Shooting The Messenger

Capital Tonight talks about the Senate Republicans' redistricting proposal and Senator Gianaris' response against their attempt to avoid the current redistricting problem by promising an amendment to the constitution that would only bring reform to the next redistricing process in 10 years.

Sen. Mike Gianaris is pushing back very strongly against the growing belief that a deal is in the works for a constitutional amendment that would reform redistricting in time for the 2022 election cycle, but leave the current partisan process in place for this year’s elections.

The idea that time has run out for reform this year, coupled with the suggestion that a promised veto from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s would not deliver the kind of structural change advocates are seeking, was floated last week by Citizens Union Executive Director Dick Dadey.

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Gianaris, who chairs the Senate Democrats’ fundraising arm, suggested during a CapTon interview last Friday night, that Dadey is off the reservation on this one, telling me:

 

“You know as well as I do that’s a lone voice in the good government community. The overwhelming number of people in that community are speaking out loudly that reform needs to happen now.”

“Mayor Koch, who was formerly aligned with people who are making that suggestion, has made it clear that he would prefer a gubernatorial veto so we can have reform now, that a constitutional amendment kicks the can down the road.”

“It’s a promise for future consideration, which, if the Republicans couldn’t keep their promise from before November of 2010 ’til January of 2011, why should we believe that they’ll keep their promise to make a second passage and put it up for a referendum on an amendment years from now?”

“It’s obviously a tactic that’s designed to avoid the problem entirely.”

 

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