Action not words only way for Silver to defend reputation

Here's the complete statement issued late this afternoon by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver in response to this denunciation by former NYC Mayor Ed Koch, a fellow Democrat now pushing a bipartisan reform agenda:

"For decades, Republicans controlled the State Senate and blocked every single piece of reform legislation proposed by the Assembly and Democrats in the Senate -- campaign finance reform, election reform, ethics reform and budget reform. For Ed Koch to call Senate Republicans ‘reformers’ and ignore our record undermines the credibility of the pledge and his entire campaign."

The big problem with Silver's defense is that Republicans have not controlled anything in Albany since the end of 2008, and still none of those meaningful reforms have been enacted. The only way for him to maintain a shred of credibility on this is to compromise with Gov. Paterson on an ethics bill that includes radically improved provisions for disclosure of the private incomes and clients of legislators. (A decision by Silver to support nonpartisan redistricting, Koch's main issue, would be nice, too.) But as demonstrated by this lawsuit to bounce his opponent off the ballot (Joe Bruno used to do the same thing), and the ongoing budget debacle, it may be impossible to embarrass a leader of the New York Legislature.

Comments

[Brian]

Silver is the single biggest obstacle to reform in Albany. He controls a 72 pct majority in his chamber. He could pass real reform if he wanted to.

[Brian]

So the governor called a special session yesterday and the senate merely gaveled in and out rather than do its job and work on a budget because a bunch of them were on vacation (like they haven't been on vacation most of the year). Your buddy Sen. Diaz blasted the governor for wasting time and money. In other words, he said it's the governor's fault the he and his colleagues refuse to do their jobs. Your reaction?

[Bob Conner]

Like some of the legislators, I was on vacation -- three-and-a-half days on Otsego Lake, in the great state of New York. Diaz was not one of those who didn't show up for session. He is a showboater, and I don't always agree with him, but Albany would be a much better place if other legislators had the courage of their convictions and were willing, like Diaz, not to blindly follow their leaders.