New Senate caucus could become a force for reform

Political Courage in Albany
As Governor Andrew Cuomo is about to find out, it takes guts to break the mold in Albany. That's why a recent move by four Democratic state senators deserves admiration and congratulations. Last week state senators Jeffrey D. Klein of The Bronx, Diane Savino of Staten Island, David Carlucci of Rockland County and David Valesky of upstate Oneida County announced the formation of their own mini-caucus in the Legislature's upper house. That means they have seceded from the Democratic Senate conf...

Senate gets in shape for session
ALBANY -- By next week, it will be a re-made state Senate. Staffers will be Laid Off. Senators will settle into new office suites. Committees under new direction will hold their first hearings. And the quartet of senators making up the new Independent Democratic Conference -- well, we'll see what next week brings. "Those things have not been discussed yet," Deputy Majority Leader Tom Libous, R-Binghamton, said of the breakaway klatch. "We're still trying to figure out how this works with a Repub...

Dissident Democrats denied state Senate committee assignments
ALBANY (AP) — The four Democrats who split from their conference in New York’s Senate have been denied assignments to committees that introduce and shape Legislation. The three Veterans and a freshman created what they call the Independent Democratic Conference a week ago. They say they’re seeking government reforms and a fiscal agenda they share with Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. But Senate Democratic leader John Sampson has taken the Dissidents out of the process that allow...

Senate rules debate delayed
In an hour-long Caucus behind closed doors, Texas senators decided today to put off for a week a potentially acrimonious public debate over changing their rules. The discussion will occur next Wednesday, as Senate leaders had hinted yesterday. In the meantime, the Senate will continue to operate under the rules it approved last session. At issue: A proposal championed by state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, to change a rule that requires two-thirds of senators to agree before a bill can be brought...

Senate rules debate delayed
In an hour-long Caucus behind closed doors, Texas senators decided today to put off for a week a potentially acrimonious public debate over changing their rules. The discussion will occur next Wednesday, as Senate leaders had hinted yesterday. In the meantime, the Senate will continue to operate under the rules it approved last session. At issue: A proposal championed by state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, to change a rule that requires two-thirds of senators to agree before a bill can be brought...

To The State Senate Renegade Go The (Bigger Office) Spoils, At Least For Now
In what appears to be the most public perk of telling Senate Minority Leader John Sampson to take his leadership and shove it, Dissident Sen. Jeff Klein has some new official digs: The office space formerly occupied by Sen. Tom Libous when he was deputy minority leader. The head of the new four-person Independent Democratic Caucus, who was formerly Sampson's deputy Majority Leader, has moved into 413 Cap, as LoHud noted today. "It's clear that independence for Jeff Klein comes with...

Squadron Weighs In On Rules
As the Senate Republicans prepare to take another crack at reforming the rules governing how the chamber is run, Sen. Dan Squadron sent a memo earlier today to his colleagues urging them to maintain the changes made following the ’09 coup and suggesting some additional changes. Some of the Brooklyn Democrat’s proposals - equal division of all office resources, for example - are highly unlikely to fly with the newly-re-empowered Senate GOP. Others, like reform of the mem...

Independent Democratic Caucus: What We Want
The Sen. Jeff Klein-led Independent Democratic Caucus is meeting the press in Albany, with the four members of the breakaway group laying out what they want. You can read more below, but to sum up, the quartet -- which has said it can no longer go along with Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson -- wants to "Crack Down on overtime abuses, develop new accountability standards for outside contractors, review the use of state assets, and eliminate duplicative administrative functions." I...

Colo. has first divided Legislature in a decade
DENVER—Republicans are back in charge in Colorado's House of Representatives and they're vowing to slash spending and stick to conservative principles. Members of the House and Senate convened for the new session Wednesday. The GOP now has a thin one-seat majority in the House. Democrats still control the Senate by a comfortable margin, giving Colorado its first divided Legislature in a decade. Both sides are promising to find common ground because either house can kill Legislation they...

Klavinuccilesky still waiting for TPPP
Sen. Jeff Klein’s breakaway klatch of Independent Democratic senators announced proposals for saving money in government — which stemmed from the work of a Task Force Klein was involved in while still a member of the regular Democratic conference — and insisted that governing was their focus, not a larger staff allocation or other perks. “At this point, we announced the formation of the Independent Democratic Conference last week, and we were very clear: it’s about govern...

Senate Independent Dems: No Bonus For Bolting
Our Glenn Blain, who is standing on the floor of the state Senate as we speak, notes that Senate Majority Leader Skelos is handing up committee assignments today. GOP sources confirmed to him that no Democrats would get committee chairs, and according to the list Skelos just sent out, Blain's on the money. That means ex-Deputy Leader Jeff Klein and his breakaway Independent Democratic Caucus didn't get rewarded with any lulus for rejecting Sen. John Sampson's leadership. Well, at le...

Convicted NY State Senator Loses 1 Leader Post
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York state Sen. Kevin Parker, who was convicted of a Misdemeanor in a confrontation with a press photographer, has lost one of his leadership posts but keeps another one worth $9,000. The Brooklyn Democrat was acquitted of Felony Assault in the 2009 scuffle in which prosecutors said a New York Post photographer’s finger was broken after Parker grabbed his camera. Parker at the time was facing Foreclosure of his home. The photographer’s car was also damag...

Pelosi & Dems Must Fear the Disgruntled Blue Dogs Ready to Break Ranks & Cut Deals with Republicans
It would appear that House Democrat Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has a difficult next two years in store for her. Disgruntled “Blue Dog” Democrats are ready to deal with the GOP and break ranks with Pelosi. So many “blue dogs” were voted out of office in the 2010 Midterm Elections as upset voters showed them the door for voting with Pelosi rather than the will of their constituents. Blue Dog Democrats remain deeply frustrated with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s leade...

