Statement by Senator George Borrello on the Senate Majority’s Censorship of Mailings

“It is the height of hypocrisy for a party that prides itself on tolerance and champions the freedom of speech protections in the First Amendment to exercise censorship over the mailings of Republican Senators.

“After a two month delay, the Senate’s Democrat Majority notified my office that they would not  print and mail an informational piece on the state budget unless we revised or removed sentences they found objectionable. Using political power to stifle the speech of an independently elected state legislator is unconscionable and runs counter to the values of openness and integrity that the Majority claims to revere.  

“The constituents in the 57^th District work and pay taxes like New Yorkers across the state. They  elected me as their representative and it is my responsibility to inform them of the Senate’s legislative actions, through my own perspective. Using its control of the Senate’s taxpayer-financed, in-house printing operation to censor my communication is reprehensible. The entire situation underscores the need for the Senate to contract out its printing operations to an independent firm to eliminate the possibility of political censorship and assure fair and impartial service to every Senate member.” 

[Attached is a copy of the censored mailer with the sentences that were targeted for removal/ revision by the Senate Majority highlighted.]