THE "PORK" IN NEW YORK, Thoughts of an older American on Constitutional Government in the USA Options

[Livyjr]

ALBANY, NEW YORK TIMES UNION

"Bruno Mocks Tedisco"

May 16, 2007 at 5:38 pm by James M. Odato

At the conclusion of the leaders’ meeting, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno puckered his lips and pointed his face at Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco making kissy, kissy sounds.

Coming amid Bruno’s frustration with the session, Bruno was clearly not supporting Tedicso’s praise of the Democratic governor.

The puckering came as Tedisco complemented Gov. Eliot Spitzer for calling the leaders’ meetings and getting some things accomplished.

A few minutes later, Bruno criticized Spitzer as a steamroller who has rolled over Assembly members and Senate Democrats, usurping their power to set agendas and set the format for hammering out legislation.

“What are we?"

"Is the executive now taking over the Legislature?"

"Is that’s what’s going on?” Bruno asked reporters.

“We stand by Jim’s statement that these meetings are productive and that it’s important they’re done in public,'’ said Tedisco spokesman William Sherman.

“People who choose to put the process down can do that, but any public ridicule is not going to cause us to back down.”

http://blogs.timesunion.com/capitol/?p=4655#comments

[Livyjr]

THE NEW YORK POST

"GOP LAUNCHES BLITZ ON SPITZ - CALL HIM REFORM 'HYPOCRITE'"

By FREDRIC U. DICKER State Editor

JOSEPH BRUNO - Says Eliot's a "fraud."

May 17, 2007 -- ALBANY - Top state Republicans ripped Gov. Spitzer yesterday as a "hypocrite" for proposing campaign-finance reforms that he and his wife Silda Wall routinely violate.

"I'm going to keep calling him and everyone around him a hypocrite," said Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Rensselaer.)

"He has two sets of rules, one for himself and one for everybody else . . ."

"It's a fraud," Bruno continued.

Bruno was responding to a question on Albany's WROW-AM about The Post's disclosure yesterday that Silda Spitzer was sponsoring a ritzy, Central Park South, Democratic Party fund-raiser for which individuals - and controversial limited-liability corporations - are being solicited for up to $94,200 each.

Spitzer has imposed a contribution limit of $10,000 on his own re-election campaign while calling for a ban on all contributions by LLCs.

Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco (R-Schenectady), noting the disconnect between the governor's proposals and his political actions, said, "Either he's getting bad advice or he thinks he's above the recommendations he's making."

"You can't just talk the talk," Tedisco continued.

Spitzer spokeswoman Christine Anderson insisted the fund-raising, including by the state's first lady, did not contradict the governor's commitment to reform.

"The governor voluntarily imposed on himself the most stringent campaign-finance restrictions in the state, but doesn't expect other candidates and the state Democratic Party to unilaterally disarm," said Anderson.

Bruno, meanwhile, followed up his attack on Spitzer at a public "leaders meeting" called by the governor to advance his legislative agenda.

Bruno called the gathering "a total waste of time" after Spitzer insisted that individual members of the Legislature be allowed to make presentations during what was supposed to be a negotiating session on major issues.

Spitzer, who held the meeting in the ornate Red Room next to his personal office, shot back, "This is my room and we'll play by my rules."

The Post disclosed last month that Spitzer, who has made campaign-finance reform a central focus of his first year in office, was encouraging would-be contributors to his re-election campaign to "bundle" - raise from others - as much as $1 million - in exchange for special access to him.

He's also invited contributors to his upcoming birthday party fund-raiser to bundle $100,000 in order to become a "chair" of the event.

For that much money, the "bundler" receives four seats at a private dinner with the governor and his or her name is listed on the official event program.

fredric.dicker@nypost.com

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05172007/news/...tate_editor.htm

[Livyjr]

THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS DAILY POLITICS BLOG

"It's Spitzer's World ..."

And the legislative leaders just live in it.

Further proof of this (as if any was needed) came during today's six-way leaders meeting in the Red Room on the second floor of the State Capitol.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno were arguing about criminal justice issues (which weren't on the meeting agenda, although Bruno insisted he hadn't agreed to the agenda and wanted to spend more time on such topics as Granny's Law and the death penalty for cop killers), when this exchange occurred:

Spitzer: Joe and Shelly, listen.

Bruno (to Silver): Stop posturing and let's get it done.

Spitzer: Joe.

Shelly.

Guys.

I'm going to say something I don't often say: This is my room, and we'll play by my rules.

Bruno: Then chair the meeting, and tell him he's out of order when he interrupts me!

No agreements save one - legislation that would make human trafficking a felony - came out of this event, which lasted about 90 minutes.

All the leaders but Bruno brought rank-and-file members with them to the meeting.

Bruno insisted he represents his members, and said it was a "waste of time" to have so many people participating.

Posted by Elizabeth Benjamin on May 16, 2007 2:51 PM

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypoli...d.html#comments

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE:

What Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer is doing here, from a countrypersons’s perspective, is staging a FARCE on our dime ……

Yesterday, Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer usurped something which in our estimation he did not have a right to usurp, which is our legislature’s time to do their business when they are in session on the people’s business!

Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer wanted a charade where Joe Bruno would be seen as the “STEAMROLLER’S” dancing bear, with a collar around its neck, and a chain from that collar to Eliot Spitzer’s firm, guiding hand, while in his other hand, the “STEAMROLLER” holds a goad with which he prods Joe Bruno to dance for the crowd!

A farce!

And now that wasted time is gone, and with it, the chances that the legislature can accomplish anything in the time it has left to it in this session ….

Which robs us of our right to have our legislature working on our business while it is in session without Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer interfering in that business to stage his farce ….

And so ….

— Posted by Livyjr

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

[Livyjr]

Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer wanted a charade where Joe Bruno would be seen as the “STEAMROLLER’S” dancing bear, with a collar around its neck, and a chain from that collar to Eliot Spitzer’s firm, guiding hand, while in his other hand, the “STEAMROLLER” holds a goad with which he prods Joe Bruno to dance for the crowd!

A farce!

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

WXXI

"Tensions Rise at Leaders Meeting"

Karen De Witt

ALBANY, NEW YORK (2007-05-16) Governor Spitzer and legislative leaders agreed on a bill to crack down on human trafficking, and made progress on some other issues.

But tensions between the Governor and Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno left Bruno threatening that he would not return to repeat the experience.

The first item on the agenda at the leaders meeting called by Governor Spitzer was to have been a bill to crack down on human trafficking.

But the measure had been agreed to overnight.

Nevertheless, Spitzer permitted Democratic rank and file legislators, who had been invited to the meeting, to proceed with remarks on the bill anyway.

The self-congratulatory comments irked Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, who had not brought any of his Republican members with him.

"There's some critically important issues that we have to get to, and you want to bring up three of your members to make speeches?" Bruno complained.

"Give me a break."

Legislative leaders were permitted to bring committee chairs and ranking committee members with them to the meeting.

But the sponsor of the anti-human trafficking bill in the Senate, Senator Frank Padavan, said he was had not been invited.

Governor Spitzer tried to quell the quarrelling that broke out several times during the meeting by pointing out, on three different occasions, that he was in charge.

"This is my room and we will play by my rules," the governor insisted.

The discussion for the most part was civil, with some progress made toward reforming the Wicks Law, which strictly limits the size of public construction project contracts, and which opponents say has become too costly.

The meeting included lengthy comments from ranking members on energy topics and a power plant siting bill.

And they agreed to revise Spitzer's bill on healthy foods in schools to make it more flexible to changing nutrition standards.

Toward the end of nearly 90 minute meeting, Senator Bruno again objected.

He called the meeting a "total waste of time", and accused Spitzer of "putting on a show".

He demanded a discussion on improving the upstate economy.

The Governor told the Senate Leader that he would not let him "derail" the meeting.

"If you think your patience is tried, trust me, mine has been tried more," Spitzer said.

"And, according to reputation around here, I'm more challenged in that department than you."

"I don't think that's anything to brag about," Bruno retorted.

"And if you want to have a contest, don't challenge me."

Afterward, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, said he thought the meeting, and the previous leader's meeting, held a week ago, were productive, and forced the opposing sides to move things along.

For example, he says there's now consensus on renewing the upstate energy program for business known as Power for Jobs.

But Senator Bruno said Spitzer had used his hard edged style to bully the Democrats into going along with his ideas and his agenda for the leaders meeting.

"The governor describes himself as an f-in steamroller," Bruno said.

"Well he has f-in steamrolled over all his colleagues, apparently."

Another leaders meeting has been called for Monday, but the Senator said that if he doesn't get more input into the agenda, he might not bother to show up.

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wxxi/new...1083520§ionID=1

[Livyjr]

ALBANY, NEW YORK TIMES UNION

"Bruno Mocks Tedisco"

May 16, 2007 at 5:38 pm by James M. Odato

At the conclusion of the leaders’ meeting, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno puckered his lips and pointed his face at Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco making kissy, kissy sounds.

