Open Letter to Senator John Sampson and Charlie King

   OPEN LETTER TO SENATOR JOHN SAMPSON AND CHARLIE KING
 
July 15, 2010
 
Hon. John Sampson
Democratic Conference Leader
New York State Senate
sampson@senate.state.ny.us
 
Hon. Charlie King
Executive Director
New York State Democratic Committee
nydems@nydems.org
 
Dear Senator Sampson and Mr. King:
 
This letter is to call for an investigation and possible removal of, or Party discipline for Senator Eric Schneiderman from the Democratic Party for his conduct and subsequent explanation of his conduct regarding his role in leaving the scene of an accident which resulted in $3000.00 of property damage to someone else’s car. 

The witness to this accident, a civic-minded bicyclist who had no interest in either party involved, stopped what he was doing to take down the license plate of Senator Schneiderman’s driver’s car after hearing a loud boom when the car crashed. Certainly as a passenger, Senator Schneiderman and/or his driver would have noticed as much as the bystander/bicyclist.  Like a good citizen, the bicyclist reported the accident and reported that the driver left the scene of the accident. 

If we were to believe Senator Eric Schneiderman’s fudged accounts (there were different ones documented even in today’s Daily News editorial) then should we dismiss the mere witness’s story and defer to the State Senator’s version? 

Or is the State Senator just not to be believed?

At best, it was poor legal judgment for Senator Schneiderman to encourage or allow his driver to leave the scene of the accident and it was poor legal judgment for Senator Schneiderman to not report the matter to the police.

It astounds me that the wealthy Senator thought he could minimize the controversy by offering to personally pay off the owner of the damaged vehicle even though the car that caused the accident was not his.  Did Senator Schneiderman have a guilty conscience for perhaps telling his driver to keep going?

In the past, Senator Schneiderman took it upon himself to ignore and dismiss the accounts of two eyewitnesses – former Senator Hiram Monserrate and his girlfriend, Karla – who were the only two people present at an accident where Karla was hurt. 

After former Senator Monserrate was charged with a misdemeanor – not a felony – Senator Schneiderman took it upon himself to put aside the budget and the work of the State Senate, and instead, conduct an investigation to oust Hiram Monserrate from the State Senate.

With a witness present to document the accident that occurred this week where Senator Schneiderman was present, isn’t it only fair to conduct a thorough investigation in the New York State Senate of someone who wants to be the State’s supreme legal advocate?

It seems more than appropriate to call upon the New York State Democratic Party to utilize its nascent “Truth Squad” to ensure that a candidates for office, in this case Senator Eric Schneiderman and his bid for Attorney General, be removed from the Democratic line and be held accountable for his record and actions, his poor legal judgment and his lack of integrity.  He is not fit to preside as chief enforcer of New York State’s laws and he is not fit to call himself a Democrat.

I look forward to your reply, and for the same vigilance and thirst for justice that have been demonstrated to other members of the Democratic Party when accidents occur.

Respectfully,
Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz