marty has dedicated his entire life to public service. A hero police officer and a full time senator. He has the most effective district office because he hires staff not because of political affiliation.

- signed a supporter of Senator for Life Marty Goldem

Galewyn Massey said...

In reply to "Anonymous November 23, 2013 at 3:41 PM" above --- I beg to differ.

What part of the Cuomo agenda does this blog support ?
a) The S.A.F.E. Act -- No, but State Senator Golden did...;
b) 9/10ths of Cuomo's Women's Agenda -- No, but Skelos, the GOP State Senate Conference. and State Senator Martin Golden apparently do;
c) Cuomo's Ethics proposals -- No, this blog merely has commented on the news about the Moreland Commission and what it seems to be looking into; adding that politics and the Moreland Coomission ain't beanbag;
d) any other items on the "Cuomo Agenda" -- No, not commented upon to date.

As for "criticizing a democrat for once..." -- most recently, this blog did several negative pieces on City Councilman David Greenfield, a Democrat endorsed by the Conservative Party, and during the campaign City Councilman Elect Chaim Deutsch, a Democrat who defeated the GOP-Conservative Party candidate David Storobin.

Galewyn Massey said...

That's all very nice, I suppose, but the issue of the post above is whether State Senator Golden supports and is a beneficiary of the Skelos-Klein-Silver lawsuit against the Moreland Commission.

"Senator for Life..." Sorry, I'm not familiar with that office or title....

"He has the most effective district office...." in the 74 Hundred Block of 5th Avenue --- I can go along with that, unless you count the bank and the real estate branch offices as "district offices."

Anonymous said...

Marty Golden has never lost an election.
Never has and never will.

Galewyn Massey said...

OOH ! OOH ! OOH ! OOH ! I ALMOST FORGOT.....

Since "Anonymous November 23, 2013 at 9:26 PM" mentioned State Senator Golden's "...most effective district office ..." --- Today I got some buzz from an old Bay Ridge wag, who claims to know about such things, it seems that Golden's staffers GK and RR weren't in love with some of JQ's post-election commentary about the local City Councilman and the City Council seat going forward, probably with JQ looking at the possibility of a special election sometime soon.

Anonymous said...

Considering no democrat has come forward to run, I would think that could increase senator goldens re-election.

Galewyn Massey said...

Almost impeccable logic....

Proofreading ? Not so much.

Anonymous said...

How much of the Cuomo agenda is Marty Golden signed on for as chairman of his new Select Committee on Science,Technology, Incubation and Entrpreneurship like the Buffalo High-Tech Manufacturing Innovation Hub @ RiverBend.

That's one of the "Public-Private" deals that Marty likes so much that has been given $250 mil in NYS $pendola$ so two companies, SORAA and Silevo, that haven't made a profit yet can "expand" into the Buffalo area. This is a brainchild of New York State's highest paid employee, Alain Kaloyeros of the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, which will be running the RiverBend project through the State University of New York’s Research Foundation.

Anonymous said...

He's also never had a real competitive race, either.

Anonymous said...

They are getting more competitive as time goes by.

Anonymous said...

An alliance that has existed between Golden, Hynes, Cuomo is coming full circle.
The result will be a bundle of casino cash for Cuomo, Mikes crew, and a taste for Marty.
This will make OTB look like small potatos.
Does anyone believe Seddio is going to back a democrat against Golden?

Anonymous said...

Golden hasn't had a real primary in a while either....

Galewyn Massey said...

Easier said than done....

There are factions inside factions....

So far, not everybody is enthused about one former district leader's "'volunteering" to be the default candidate against Golden in a primary. However, everybody does say that they would prefer a fresh new face.

I'd like to suggest Timothy Cochrane; he's the current Energizer Bunny of Brooklyn GOP politics.... Please note that I said "...like to suggest..." -- I won't of course, because everybody knows that to keep peace in the house I am backing ykw....



Anonymous said...

Russ Gallo for State Senate!

Anonymous said...

What a rogues gallery Golden has around him.
Still no opponent?