Coming amid Bruno’s frustration with the session, Bruno was clearly not supporting Tedicso’s praise of the Democratic governor.

The puckering came as Tedisco complemented Gov. Eliot Spitzer for calling the leaders’ meetings and getting some things accomplished.

A few minutes later, Bruno criticized Spitzer as a steamroller who has rolled over Assembly members and Senate Democrats, usurping their power to set agendas and set the format for hammering out legislation.

“What are we?"

"Is the executive now taking over the Legislature?"

"Is that’s what’s going on?” Bruno asked reporters.

“We stand by Jim’s statement that these meetings are productive and that it’s important they’re done in public,'’ said Tedisco spokesman William Sherman.

“People who choose to put the process down can do that, but any public ridicule is not going to cause us to back down.”

http://blogs.timesunion.com/capitol/?p=4655#comments

ALBANY, NEW YORK TIMES UNION CAPITAL CONNECTION BLOG COMMENTS:

With all due respect to The Nuclear Option and Independent, at this website:

http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/for...mp;#entry687941

there is a copy of Feb 16 2007 e-mail communication from James N. Tedisco, Assembly Republican Leader, to one of the members of our disabled veteran’s community here in Rensselaer County, wherein James N. Tedisco, Assembly Republican Leader, stated as follows:

I have been made aware of at least fifty “secret slush funds” dating back to the 2000-2001 State Budget listed as lump sum allocations without specific projects or legislators identified.

These “slush funds” total nearly $3.4 billion, far surpassing the $200 million “member-item” fund.

These monies have been allocated in a manner not subject to full public scrutiny, a practice which must stop with the current Legislature and Executive.

We need greater transparency, accountability, and awareness.

end quotes

After that, we never heard another word from James N. Tedisco, Assembly Republican Leader on the subject ….

DEAD SILENCE!

We assume that he went and blew the whistle on these slush funds to the “STEAMROLLER”, and so, the “STEAMROLLER” gave James N. Tedisco, Assembly Republican Leader, a couple of these slush funds to manage for himself …..

And whatever did happen, which we would still like to know, it is a fact that James N. Tedisco, Assembly Republican Leader did go silent on the subject ….

And then there is the TU story “Spitzer overture derails budget - Insiders say governor’s attempt to get funds for legislative minorities stalls capital project plans” by JAY JOCHNOWITZ, State editor, first published: Wednesday, April 4, 2007, wherein is stated about Jimmy “THE SELL-OUT” Tedisco as follows:

ALBANY — As state budget talks were going down to the wire, Gov. Eliot Spitzer threw an unheard-of idea on the table: borrow tens of millions of dollars and give them to legislators in the Senate and Assembly minorities for projects in their districts

*******

Insiders from both sides of the political aisle said the money Spitzer wanted to give out — at least $60 million for the Assembly Republicans and Senate Democrats — was the Democratic governor’s way of saying thanks for lawmakers’ support.

Many of the lawmakers backed Spitzer’s push for New York City Finance Commissioner Martha Stark to succeed former state Comptroller Alan Hevesi following a fraud scandal.

Insiders in both the governor’s and legislative circles say Spitzer was grateful for support from Senate Democrats and promised them money for pet projects.

When Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco got wind of that, they say, the Schenectady Republican pointed out to Spitzer that 25 of the 41 members of his party supported Stark, too.

end quotes

“JIMMY THE SELL-OUT” Tedisco, in action, selling out the people of the State of New York to “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer in exchange for some money for himself ....

But, hey, Jimmy has to make a living ….

And he is a Republican ….

So the sell-out part comes easy, or even natural ….

And so …

Comment by John Galt — May 17, 2007 @ 6:22 pm

http://blogs.timesunion.com/capitol/?p=4655#comments

[Livyjr]

NEW YORK BUSINESS.COM

"NYC unemployment hits 4.4% in April"

By: David Jones

Published: May 17, 2007 - 2:37 pm

New York City's unemployment rate rose to 4.4% in April, just slightly above its record low in March, according to seasonally adjusted figures from the state Labor Department released Thursday.

The latest figures also mark the ninth consecutive month that the city's unemployment rate has remained below 5%.

The March unemployment rate of 4.3% was the lowest rate in New York City since the department began collecting comparable data in 1976.

The unemployment rate in February was 4.8%.

New York state's unemployment rate edged up to 4.1% in April from 4% the previous month.

"In April 2007, the unemployment rates in New York state and New York City were below the comparable U.S. figure and remained low by historical standards," said David Trzaskos, director of the division of research and statistics, in a statement.

The nation's unemployment rate grew to 4.5% in April from 4.4% in March.

http://www.newyorkbusiness.com/apps/pbcs.d...70517008%2F1097

[Livyjr]

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE

May 16, 2007, 4:27 pm

"Spitzer and Leaders Meet, Fight"

By Danny Hakim

Gov. Eliot Spitzer and legislative leaders gathered in the Red Room of the Capitol today for their second public meeting since the budget was passed six weeks ago.

Almost immediately, they — and by they we mean Senate majority leader Joseph L. Bruno and the governor, with an assist from Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver — began squabbling before the cameras.

And they didn’t stop.

Comments so far...

May 16th, 2007 5:31 pm

This is the highest of high theater!

I try to think of who in Hollywood would stage a production like this as a movie, and outside of Mel Brooks, I keep drawing a blank ….

And to think of the extravagent price that we are paying for this farce!

And so ….

— Posted by Livyjr

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE:

What Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer is doing here, from a countrypersons’s perspective, is staging a FARCE on our dime ……

Yesterday, Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer usurped something which in our estimation he did not have a right to usurp, which is our legislature’s time to do their business when they are in session on the people’s business!

Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer wanted a charade where Joe Bruno would be seen as the “STEAMROLLER’S” dancing bear, with a collar around its neck, and a chain from that collar to Eliot Spitzer’s firm, guiding hand, while in his other hand, the “STEAMROLLER” holds a goad with which he prods Joe Bruno to dance for the crowd!

A farce!

And now that wasted time is gone, and with it, the chances that the legislature can accomplish anything in the time it has left to it in this session ...

Which robs us of our right to have our legislature working on our business while it is in session without Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer interfering in that business to stage his farce ….

And so ….

— Posted by Livyjr

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE

May 17th, 2007 10:16 pm

And so … it looks to me like the Gov was trying to find common ground and has moved on.

Mr Tedesco appears to get it.

After all, if Mr Bruno had a good side to parade he ought to use the opportunity to do so instead of engaging in subterfuge.

I’ve got to believe that the counter-argument to the Gov’s policies is better than Mr Bruno presented.

I support the Gov and am a D, but academically, the GOP has to offer better ideas than to quibble about format.

I saw a lot of agreement between all sides, but now the GOP needs someone that can better present their unique and important contributions to the discussion.

— Posted by Mike from Grand Island

May 18th, 2007 6:19 am

If the purpose of government in the State of NY was to simply be another soap opera, which is about all that it is right now, then what took place in Albany with this Spitzer-itic charade the other day would be right in its proper place, like a scene from the “Secret Storm”, or “Days of Our Lives”, or something similar!

However, if government here in NYS is to really be “government”, as we, the people intended it to be, back in 1777, when we established our first constitution, then this charade in Albany the other day can be seen for exactly what it was, which is a farce staged by Eliot Spitzer!

A farce which did nothing for us upstate people but waste our time and money!

I don’t know how it is done in any other state of the union, but here in NYS, the governor does not control the legislature, as if he were its “boss”, nor does he control any individual legislator, as if he were their supervisor, and nowhere in our Constitution is Eliot Spitzer given any authority whatsoever to stage farces on our dime under the rubric of “Leader’s Meetings”, which is nothing but pure invention on the part of Eliot Spitzer!

And the last thing that we need in upstate NY is another governor who “invents” the “law” as he goes along!

Sadly, the school system in NYS appears to have stopped teaching NYS history and the NYS Constitution a long, long time ago, to the point that people in NYS today are or appear to be totally ignorant of the fact that we have a very long history here in NYS with “executives” who are prone to abuse the power of the office of “executive”, which is why, in our state Constitution, we have given the office of executive but little power, and what we have given the executive in our state Constitution is as follows from our own state archives:

New York’s constitution of 1777 created the office of governor “to take care that the laws are faithfully executed” and “to transact all necessary business with the officers of government.”

If Eliot Spitzer were to actually “take care that the laws are faithfully executed”, that farce the other day would never have happened!

But then Eliot Spitzer would have missed out on an opportunity to play at partisan politics before a crowd “in his room”, as he calls it, and he would have missed out on an opportunioty to posture before the media, and his fans, and people in NYS would have been deprived of a circus to amuse them ….

So we didn’t have “government” the other day, we had a farce, instead, starring Eliot Spitzer as the Impresario, and Joe Bruno as the odd man out, Eliot Spitzer’s tame “dancing bear” who does tricks for the crowd at Eliot Spitzer’s command, and Shellie Silver and his crowd, along with Jimmy Tedisco serving as the bit players and adulators of the “STEAMROLLER”, in the “STEAMROLLER MADE-FOR-TV SHOW” ….