Document Drop: Senate Dems Committee Assignments
In the interest of equal time, we bring you Senate Minority Leader John Sampson's list of committee assignments after having reported earlier today on the picks of Majority Leader Dean Skelos, who as of yet, hasn't given any of those IDC renegades a lulu. Grab a ringside seat for the blazing battles stirring up City Hall, Albany and Washington. Throw your hat in the ring – get involved and send me your tips! Subscribe to the The Daily Politics's feed. For more NYDailyNews.com fee...

Sampson, In Minority, Calls For Ethics Reform
Senate Minority Leader John Sampson, D-Brooklyn, called on the Senate to pass a variety of Reform Bills today, including measures that would ban those with business before the state to donate to political campaigns, have an independent commission draw the lines of legislative districts and have require lawmakers who are also lawyers reveal their clients. Sampson, who is leading a minority conference of 28 Democrats (four Democrats are conferencing in an independent conference), pointed to the ...

Sampson Consolidates Power Through Committees
Senate Minority Leader John Sampson released the full list of his ranking committee and leadership assignments today, revealing he is moving to shore up his support with three key constituencies within the conference: Hispanics, women and upstaters. As has been reported (H/T CapCon), Sen. Neil Breslin is Sampson’s new No. 2, replacing Sen. Jeff Klein, who stepped down from the post and then promptly bolted the conference, taking three fellow Caucasian Conservatives with him. So, that tak...

Brown to talk budget with legislators this afternoon
Gov. Jerry Brown is meeting with State Legislators this afternoon to urge quick action on the Budget proposal he released yesterday, his office announced. Brown wants lawmakers to approve Spending Cuts and a proposal to ask voters to approve a five-year extension of temporary taxes by March, in time to call a June Special Election on the tax piece. The second part is a tough sell for Republicans, who said yesterday they wouldn't vote for the Special Election as the plan stands now. The serie...

Williams wanted to remain chair of Senate Transportation despite fatal crash
Sen. Suzanne Williams Democrat Suzanne Williams expected to remain as chair of the Senate Transportation Committee despite her involvement in a fatal crash that killed a pregnant mother, according to an e-mail obtained by The Denver Post. Williams sent the e-mail to the Democratic Caucus members on Sunday, the day before Majority Leader John Mors announced he was removing her as chair. From Williams: The last two weeks since the accident have been extraordinarily difficult for me. I want to t...

Obama Calls Dupnik: Hey, Thanks For Being Such a Help!
Oh yeah, Dupnik's a help, all right. Thus underscoring a tactic of Obama's which is all too well-known by now: Speaking loftily and assuming the false image as above petty politics while encouraging his supporters to stick the knife into every warm body around. Did Obama tell Dupnik to stop with the stupid claims about Sarah Palin being directly responsible for this? Apparently not; if Dupnik's behavior is any indicator, Obama encouraged it, either explicitly or tacitly-- I wasn't watching the ...

Good News and Bad for Congressional Ethics
The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), the most important ethics reform for the House in a generation, appears to be safe from being disbanded for now. While Republican leadership has never liked the idea of the OCE, this was the right thing to do. Of course, the OCE’s work will be for naught if the House Ethics Committee ignores its recommendations, which is exactly what happened last week in the per diem Scandal. In March 2010, Judicial Watch sent a letter to the OCE requesting a full

Vietnam acknowledges corruption holds back country
HANOI, Vietnam - Communist Party Leaders acknowledged that rampant abuse of power is holding Vietnam back, telling delegates during the opening of a key meeting Wednesday that cleaning up Corruption would help solve the country's economic woes. Propaganda was prominent in the capital as the eight-day National Party Congress started, and armed riot police stood outside the meeting hall. On the streets, Communist hammer-and-sickle monuments stood in traffic circles and thousands of red banne...

Afghan attorney general investigating Kabul Bank
KABUL, Afghanistan - The Afghan Attorney General's office says it has launched an investigation into misconduct at Afghanistan's largest bank, which nearly collapsed last year after a management shake up and Corruption Scandal. A spokesman for the Attorney General's office says the Afghan Central Bank sent a five-page letter to Attorney General Mohammad Ishaq Alako saying that certain groups should be investigated for their role in allowing Kabul Bank to fall into crisis. Spokesman Amanull...

Vietnam acknowledges corruption holds back country
Vietnamese women prepare flowers in Hanoi, Vietnam, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011, as the country sets up for its National Party Congress. Vietnam's Communist government begins its National Party Congress Wednesday, an event held every five years to select top leaders and set the country's goals for the future. But a lot has changed here since the last Congress in 2006. Communist Party Leaders acknowledged that rampant abuse of power is holding Vietnam back, telling delegates during the opening of a k...

Afghan attorney general investigating Kabul Bank
The Afghan Attorney General's office has launched an investigation into misconduct at Afghanistan's largest bank, which nearly collapsed last year after a management shake-up and Corruption Scandal, an official said Wednesday. The Afghan Central Bank sent a five-page letter to Attorney General Mohammad Ishaq Alako saying that certain groups should be investigated for their role in allowing Kabul Bank to fall into crisis, a spokesman for Alako said. The Central Bank took over Kabul Bank in mid-Se...

Lawmakers Consider New Curbs on Incendiary Speech
© n/a Shocked and saddened lawmakers grappled on Monday with the weekend shooting of one of their own, with some suggesting that new laws and regulations are needed to curb incendiary Speech. The aftermath of Saturday's attack on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) brought a rare moment of unity on Capitol Hill, but it also escalated a contentious debate over violent imagery in the nation's political discourse. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) was having a beer and eating pizza at a New Jersey...