Galewyn Massey said...

So far only one GOP player has talked to me about his running against State Senator Martin Golden, and noted he has a friend or two in high places. [For clarity only --- that is not the GOP player who talked to me about my running against State Senator Golden. As I pointed out to that poor delusional individual, "As far as I'm concerned, there is no 'me' in 'candidate' for any office."]

Anonymous said...

Kevin Caroll is going to run

Galewyn Massey said...

UPDATE: REMEMBERING WHAT THE POST ABOVE WAS ABOUT AND "THE BEAT GOES ON: LA DE DA DE DEE, LA DE DA DE DA" EDITION

The Daily News' Ken Lovett reports that a majority of legislators are complying with Moreland Commission subpoenas (See "Source: Majority Of NYS Lawmakers Complying With Anti-Corruption Panel's Request For Info" by Ken Lovett, 11/25/13, NY Daily News [http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2013/11/source-majority-of-nys-lawmakers-complying-with-anti-corruption-panels-request]).

In a separate article that appeared on the Daily News blog Daily Politics after the first, Lovett quoted Governor Cuomo to have said, "Those that can provide the information are providing the information, and those that can’t provide the information are arguing separation of powers--but I think it belies their whole argument...." that the attempt by legislative leaders to keep the "whole group together" didn't work and "They've lost about half that group...." Furthermore, according to Lovett's post, "Cuomo suggested that those members who are complying 'have nothing to hide and those are members who don't want the stigma of defying a subpoena' going into an election year. *** For those who are not complying, Cuomo said it raises the questions of why. 'What are you afraid of?,' adding that 'the imagination then runs wild.' " (See "Gov. Cuomo: Legislature Battle Over Moreland Panel Not About Separation Of Powers" by Ken Lovett, 11/25/13, Daily News/ Daily Politics [http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2013/11/gov-cuomo-legislature-battle-over-moreland-panel-not-about-separation-of-power]).

Anonymous said...

Is Kevin Caroll running against Golden?

Anonymous said...

As long as Golden gets a cut off whatever is going on, he turns a blind eye. Has been going on for years.

Anonymous said...

Need An Italian Republican To Run Against Golden..Someone With Some Name Id And Can Get Some Democrat Support..

Anonymous said...

I agree.

Galewyn Massey said...

UPDATE & BACKFILL: THE " '...HOLY GRAIL... RUN AWAY - RUN AWAY - RUN AWAY ...' " EDITION

Of course the Moreland Commission isn't as ferociuos as Monty Python's "killer rabbit" in ISOTHG, but the MC creates a fear and loathing all its own...

That's why Ken Lovett's pre-Thanksgiving report in the Daily News should have caused a little more stir than it did --- at least here on this blog. It seems that the legal beagles for the NYS Senate Republicans have convinced their clients to beat a retreat ( See "NYS Senate Republicans Withdrawn Push To Quash Subpoenas On Housekeeping Account Info (UPDATED)" by Ken Lovett, 11/27/13, Daily News/ Daily Politics [http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2013/11/nys-senate-republicans-withdrawn-push-to-quash-subpoenas-on-housekeeping-accou]).

All excuses to the contrary notwithstanding, this is such a big win for Governor Cuomo and his commission that he came out and announced it personally. This is some of what he had to say:
"If the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, which his the representative body of all the Senate Republicans, is saying they will comply that totally defeats the arguments and makes a mockery of theory of separation of powers.... If the Republican senators are complying as a group, they should individually. And the Assembly Democrats should also follow.... I think it was a wise choice.... I think it sends, forget the legalese and a mockery of a position, it sent a wrong signal to the people of this state who say we want a government we can trust. When you fight the subpoenas, it sounds like you have something to hide."

Cuomo also said that the SRCC had agreed to comply after negotiations that limited the scope of the original subpoena, something he noted was not uncommon in these sorts of contests over subpoenas. Cuomo added that the commission's prelimimary report is still on target to be delivered Dec. 1 or shortly thereafter.