And I am neither a Republican, nor a Democrat ….

Just a common ordinary NYS citizen with a strong belief in and desire for a return to constitutional government here in NYS, instead of farces staged by Eliot Spitzer to entertain the masses at Joe Bruno’s expense, and ours, as well …

And so ….

— Posted by Livyjr

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

[Livyjr]

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE

May 18th, 2007 6:19 am

If the purpose of government in the State of NY was to simply be another soap opera, which is about all that it is right now, then what took place in Albany with this Spitzer-itic charade the other day would be right in its proper place, like a scene from the “Secret Storm”, or “Days of Our Lives”, or something similar!

However, if government here in NYS is to really be “government”, as we, the people intended it to be, back in 1777, when we established our first constitution, then this charade in Albany the other day can be seen for exactly what it was, which is a farce staged by Eliot Spitzer!

A farce which did nothing for us upstate people but waste our time and money!

I don’t know how it is done in any other state of the union, but here in NYS, the governor does not control the legislature, as if he were its “boss”, nor does he control any individual legislator, as if he were their supervisor, and nowhere in our Constitution is Eliot Spitzer given any authority whatsoever to stage farces on our dime under the rubric of “Leader’s Meetings”, which is nothing but pure invention on the part of Eliot Spitzer!

And the last thing that we need in upstate NY is another governor who “invents” the “law” as he goes along!

Sadly, the school system in NYS appears to have stopped teaching NYS history and the NYS Constitution a long, long time ago, to the point that people in NYS today are or appear to be totally ignorant of the fact that we have a very long history here in NYS with “executives” who are prone to abuse the power of the office of “executive”, which is why, in our state Constitution, we have given the office of executive but little power, and what we have given the executive in our state Constitution is as follows from our own state archives:

New York’s constitution of 1777 created the office of governor “to take care that the laws are faithfully executed” and “to transact all necessary business with the officers of government.”

If Eliot Spitzer were to actually “take care that the laws are faithfully executed”, that farce the other day would never have happened!

But then Eliot Spitzer would have missed out on an opportunity to play at partisan politics before a crowd “in his room”, as he calls it, and he would have missed out on an opportunioty to posture before the media, and his fans, and people in NYS would have been deprived of a circus to amuse them ….

So we didn’t have “government” the other day, we had a farce, instead, starring Eliot Spitzer as the Impresario, and Joe Bruno as the odd man out, Eliot Spitzer’s tame “dancing bear” who does tricks for the crowd at Eliot Spitzer’s command, and Shellie Silver and his crowd, along with Jimmy Tedisco serving as the bit players and adulators of the “STEAMROLLER”, in the “STEAMROLLER MADE-FOR-TV SHOW” ….

And I am neither a Republican, nor a Democrat ….

Just a common ordinary NYS citizen with a strong belief in and desire for a return to constitutional government here in NYS, instead of farces staged by Eliot Spitzer to entertain the masses at Joe Bruno’s expense, and ours, as well …

And so ….

— Posted by Livyjr

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE

May 18th, 2007 10:43 am

The argument above seems to be with the camera because the various branches and houses have always had to caucus.

Three men in a room+ has been going on since 1777.

Three men in a room+ with a camera is an improvement.

In 1777, who among us would be a Tory and who would be a revolutionary?

— Posted by Mike from Grand Island

May 18th, 2007 6:46 pm

The argument in post #7 has to do with many things, actually, starting with Constitutional process in the State of New York, and what it means for Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer to be “taking care that the laws are faithfully executed” in the State of NY!

And here it must be said as a preamble that unlike the US Constitution, which did not even come into existence until ten years after the NYS Constitution, the NYS Constitution begins with our Bill of Rights.

In the state of NY, our Bill of Rights is not an afterthought; to the contrary, it is the basis for “rule of law” here in NYS, and Section 1 of our NYS Bill of Rights provides:

No member of this state shall be disfranchised, or deprived of any of the rights or privileges secured to any citizen thereof, unless by the law of the land, or the judgment of his or her peers!

Our Constitution then proceeds from the Bill of Rights of the citizens of this state to Suffrage, and then to Legislature, and finally, to the Executive!

And with respect to 1777, the Bill of Rights of our NYS Constitution contains this interesting provision in § 14 with respect to the “balance of government power” here in NYS:

Such parts of the common law, and of the acts of the legislature of the colony of New York, as together did form the law of the said colony, on the nineteenth day of April, one thousand seven hundred seventy-five, and the resolutions of the congress of the said colony, and of the convention of the State of New York, in force on the twentieth day of April, one thousand seven hundred seventy-seven, which have not since expired, or been repealed or altered; and such acts of the legislature of this state as are now in force, shall be and continue the law of this state, subject to such alterations as the legislature shall make concerning the same. But all such parts of the common law, and such of the said acts, or parts thereof, as are repugnant to this constitution, are hereby abrogated.

ABROGATION: The destruction or annulling of a former law, by an act of the legislative power, by constitutional authority, or by usage.

- Black’s Law Dictionary

In 1777, we, the people of the State of NY purposefully placed the legislative power of the State of New York in the two houses of the NYS Legislature, which is a totally separate branch of our NYS government, responsible to us, the people of this state, and purposefully, we did not give the executive of the state of NY power over our Legislature such as the English Royal Governors had when we were still a colony in 1775!

To be sure, there must be interaction between the two houses of our state legislature, and to be sure, there must be some type of interaction between our state Legislature, and the governor of the state, and here, it would seem, is where issue has been joined in this particular thread!

Or to put it in the form of a question, how does the executive in the State of NY interact with the Legislative branch?

Does the executive, pursuant to our state Constitution, interact with the Legislative branch by summoning them to what the executive is calling a “leader’s meeting” in the Red Room of the NYS Capital?

More specifically, does the executive, pursuant to our state Constitution, have the authority, jurisdiction or discretion to summon Joe Bruno, a NYS senator, to the Red Room of the NYS Capital, for what the executive is calling a “leader’s meeting”?

And the answer is no, he does not have that authority, jurisdiction or discretion, unless the NYS Constitution or a law from our state Legislature gives it to him, and neither does!

To my knowledge, our state Legislature has never passed a law that gives the executive of the state of NY any authority, jurisdiction or discretion to call “leader’s meetings”, where the governor can summon members of our state Legislature to his “room” as if they answered to him, and not to us, and our Constitution certainly does not give him that authority, jurisdiction or discretion …

And so …

Tories of course would be for Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer acting as if he were in actuality a royal governor of the state of NY with the authority to summon and disband our state Legislature, as if he were the reincarnation of Lord Cornbury, while a revolutionary would be for our state Constitution being enforced by the executive as it is written ….

And so ….

— Posted by Livyjr

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

[Livyjr]

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE

Tories of course would be for Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer acting as if he were in actuality a royal governor of the state of NY with the authority to summon and disband our state Legislature, as if he were the reincarnation of Lord Cornbury, while a revolutionary would be for our state Constitution being enforced by the executive as it is written ….

And so ….

— Posted by Livyjr

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS DAILY POLITICS BLOG:

"Free Political Theater - The second six-way leaders meeting is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. this afternoon."

If you are in need of some afternoon distraction - perhaps a little lunchtime drama - you can use this link to tune in.

(At least, that's what the governor's press office tells us).

Gov. Eliot Spitzer has vowed to hold one of these get-togethers every week for the remainder of the session, which ends June 22, and says he'll even involve some rank-and-file members, too.

Surprisingly, I've heard more grumbling than cheers about this for lawmakers.

Several have privately intimated that they would prefer that Spitzer butt out of the legislative process and let them dispose of the hundreds of bills that are slowly wending their way through the Albany system.

Among the issues that surfaced in the state comptroller battle was the long-simmering question of the balance of power between the executive branch (very strong in New York) and the legislative branch.

The Constitution clearly gave the Legislature the right to pick the new comptroller, but Spitzer nevertheless got involved.

The Constitution also clearly lays out the roles when it comes to the budget process, but nowhere does it speak to an executive's right to a legislative agenda.

Posted by Elizabeth Benjamin on May 16, 2007 11:48 AM

Contact: ebenjamin@nydailynews.com

Comments

EB says: Among the issues that surfaced in the state comptroller battle was the long-simmering question of the balance of power between the executive branch (very strong in New York) and the legislative branch.

JOHN GALT REPLIES: Here, I must respectfully disagree with EB's characterization of the executive branch of government in NYS as being "very strong"!

For it is not, at all, on purpose, and by design of WE, THE PEOPLE!

In fact, compared to what we had before 1776, the office of executive of NYS is quite weak, which is exactly the way it should be in a government "exerted under the authority of the people of the colonies for the preservation of internal peace, virtue, and good order, as well as for the defense of our lives, liberties, and properties, against the hostile invasions and cruel depredations of our enemies", which is language taken directly from our first state Constitution, dated April 20, 1777:

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/states/ny01.htm.

And in the language of our first Constitution is OUR COMMON HISTORY as citizens of the state of New York, regardless of political affiliation, allegedly, anyway, since today, politics does in fact trump the language of the NYS Constitution to the point of where the Constitution in actuality no longer exists, except as a sentiment, perhaps, like Romans in the age of Augustus wishing for a return of the REPUBLIC ....

Which brings us to this statement from our first Constitution, of the times that we were in back then, on the "day before":

"Whereas the many tyrannical and oppressive usurpations of the King and Parliament of Great Britain on the rights and liberties of the people of the American colonies had reduced them to the necessity of introducing a government by congresses and committees, as temporary expedients, and to exist no longer than the grievances of the people should remain without redress ...."

TYRANNICAL AND OPPRESSIVE USURPATIONS OF THE KING ON THE RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES OF THE PEOPLE ....

We had one King then as a "very strong" executive branch of government, and when we brought forth our first Constitution, it was to say "NEVER MORE!"

And it did ....

And now?

Well, now, we have a state full of people who cannot remember back before about two-or-three-words-of-a-simple-sentence ago, and apparently, the New York State Constitution is no longer taught in school here in NYS as something every state citizen should know about ....

So that now, instead of just the one KING in NYS with his many tyrannical and oppressive usurpations on the rights and liberties of the people that we had back then, now, we have at least two of them, "BIG JOE" Bruno being the one, of course, and then, there is the other pretender to the throne, "STEAMROLLER" Spitzer, and here we all are, right back in the same **** that we had back in 1776, with a "very strong" executive, who like "STEAMROLLER" Spitzer was also a TYRANT ....

And a blithering wind-bag, like the "STEAMROLLER", to boot .....

"IT'S MY ROOM, I SET THE AGENDA ...."

And so ....

Posted by: John Galt | May 17, 2007 7:32 AM

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypoli...r.html#comments

[Livyjr]

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE

May 18th, 2007 10:43 am

The argument above seems to be with the camera because the various branches and houses have always had to caucus.

Three men in a room+ has been going on since 1777.

Three men in a room+ with a camera is an improvement.

In 1777, who among us would be a Tory and who would be a revolutionary?

— Posted by Mike from Grand Island

May 18th, 2007 6:46 pm

The argument in post #7 has to do with many things, actually, starting with Constitutional process in the State of New York, and what it means for Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer to be “taking care that the laws are faithfully executed” in the State of NY!

And here it must be said as a preamble that unlike the US Constitution, which did not even come into existence until ten years after the NYS Constitution, the NYS Constitution begins with our Bill of Rights.

In the state of NY, our Bill of Rights is not an afterthought; to the contrary, it is the basis for “rule of law” here in NYS, and Section 1 of our NYS Bill of Rights provides:

No member of this state shall be disfranchised, or deprived of any of the rights or privileges secured to any citizen thereof, unless by the law of the land, or the judgment of his or her peers!

Our Constitution then proceeds from the Bill of Rights of the citizens of this state to Suffrage, and then to Legislature, and finally, to the Executive!

And with respect to 1777, the Bill of Rights of our NYS Constitution contains this interesting provision in § 14 with respect to the “balance of government power” here in NYS:

Such parts of the common law, and of the acts of the legislature of the colony of New York, as together did form the law of the said colony, on the nineteenth day of April, one thousand seven hundred seventy-five, and the resolutions of the congress of the said colony, and of the convention of the State of New York, in force on the twentieth day of April, one thousand seven hundred seventy-seven, which have not since expired, or been repealed or altered; and such acts of the legislature of this state as are now in force, shall be and continue the law of this state, subject to such alterations as the legislature shall make concerning the same. But all such parts of the common law, and such of the said acts, or parts thereof, as are repugnant to this constitution, are hereby abrogated.

ABROGATION: The destruction or annulling of a former law, by an act of the legislative power, by constitutional authority, or by usage.

- Black’s Law Dictionary

In 1777, we, the people of the State of NY purposefully placed the legislative power of the State of New York in the two houses of the NYS Legislature, which is a totally separate branch of our NYS government, responsible to us, the people of this state, and purposefully, we did not give the executive of the state of NY power over our Legislature such as the English Royal Governors had when we were still a colony in 1775!

To be sure, there must be interaction between the two houses of our state legislature, and to be sure, there must be some type of interaction between our state Legislature, and the governor of the state, and here, it would seem, is where issue has been joined in this particular thread!

Or to put it in the form of a question, how does the executive in the State of NY interact with the Legislative branch?

Does the executive, pursuant to our state Constitution, interact with the Legislative branch by summoning them to what the executive is calling a “leader’s meeting” in the Red Room of the NYS Capital?

More specifically, does the executive, pursuant to our state Constitution, have the authority, jurisdiction or discretion to summon Joe Bruno, a NYS senator, to the Red Room of the NYS Capital, for what the executive is calling a “leader’s meeting”?

And the answer is no, he does not have that authority, jurisdiction or discretion, unless the NYS Constitution or a law from our state Legislature gives it to him, and neither does!

To my knowledge, our state Legislature has never passed a law that gives the executive of the state of NY any authority, jurisdiction or discretion to call “leader’s meetings”, where the governor can summon members of our state Legislature to his “room” as if they answered to him, and not to us, and our Constitution certainly does not give him that authority, jurisdiction or discretion …

And so …

Tories of course would be for Eliot “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer acting as if he were in actuality a royal governor of the state of NY with the authority to summon and disband our state Legislature, as if he were the reincarnation of Lord Cornbury, while a revolutionary would be for our state Constitution being enforced by the executive as it is written ….

And so ….

— Posted by Livyjr

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE

May 19th, 2007 3:18 pm

And to carry this discussion on the relationship between the executive branch of government here in NYS and the legislative branch just a step further, with respect to the total independence of our legislative branch of government, here in NYS, from the influence of the executive branch, § 9 of ART. III of our NYS Constitution provides:

Each house shall determine the rules of its own proceedings, and be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members; shall choose its own officers; and the senate shall choose a temporary president and the assembly shall choose a speaker.

Nowhere in our NYS Constitution is the executive given any authority, jurisdiction or discretion with respect to the internal workings of our legislative branch, and a review of the statement of facts to the candid world of the Declaration of Independence of the thirteen original “United States of America”, including NYS, from England in 1776, one year before the original NYS Constitution came into being, helps to shed some light on why our NYS Constitution takes great care to express in clear and unequivocal language the total independence of our legislative branch of government here in NYS from the executive.

And as that same language from the statement of facts to the candid world in the 1776 Declaration of Independence serves to more than amply demonstrate to the candid world once again today why we upstate folks, at least, still cherish the total independence of our Legislative branch from the executive, it would be helpful to this on-going discussion in here to include them, and so:

Let facts be submitted to a candid world:

He (the King) has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and, when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them, and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing, with manly firmness, his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining, in the mean time, exposed to all the dangers of invasions from without and convulsions within.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution and unacknowledged by our laws, giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments;

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.

end quotes

So, clearly, at the time the NYS Constitution came into being in 1777, there was more than ample evidence, based on hard experience, that having the executive in charge of the legislature was a recipe for disaster to democracy, and so, in NYS, the executive was given no such powers, and to the contrary, pursuant to § 3 of ART. IV, the governor was made subordinate to the laws of NYS that originate in the legislative branch, once they are in fact signed into law:

The governor shall expedite all such measures as may be resolved upon by the legislature, and shall take care that the laws are faithfully executed.

And with respect to this “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer in NYS today, and his blatant and obvious attempts to exert his influence on our NYS Legislature, as if he were in fact Lord Cornbury, the Royal Governor reborn, as opposed to a NYS governor acting pursuant to ART. IV of our NYS Constitution, it might be apt to end this post with these concluding words from the 1776 Declaration of Independence:

A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

A sentiment which we free people in upstate NY still agree with today ….

And so ….

— Posted by Livyjr

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

[Livyjr]

THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS DAILY POLITICS BLOG:

"Education Commissioner In Assembly GOP Crosshairs - Assembly Republicans are holding a hearing May 31 to expose what they say are 'a series of failures' by the Board of Regents, the state Education Department, and its commissioner, Richard Mills."

The minority sent a letter to Mills last week, asking him and Chancellor Robert Bennett to testify at the hearing, which will be held in Hearing Room C of the LOB in Albany at 5 p.m.

"Over the past several years, the mistakes and negligence committed by Commissioner Mills and the State Education Department have been egregious and it is obvious that the best interests of New York’s children are not being met," Tedisco said in a press release.

"From the recent statewide contingency budget fiasco to the failure to post school report cards, it is clear that the Department needs an overhaul from the top on down."

The 16 regents are the rare state officials chosen by the Legislature rather than the governor (with the GOP-dominated Senate's approval).

With the wide Democratic margin in the Assembly, this means their selection is controlled by the Democrats - much to the long-running chagrin of the GOP.

