Senator Rubén Díaz Calls Upon Senate Democrats to Boycott the Budget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FEBRUARY 25, 2015

Senator Rubén Díaz Calls Upon Senate Democrats to Boycott the Budget

Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz (D-Bronx) has released the following statement:

"After hearing that Governor Andrew Cuomo has invited Senator Jeff Klein, (the Leader of 5 Independent Senate Democrats) to become #4 in the 3-Men-In-The-Room for New York State Budget negotiations - and that Governor Andrew Cuomo has ignored Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the Leader of the 25 Member Senate Democratic Conference - I am calling on my Democratic colleagues in the Senate to boycott the Budget vote.

It is a shame and an insult to every Democrat in the state, especially to each of us 25 Democratic Senators. It is an insult to Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who is the first woman to hold the position of a Senate Conference Leader. It is an insult to the mostly Black and Hispanic constituents she and I - and many of my fellow Democratic Senators represent.

I have no opposition to Senator Jeff Klein being a part of the Budget negotiations to represent the interests of his 5 Independent Democratic Members. However, to ignore Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the Leader of the Senate Democratic Conference and by that the 25 Democratic Senators, is to leave us without a voice. This affects millions of people.

It is appalling! I ask that once and for all, for my fellow Senate Democrats to stand on their own feet, to stop this abuse and farce, and to boycott the Budget vote. Don't vote for the Budget. They already have the votes to pass the Budget without us, and we should stop being part of the farce.

This insult to Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins affects us all. Racism and sexism have no place in our government, and I implore my colleagues to have no part in this vote.

This is Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know."