The Legislature-appointed regents, in turn, appoint the commissioner.

This was something former Gov. George Pataki tried repreatedly to change, but to no avail.

In March, the Senate Republicans announced legislation that would enable the governor (regardless of political affiliation) to pick the education commissioner.

Gov. Eliot Spitzer reportedly is no fan of Mills, but has yet to move to try to get rid of him, which would be a heavy political lift.

The Assembly Republicans specific concerns about SED et al appear after the jump.

- The six-month delay in the release of 2007 report cards grading the state's public schools.

- The Roosevelt Free School District - the only school district operated by the state - has a $9.5 million deficit.

- Misinformation about the maximum allowable contingency budget for school districts, which, contrary to SED's original claim, does not include charter school spending.

- Problems with regents exams.

- Too much mandated paperwork that takes time away from academics.

- Slow turnaround in releasing standardized test scores.

Posted by Elizabeth Benjamin on May 20, 2007 3:11 PM

Comments

Ah, yes, here we go again, folks!

"WORTHLESS JIMMY" Tedisco and his press releases!

If only that were all it took to run government, and conduct the people's business, here in NYS!

According to EB, "WORTHLESS JIMMY" Tedisco said in his press release:

"Over the past several years, the mistakes and negligence committed by Commissioner Mills and the State Education Department have been egregious and it is obvious that the best interests of New York’s children are not being met" ...

SO ....

The key words here would seem to be "over the past several years" ...

Which brings us right back to ART. VII of our state Constitution, and this just-past budget cycle, and opportunities to do things right for a change in NYS that were instead lost!

With respect to "opportunities lost" and this press release by "WORTHLESS JIMMY" Tedisco, ARTICLE VII of our state Constitution, entitled "State Finances" provides in § 3 that:

"The governor and the heads of departments shall have the right, and it shall be the duty of the heads of departments when requested by either house of the legislature or an appropriate committee thereof, to appear and be heard in respect to the budget during the consideration thereof, and to answer inquiries relevant thereto."

It would seem from his own language in "WORTHLESS JIMMY" Tedisco's press release above here that he was aware during this last budget go-round that "Over the past several years, the mistakes and negligence committed by Commissioner Mills and the State Education Department have been egregious ..."

Which then begs the question of why "WORTHLESS JIMMY" Tedisco chose to stay silent on the issue back during the budget cycle, when he might have been able to make a difference, instead of waiting until now ....

And so ....

Posted by: John Galt | May 20, 2007 3:48 PM

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypoli...assembly_g.html

[Livyjr]

"Report: Phillips manhunt flawed - Internal review cites State Police failures in command oversight, communications"

Associated Press

First published: Friday, May 18, 2007

ALBANY -- An internal review of state police conduct during the hunt for former fugitive Ralph "Bucky" Phillips found several weaknesses in the agency's handling of the case.

Portions of the 160-page report, scheduled to be released in its entirety today, were obtained Thursday by The Buffalo News.

Among the agency flaws, the report found local commanders were not in the field enough to oversee operations, and communication equipment used by law enforcement allowed those helping Phillips to eavesdrop on police conversations.

After escaping from the Erie County Correctional Facility April 2, Phillips led police on a massive manhunt before being captured Sept. 8.

Before he was caught Phillips shot three state troopers, one fatally.

The internal review said "personal visits to the site of manhunts by field command personnel should have been more frequent during the operation, and there should have been less reliance on telephonic and electronic communications."

"Had the frequency of such personal command staff visits been greater during this manhunt, it is quite possible that some of the problems and issues identified would have been noted and addressed at the time they occurred."

Another portion of the report found that "a majority" of police agencies interviewed found the communication and cooperation between the State Police and other agencies "in the range from effective to excellent."

The chiefs or officers in charge of every outside police agency involved during the manhunt were interviewed for the review.

The report also said Phillips had "significant support from a network of friends and family" during his time on the run.

The police radios, cellphones and other communications devices used during the search were less than secure, allowing "Phillips sympathizers" to gather information about the manhunt, the report said.

Phillips opened fire on Trooper Sean Brown during a traffic stop June 10 near Elmira.

Brown was hit once but recovered.

Phillips ambushed Troopers Joseph Longobardo and Donald Baker Jr. Aug. 31 with a high-powered rifle, shooting each of them once.

Longobardo died three days later.

Baker was hospitalized for almost three months.

The Police Benevolent Association of New York State Troopers has been critical of decisions by local commanders in Western New York during the search.

Phillips is serving 40 years to life in prison in Clinton County Correctional Facility.

[Livyjr]

THE NEW YORK POST

"GOP LAUNCHES BLITZ ON SPITZ - CALL HIM REFORM 'HYPOCRITE'"

By FREDRIC U. DICKER State Editor

JOSEPH BRUNO - Says Eliot's a "fraud."

May 17, 2007 -- ALBANY - Top state Republicans ripped Gov. Spitzer yesterday as a "hypocrite" for proposing campaign-finance reforms that he and his wife Silda Wall routinely violate.

"I'm going to keep calling him and everyone around him a hypocrite," said Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Rensselaer.)

"He has two sets of rules, one for himself and one for everybody else . . ."

"It's a fraud," Bruno continued.

Bruno was responding to a question on Albany's WROW-AM about The Post's disclosure yesterday that Silda Spitzer was sponsoring a ritzy, Central Park South, Democratic Party fund-raiser for which individuals - and controversial limited-liability corporations - are being solicited for up to $94,200 each.

Spitzer spokeswoman Christine Anderson insisted the fund-raising, including by the state's first lady, did not contradict the governor's commitment to reform.

"The governor voluntarily imposed on himself the most stringent campaign-finance restrictions in the state, but doesn't expect other candidates and the state Democratic Party to unilaterally disarm," said Anderson.

The Post disclosed last month that Spitzer, who has made campaign-finance reform a central focus of his first year in office, was encouraging would-be contributors to his re-election campaign to "bundle" - raise from others - as much as $1 million - in exchange for special access to him.

He's also invited contributors to his upcoming birthday party fund-raiser to bundle $100,000 in order to become a "chair" of the event.

For that much money, the "bundler" receives four seats at a private dinner with the governor and his or her name is listed on the official event program.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05172007/news/...tate_editor.htm

THE NEW YORK POST

"WIFE STAGING RITZY SPITZY BA$H"

By FREDRIC U. DICKER

May 16, 2007 -- ALBANY - Gov. Spitzer's wife, Silda, is sponsoring a ritzy, Central Park South, Democratic Party fund-raiser for which individuals - and controversial limited-liability corporations - are being solicited for up to $94,200 each, The Post has learned.

The huge contributions sought for the June 12 event at the home of Dale Hemmerdinger, until recently the head of the nonpartisan Citizens Budget Commission, are at variance with Spitzer's self-imposed cap on contributions in excess of $10,000 for his re-election committee.

Seeking contributions from LLCs, which have proliferated in recent years as parent companies seek to escape the $5,000-per-regular-corporation limit imposed by state election law, is also at variance with the governor's recent call for banning such contributions.

The event, slated to be held five days after the governor's own "birthday party" bash - for which would-be contributors have been urged to "bundle" up to $100,000 each - is billed as an opportunity "for cocktails with the First Lady of New York State, Silda Wall Spitzer."

Participants can attend for as little as $250, but the invitation invites them to pay $10,000 to serve as "co-host."

The fine print notifies potential contributors that the party's "non-federal campaign account can also accept checks of up to $94,200 from individuals, PACs, partnerships and LLCs."

Spitzer has been sharply criticized by good-government groups and the Republican Party for seemingly contradictory positions as he advocated for campaign-finance "reform" while engaging in the same activities he said should be outlawed.

fredric.dicker@nypost.com

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05162007/news/...c_u__dicker.htm

[Livyjr]

"State bulks up on green activists - Two DEC appointees bring experience in environmental advocacy"

By BRIAN NEARING, Staff writer, Albany, New York Times Union

First published: Wednesday, May 16, 2007

ALBANY -- Two more leaders from the environmental movement are taking high-ranking positions at the state Department of Environmental Conservation under the green-friendly administration of Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

Willie Janeway, a lobbyist for The Nature Conservancy, and Suzanne Mattei, the Sierra Club's New York City executive, will start Thursday as regional DEC directors, Commissioner Peter Grannis said in a statement Tuesday.

Janeway, who in the late 1990s was executive director of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission, will head the Region 3 office in New Paltz.

Mattei will hold New York City's Region 2 office.

The jobs have paid $131,978 and $124,518, respectively.

The appointments continue a trend begun in January when Spitzer picked Judith Enck, a longtime environmental activist, as his deputy secretary for the environment.

He recently nominated Richard Booth, a former Adirondack Council official, to head the Adirondack Park Agency, and named Peter Iwanowicz, a vice president of the American Lung Association of New York State, as director of DEC's newly-expanded climate change office.

"We have to make smart growth not just a slogan," Janeway said.

He cited challenges in the region, which includes Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties.

Janeway has been executive director of the Hudson Valley Greenway Conservancy and operations director of the Adirondack Mountain Club.

He also will exit as chairman of the Friends of New York's Environment, a coalition of more than 200 environmental, health, agricultural, parks, recreational and urban groups that has lobbied for an expanded bottle bill and more staffing for DEC and state parks.

"This coalition has been around for years," said Jessica Ottney, director of state government relations with The Nature Conservancy.

She said Janeway will be a big loss but the group will succeed.

At the Sierra Club, Mattei highlighted health impacts of the World Trade Center attack, and sought better childhood lead poisoning prevention and Staten Island wetlands protection.

From 1998 to 2003, she was an associate counsel and public policy director for the New York State Trial Lawyers Association.

She worked for the New York City Public Advocate and the New York City comptroller.

Brian Nearing can be reached at 454-5094 or by e-mail at bnearing@timesunion.com.

[Livyjr]

THE NEW YORK POST

"GOP LAUNCHES BLITZ ON SPITZ - CALL HIM REFORM 'HYPOCRITE'"

By FREDRIC U. DICKER State Editor

May 17, 2007 -- ALBANY - Bruno, meanwhile, followed up his attack on Spitzer at a public "leaders meeting" called by the governor to advance his legislative agenda.

Bruno called the gathering "a total waste of time" after Spitzer insisted that individual members of the Legislature be allowed to make presentations during what was supposed to be a negotiating session on major issues.

Spitzer, who held the meeting in the ornate Red Room next to his personal office, shot back, "This is my room and we'll play by my rules."

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05172007/news/...tate_editor.htm

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE

May 19th, 2007 3:18 pm

And to carry this discussion on the relationship between the executive branch of government here in NYS and the legislative branch just a step further, with respect to the total independence of our legislative branch of government, here in NYS, from the influence of the executive branch, § 9 of ART. III of our NYS Constitution provides:

Each house shall determine the rules of its own proceedings, and be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members; shall choose its own officers; and the senate shall choose a temporary president and the assembly shall choose a speaker.

Nowhere in our NYS Constitution is the executive given any authority, jurisdiction or discretion with respect to the internal workings of our legislative branch, and a review of the statement of facts to the candid world of the Declaration of Independence of the thirteen original “United States of America”, including NYS, from England in 1776, one year before the original NYS Constitution came into being, helps to shed some light on why our NYS Constitution takes great care to express in clear and unequivocal language the total independence of our legislative branch of government here in NYS from the executive.

And as that same language from the statement of facts to the candid world in the 1776 Declaration of Independence serves to more than amply demonstrate to the candid world once again today why we upstate folks, at least, still cherish the total independence of our Legislative branch from the executive, it would be helpful to this on-going discussion in here to include them, and so:

Let facts be submitted to a candid world:

He (the King) has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and, when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them, and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing, with manly firmness, his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining, in the mean time, exposed to all the dangers of invasions from without and convulsions within.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution and unacknowledged by our laws, giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments;

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.

end quotes

So, clearly, at the time the NYS Constitution came into being in 1777, there was more than ample evidence, based on hard experience, that having the executive in charge of the legislature was a recipe for disaster to democracy, and so, in NYS, the executive was given no such powers, and to the contrary, pursuant to § 3 of ART. IV, the governor was made subordinate to the laws of NYS that originate in the legislative branch, once they are in fact signed into law:

The governor shall expedite all such measures as may be resolved upon by the legislature, and shall take care that the laws are faithfully executed.

And with respect to this “STEAMROLLER” Spitzer in NYS today, and his blatant and obvious attempts to exert his influence on our NYS Legislature, as if he were in fact Lord Cornbury, the Royal Governor reborn, as opposed to a NYS governor acting pursuant to ART. IV of our NYS Constitution, it might be apt to end this post with these concluding words from the 1776 Declaration of Independence:

A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

A sentiment which we free people in upstate NY still agree with today ….

And so ….

— Posted by Livyjr

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE

May 20th, 2007 2:55 pm

And continuing just a bit further in here with this discussion of the relationship between the “executive” branch of government here in NYS with the “legislative” branch, since that issue has been raised, it is indeed true that in NYS, the governor, as “executive”, can summon the legislature, as a body, and that specific language is found in § 3 of ART. IV of our state Constitution as follows:

“The governor shall have power to convene the legislature, or the senate only, on extraordinary occasions. At extraordinary sessions convened pursuant to the provisions of this section no subject shall be acted upon, except such as the governor may recommend for consideration.”

And from a careful “read” of that Constitutional language, it can clearly be seen that from the citizen’s standpoint, which is what I am, there are three key words in that statement, those three words being “extraordinary”, “recommend” and “consideration”.

EXTRAORDINARY: going beyond what is usual, regular or customary; exceptional to a very marked extent!

RECOMMEND: to present as worthy of acceptance or trial; to endorse as fit, worthy or competent; advise!

CONSIDERATION: continuous and careful thought, an opinion obtained by reflection!

- Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary

That is not what happened, however, with respect to this “leader’s meeting”, or farce, that is being discussed in here, however ….

Neither the full legislature nor the senate were convened by the “STEAMROLLER”, only the “leaders” were “summoned”; there was nothing at all “extraordinary” to justify the “STEAMROLLER” summoning these people to this farce, outside of his continuous need to get his name in print through publicity stunts such as this farce of a “leader’s meeting”; there were no recommendations put forth by the “STEAMROLLER”; and most importantly, he gave neither the full legislature nor the senate anything for them to consider, other than that he was wasting their time, and by extension, ours, since it is on our business that the legislature is meeting right now …

And so …..

— Posted by Livyjr

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

[Livyjr]

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE

May 20th, 2007 2:55 pm

Neither the full legislature nor the senate were convened by the “STEAMROLLER”, only the “leaders” were “summoned”; there was nothing at all “extraordinary” to justify the “STEAMROLLER” summoning these people to this farce, outside of his continuous need to get his name in print through publicity stunts such as this farce of a “leader’s meeting”; there were no recommendations put forth by the “STEAMROLLER”; and most importantly, he gave neither the full legislature nor the senate anything for them to consider, other than that he was wasting their time, and by extension, ours, since it is on our business that the legislature is meeting right now …

And so …..

— Posted by Livyjr

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

THE NEW YORK POST

"CREW 'CHAOS' CRISIS CRIPPLING SPITZER"

May 21, 2007 -- GOV. Spitzer's 4 1/2-month-old administration is in "chaos," insiders have told The Post, torn by rivalries, hobbled by inexperienced and incompetent personnel, and unsure if it can get the governor's agenda through an increasingly recalcitrant Legislature.

The situation is so bad, the insiders said, that the governor is increasingly viewed as ineffective by even his most important Democratic allies, and his entire legislative agenda - including his key campaign promises to reform state government and improve the upstate economy - is in danger of being lost.

"When you look closely, you can see that the second floor is in chaos," said a source in regular contact with the governor's office, referring to Spitzer's offices at the Capitol.

Widely faulted for the problems is Spitzer's longtime confidant Richard Baum, the governor's secretary and chief-of-staff.

"Baum is invisible."

"Basically, he's in the background and not providing any leadership at all," said a source who deals with him frequently.

Baum is described as a close office ally of Darren Dopp, the governor's communications director, who has usurped the function of other appointees by taking on multiple roles, including liaison to key figures in the Legislature, several sources said.

Baum and Dopp are said to be allied against another powerful faction, headed by Lloyd Constantine, a deputy secretary and longtime Spitzer friend, and Paul Francis, the governor's budget director.

Constantine and Francis, unlike Baum and Dopp, have extensive private-sector experience and were described by two insiders as the "grown-ups within the administration."

Baum's first deputy, onetime attorney-general hopeful Sean Patrick Maloney, is widely described as a "control freak" who micro-manages decisions.

A high-ranking official said Maloney's penchant for control has often damaged administration morale, citing a case last week when Maloney allegedly blocked several aides from meeting Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as she toured Spitzer's office after an endorsement rally.

"Maloney was bragging, 'If I didn't mention your name to come into the room, you can't come in.'"

"So, as a result, when Hillary finally went in, there was virtually nobody there," said a source.

Meanwhile, two longtime upstate Democratic activists who were given high-level jobs when Spitzer took office are described as having been "put in the closet" with little to do by the governor.

They are Marty Mack, the deputy director of state operations, and Michael Schell, the executive assistant to the governor, the sources said.

Olivia Golden, Mack's immediate boss and Spitzer's director of state operations - normally the third-most-powerful post in state government - is described as "invisible."

"Nobody knows who she is."

"You mention her to people, and they don't know who you're talking about," said a source who, because of his position, should have frequent contact with her.

A longtime Spitzer associate and influential Democrat said he feared for the future of the governor's administration.

"The bottom line is that nobody in Spitzer's office is really in control, and Spitzer himself isn't sure what to do next," the influential Democrat contended.

fredric.dicker@nypost.com

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05212007/news/...c_u__dicker.htm

[Livyjr]

"District attorney candidate picked - Rensselaer County GOP nominates Gregory Cholakis to run"

By BOB GARDINIER, Staff writer, Albany, New York Times Union

First published: Saturday, April 28, 2007

TROY -- The county GOP on Friday night picked First Assistant Public Defender Gregory Cholakis as its choice to succeed Republican Patricia DeAngelis, who will not seek re-election.

The move comes one day after Republican City Council member Henry Bauer stood on the corner of Bond and River streets to announce his candidacy for the $119,600 a year post.

But he was not among the picks being considered by the GOP.

Instead, the party's executive committee met to choose between Deputy District Attorney Dan Hanlon, a successful no-nonsense county prosecutor, or Cholakis.

The vote for Cholakis was unanimous, according to GOP County Chairman Jack Casey.

"We're very gratified for his interest in this position."

"He's a great person with great skills in the legal field."

"We look forward to an energized campaign and victory in November," said Casey.

Cholakis, 41, works as a public defender in the county courthouse named for his late father, federal judge Con. G. Cholakis.

The Troy resident has been with the office for 14 years and has been practicing law for 15 years.

His sister, Kiki Cholakis, is a Family Court judge.

Hanlon, 36, has been with the district attorney's office for 10 years in various roles.

He lives in Averill Park.

The GOP committee also endorsed incumbent Jack Mahar for county sheriff.

Mahar was unopposed, Casey said.

Bauer, a former city judge and current City Council president, had hoped for a nod from the county GOP executive committee, but it never came.

Bauer, who was removed from the bench by the Court of Appeals in 2004, will now face off in a primary against Cholakis.

Democrats interested include attorney Timothy Nugent and county conflict defender Richard J. McNally Jr.

DeAngelis, who has had a number of reversals of cases she prosecuted and was chastised by the higher courts for prosecutorial errors and misconduct, announced in March she would not run for re-election.

ALBANY, NEW YORK TIMES UNION LOCAL POLITICS BLOG:

I was just at the web-site for DA candidate Greg Cholakis:

http://www.CholakisForDA.com

And I find it incongruous, in light of posts #3,4, & 5 above, that at the same time Mr. Cholakis is stating in that web-site to the people of Rensselaer County that “justice is all about accountability and fairness”, there on the same page as those words is a color photograph of Mr. Cholakis standing at a podium in front of the Rensselaer County Courthouse with Rensselaer County Executive Kathleen Jimino looking over his shoulder!

Out here in the towns, Republican Rensselaer County Executive Kathleen Jimino is considered the very antithesis of justice in Rensselaer County based upon her actions on August 22, 2001 which are detailed at:

http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/for...mp;#entry343241

Appearing in a group photograph with Rensselaer County Executive Kathleen Jimino in his website does the credibility of Mr. Cholakis a great deal of harm, out here in the countryside of Rensselaer County where memories are long, and true justice is cherished, a point that Mr. Cholakis should consider further, as he continues his campaign for District Attorney here in Rensselaer County, if his credibility means a thing to him ….

And so ….

Comment by John Galt — May 21, 2007 @ 4:30 pm

http://blogs.timesunion.com/localpolitics/?p=193#comments

[Livyjr]

New York Observer Politicker

"Mondello on Spitzer's Meltdown"

March 30, 2007

At a Queens County Republican dinner in Flushing last night, state GOP Chairman Joe Mondello made the following prediction:

Eliot Spitzer will self-destruct.

-- Azi Paybarah

http://thepoliticker.observer.com/2007/03/...s-meltdown.html

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE

May 20th, 2007 2:55 pm

And continuing just a bit further in here with this discussion of the relationship between the “executive” branch of government here in NYS with the “legislative” branch, since that issue has been raised, it is indeed true that in NYS, the governor, as “executive”, can summon the legislature, as a body, and that specific language is found in § 3 of ART. IV of our state Constitution as follows:

“The governor shall have power to convene the legislature, or the senate only, on extraordinary occasions. At extraordinary sessions convened pursuant to the provisions of this section no subject shall be acted upon, except such as the governor may recommend for consideration.”

And from a careful “read” of that Constitutional language, it can clearly be seen that from the citizen’s standpoint, which is what I am, there are three key words in that statement, those three words being “extraordinary”, “recommend” and “consideration”.

EXTRAORDINARY: going beyond what is usual, regular or customary; exceptional to a very marked extent!

RECOMMEND: to present as worthy of acceptance or trial; to endorse as fit, worthy or competent; advise!

CONSIDERATION: continuous and careful thought, an opinion obtained by reflection!

- Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary

That is not what happened, however, with respect to this “leader’s meeting”, or farce, that is being discussed in here, however ….

Neither the full legislature nor the senate were convened by the “STEAMROLLER”, only the “leaders” were “summoned”; there was nothing at all “extraordinary” to justify the “STEAMROLLER” summoning these people to this farce, outside of his continuous need to get his name in print through publicity stunts such as this farce of a “leader’s meeting”; there were no recommendations put forth by the “STEAMROLLER”; and most importantly, he gave neither the full legislature nor the senate anything for them to consider, other than that he was wasting their time, and by extension, ours, since it is on our business that the legislature is meeting right now …

And so …..

— Posted by Livyjr

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...fight/#comments

THE NEW YORK POST

"CREW 'CHAOS' CRISIS CRIPPLING SPITZER"

May 21, 2007 -- GOV. Spitzer's 4 1/2-month-old administration is in "chaos," insiders have told The Post, torn by rivalries, hobbled by inexperienced and incompetent personnel, and unsure if it can get the governor's agenda through an increasingly recalcitrant Legislature.

A longtime Spitzer associate and influential Democrat said he feared for the future of the governor's administration.

"The bottom line is that nobody in Spitzer's office is really in control, and Spitzer himself isn't sure what to do next," the influential Democrat contended.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05212007/news/...c_u__dicker.htm

THE NEW YORK TIMES EMPIRE ZONE

May 21, 2007, 5:44 pm

"Civics Lessons in Albany"

By Danny Hakim

Gov. Eliot Spitzer and legislative leaders met in their third public meeting in a month to see what issues they could resolve before the regular legislative session ends on June 21.

Not much tangible progress was made.

Just listen to what the Senate majority leader, Joseph L. Bruno, had to say after spending more than an hour at the negotiating table:

“The governor feels good about it, but I don’t think it gets us a result,” Mr. Bruno, the state’s top Republican, said, adding, “either we’re going to talk and posture on respective positions or we’re going to get a result.”

Among Mr. Bruno’s objections to the governor’s push to air out issues in public forums is that in his view it undermines the Legislature’s autonomy.

“Let’s not lose sight of the elective process here."

"Three branches of government, right?” Mr. Bruno said.

“If we want to combine them and let the governor orchestrate the whole discussion, direction, agenda, then let’s vote to do that, but that is not our Constitution, that is not the government here in New York State.”

He then invited the governor to hold the next meeting in the Senate’s conference room “so you don’t have to listen to ‘this is my room, my gavel, my agenda.’ ”

The governor, for his part, said that he is trying to change the old habit of political leaders horse-trading about unrelated issues as the legislative session winds down, instead of considering each in its turn.

He also wants to bring the conversation into public view.

“We had to encourage, cajole, persuade folks to join at an open conversation about the issues,” he said.

“We have managed to break what has been a long time history of every issue being dependent on every other issue and we’re now looking at issues on the merits.”

Most of the issues discussed dealt with crime, including:

The governor’s proposal to expand DNA collection to all misdemeanors.

(It already is collected for all felonies and a few misdemeanors.)

The Senate passed its own bill matching the governor’s proposal this afternoon.

A number of varying gun-related bills, including Assembly proposals to ban armor-piercing bullets, though little headway was made in reaching agreement between Senate Republicans and Assembly Democrats.

The most contentious debate was over the Senate’s proposal to reinstate the death penalty for those who kill law enforcement officers, a proposal the Assembly has opposed.

As the governor put it, “I don’t think there will be a meeting of the minds.”

http://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/0...bany/#more-2021

[Livyjr]

THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS DAILY POLITICS BLOG:

Posted by: Roger Murdock | May 22, 2007 9:55 AM: I gave the following to Jay Jochnowitz at the Times Union by e-mail this morning at 7:45 a.m., informing him that he had it exclusively until 10:00 a.m., at which point I would post it on blogs all over.

I have heard nothing back – no breaking news, no acknowledgment, not even a request for a little more time.

Yesterday afternoon, a well connected Republican lobbyist was overheard saying that Joe Bruno was ordering Senate offices today to send every staff person to the Giuliani rally at the airport, leaving only one person in each office to cover telephones.

This is clearly illegal as an abuse of power and using tax dollars for political purposes.

Because it is a 2:00 or 2:30 event, he can’t even argue that they are using their lunch hour to do this.

The Times Union is lazy and cozy.

Take this and run, Liz!!!!

John Galt, what say you about the legal implications of this.

Posted by: John Galt | May 22, 2007 6:24 PM: Sadly, Roger Murdock, when it comes to Joe Bruno and the REPUBLICANS, I do not believe any longer that there are any "legal implications" to anything that they do, or don't do!

I honestly think that we have "gone 'round a bend" with respect to "legal implications", to the point that there are now "legal implications" IF you try to make an issue of the blatant illegality of what these people can do!

Think on it for a moment, Roger Murdock, if you will ....

Up here in Joe Bruno's Rensselaer County, a NYS licensed professional engineer documenting on videotape alleged professional misconduct by another licensed engineer in Rensselaer County connected to the Republican party was first physically assaulted on a public thoroughfare in Rensselaer County with the videocamera recording the whole assault, including the assailant bragging on videotape, full-face, that he was protected in Rensselaer County, and then, when the assault did not deter this engineer from initiating a lawsuit in the matter, Joe Bruno's political minions in Rensselaer County government got a doctor in Troy to certify that the engineer was a dangerous mental patient, and that was that .....

That was that, Roger Murdock, despite it being a felony for the doctor to have prescribed involuntary psychiatric commitment and treatment for this engineer without having ever even laid eyes on him ....

And "STEAMROLLER" Spitzer provided the "state's defense" in this matter, and by doing so, won the right from the 2d Circuit Court of Appeals here in NYC to be able to use this treatment against any other "political enemies" of his choice ....

And since it was the "scheme of choice" of Joe Bruno's stable of hacks and bottom-feeders in Troy in the first place to remove one of their "political enemies", who would of course be Joe's enemy, going after one of Joe's friends as he did, the "approval" that Eliot Spitzer won for this practice in federal court would allow Joe and his crowd to use it again, as well ....

And people up this way, at least, are very cognizant of that fact, and the fate awaiting anyone rash enough to accuse Joe Bruno or any of his crowd of violating the law ....

And so ...

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypoli...s.html#comments

[Livyjr]

"Livyjr, in the light of the past experience that people up there where you are have had with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Office of the United States Attorney, and this Senator Joseph Bruno, and a federal Hobbs Act investigation that was apparently suddenly terminated by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York when the name of this Senator Joseph Bruno came into it in connection with questionable practices in the Rensselaer county Department of Health which were having an adverse impact on the lives, health and property of the people of Rensselaer County in New York State ....."

"Could you tell us how people up there feel ..."

"When they see this Rensselaer County lawyer E. Stewart Jones openly and blatantly threatening these federal prosecutors with retaliation against themselves and their employment in the pages of the Albany, New York TIMES UNION newspaper ..."

"And when they see this Senator Bruno himself, in the pages of the same Albany, New York TIMES UNION newspaper ..."

"Calling this alleged federal investigation a MEDIA EVENT ..."

"DO PEOPLE UP THERE THINK THAT SOMEONE IS GAMING THE SYSTEM HERE?"

HHHhhhmmmm .....

GAMING THE SYSTEM .....

Joe Bruno calls a BIG press conference ...

BIG FBI INVESTIGATION, FOLKS .....

BUT IT'S NOTHING .....

And then ....

SHADES OF 1989 .....

The Office of the United States Attorney comes forward and says, "well, how about that, we took a really, really hard look, but there was nothing there ...."

That is what people are expecting, actually .....

Some with GLEE ....

Joe Bruno's PARTISANS ....

And they are many, actually ....

And the rest .....

Well ...

I would say with TREPIDATION .....

Because then ....

CORRUPTION WILL BE STRONGER THAN EVER .....

AND IT WILL BE RIGHT OUT IN PLAIN SIGHT .....

UNTOUCHABLE .....

And this brings us to what many see as E. Stewart Jones' TRUMP CARD ......

Which is the fact that in December of 2005 .....

Just a short year ago .....

The federal Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City .....

PUT ITS SEAL OF APPROVAL .....

ON THE GRANTING OF "PROTECTED PERSON" STATUS HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK ...

BY ELECTED OFFICIALS UP HERE IN RENSSELAER COUNTY ....

WHICH IS JOE BRUNO'S COUNTY .....

AND IF JOE BRUNO IS IN FACT DOLING OUT FAVORS AND PROTECTION HERE .....

IT IS NOT INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE FEDERAL SECOND CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS HAS ALREADY APPROVED ...

CONDUCT THAT THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK ITSELF HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH BACK IN AUGUST OF 2001 .....

THAT BEING THE INTIMIDATION AND REMOVAL OF WITNESSES IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK ....

BY THE "STATE" ITSELF ....

ON BEHALF OF ITS "PROTECTED PERSONS" .....

WHO GET THAT WAY .....

BY PROCURING PROTECTION .....

FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS IN NEW YORK STATE ...

And so ....

GIVEN ALL OF THAT PRIOR HISTORY ....

PEOPLE UP HERE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO FAITH OR TRUST WHATSOEVER .....

IN EITHER THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION ....

OR THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK .....

And if people up here saw E. Stewart Jones returning from Washington, D.C. with an apologetic Alberto Gonzales in tow .....

To personally apologize to Joe Bruno .....

I DON'T THINK THAT THERE IS A SOUL UP HERE WHO WOULD BE SURPRISED ...

And I actually think that many are expecting exactly that .....

STARTING WITH THE PARTISANS OF JOE BRUNO ....

Who are many ....

And very powerfull .....

And so .....

THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS DAILY POLITICS BLOG:

Posted by Mike: apparently Uncle Joe really is untouchable. If the FBI has nothing on him, would they please announce it and spare us the nonsense?

JOHN GALT REPLIES: Mike, generally, I find you to be quite knowledgeable and pretty savvy about the way the world works here in NYS, so I am surprised that you believe the FBI and the Office of the US Attorney for the Northern District of NY were ever seriously going to do anything to bring down a REPUBLICAN ICON like "Big Joe" Bruno, who really is "BOSS FOR LIFE", as you say above!

Just months ago, in the article "Palm Beach trip probed - Vacation, including a visit to a strip club, part of the Bruno-Abbruzzese inquiry" by BRENDAN J. LYONS Senior writer, Albany, New York Times Union, first published: Sunday, January 14, 2007, it was stated:

"Sometime after the investigation began, according to sources involved in the case, Bruno placed several telephone calls to U.S. Attorney Glenn T. Suddaby, the top federal prosecutor in New York's Northern District."

"The investigation is being headed by Suddaby's office and the FBI."

"Bruno's spokesman disputes that account of the calls."

"'Senator Bruno made one call to the U.S. Attorney's office when he was informed that they were conducting an inquiry,' said John McArdle, director of communications for Senate Republicans."

"'He did so to offer his complete and total cooperation.'"

"Suddaby declined comment, citing a policy not to discuss pending investigations."

end quotes

Now, Mike, come on here!

What do you make of this one phone call, in light of the fact that U.S. Attorney Carol Lam got her *** fired from the inappropriately named U.S. Dept. of Justice for putting Randy "Hey, Big Duke, my man in the slam" Cunningham in federal prison?

Here's Joe Bruno, lawyered up to beat the band, and he learns that he is the alleged and supposed "target" of a U.S. government investigation, so what does he do - he personally calls the head U.S. Attorney and tells him that Joe will be right there, to do whatever is needed to speed the investigation of himself along?

Ah, yeah, okay, wow, that's really believable, isn't it, Mike?

Especially when taken in the context of the earlier TU story "Feds follow cash trail - Authorities examine whether payments to Bruno's consulting firm were bid to gain influence" by BRENDAN J. LYONS Senior writer, Albany, New York Times Union, first published: Friday, December 22, 2006, wherein POWERHOUSE REPUBLICAN attorney E. Stewart Jones of Troy was quoted openly threatening the U.S. attorneys conducting the alleged investigation:

"Mr. Abbruzzese's and Sen. Bruno's rights have been trampled on here," Jones said.

"That could have adverse consequences for those responsible when this investigation runs its course."

end quotes

And then, in a subsequent TU article entitled "Bruno defends his dealings - 'We've followed the letter of the law,' says Senate GOP majority leader" by JAMES M. ODATO, Capitol bureau, Albany, New York Times Union, first published: Saturday, December 23, 2006, the "IRON DUKE" himself was quoted as follows:

"Bruno framed the situation differently, calling the investigation 'more a media event.'"

end quotes

The way we see it up here, F. Stewart Jones, the POWERHOUSE REPUBLICAN lawyer from Troy had Bert Gonzales himself stuffed into the trunk of a big flamingo pink Cadillac and hauled up to Troy, where a couple of great big goons then frog-marched him into the "IRON DUKE'S" throneroom, where he was then tossed in a heap on the floor, and made to grovel, and kiss the "IRON DUKE'S" feet while begging for forgiveness, and the "IRON DUKE'S" mercy to boot ....

And people still believe that Joe Bruno is going to go down?

Mike, Mike, Mike ....

And so ...

Posted by: John Galt | May 23, 2007 7:17 AM

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypoli...ying_bruno.html