Former Senate Republican majority committed wild abuses of power

[Joanne98]

Source: NY Daily News


It has become a commonplace that New York's Legislature is the worst in the country. Evidence emerges daily of how low and irresponsible the capital is. We offer fresh examples.

Exhibit No. 1 validating the Legislature's title as America's worst: the gross excesses committed by the Senate's former Republican majority.

Inspecting the Senate's $100 million budget, newly empowered Democrats have uncovered the details of how former GOP leader Joe Bruno and his crew operated the chamber as a taxpayer-financed clubhouse.

Shamed out of using state helicopters for political travel, Bruno treated himself to a $50,000 van with leather-upholstered captain chairs.

His Republicans operated a $3 million-a-year print shop with 60 employees who cranked out four-color promotional publications for Republicans and one-color flyers for Dems.

The GOP also had a TV studio where only Republicans could record propaganda for cable broadcast at public expense. They also operated a $2 million "research service" that worked hand-in-glove with the GOP campaign team.

The Republicans even glommed parking spaces, allotting Democrats only 125 spots while hoarding 712 for themselves.

Senate Democrats have ordered a full audit, and Majority Leader Malcolm Smith has promised reforms. We'll believe it when we see it. As for why we are skeptical, read on.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/02/13/2009-02-13_former_senate_republican_majority_commit.html

[Soylent Brice]

1. oh man, that is so awesome!!

:sarcasm:

so, why did we do away with guillotines?

[No Elephants]

2. And the Democrats rolled over for this silently, so that it comes to light only now? Why?

[TheWraith]

10. They had no oversight authority, or any access to official information.

And the Republicans had controlled the chamber for over 40 years while this was being built.

[No Elephants]

13. Of course they had access. Besides, didn't they even know who had the parking spaces?

[TheWraith]

14. No, they didn't. The Republicans wouldn't even produce lists of people employed by the Senate.

Generally speaking, people knew that the Republicans were abusing their power, but nobody knew the details or exactly how bad the situation was.

On the parking spots, I agree it sounds hard to fathom, but think of it this way. Do you know how many parking spots your company has available to allocate? Or how much of a given parking lot a particular business owns?

[Overseas]

3. K&R for GOP Biparisanship File ! //nt

[noiretextatique]

4. are there any republicans who aren't corrupt?

certainly not when they are working as a group.

[no limit]

5. Promised reforms? are you fucking kidding me? You better promise criminal prosecutions.

[OKNancy]

6. just to clarify, this is New York State legislature n/t

[OKIsItJustMe]

7. NY Times: Uncovering the Perks of Albany’s Fallen G.O.P.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/nyregion/12repubs.html?ref=nyregion

Uncovering the Perks of Albany’s Fallen G.O.P.

By DANNY HAKIM
Published: February 11, 2009

ALBANY — Democrats http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/nyregion/05york.html">took control of the State Senate last month after more than four decades of Republican rule, then set out to determine how the Senate’s own budget of nearly $100 million and its attendant perks were being distributed.

They are still trying to figure it out.

They recently realized there are some 75 employees working at the Senate’s own printing plant, a plain brick building on the outskirts of Albany. On Long Island, they found a small television studio, which had been set up — all with public money, with two press aides on hand to help operate it — for the exclusive use of Republican senators to record cable TV shows.

Democrats also came across what they are calling the “Brunomobile,” a $50,000 specially outfitted GMC van, with six leather captain’s chairs (some swiveling), a navigation system, rearview camera and meeting table. Joseph L. Bruno, the former Senate majority leader who was http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/24/nyregion/24bruno.html">recently indicted on corruption charges, traveled in the van after his use of state helicopters sparked a feud with the Spitzer administration.

…

[LibertarianDave]

8. And Four years from now...

Soon we'll hear how the Democrats have abused their power, how the democrats have done the exact same things the republicans did while they were in power. Why? Because... "Absolute power corrupts absolutely."

[KamaAina]

9. Thank you for your concern

:eyes:

[quiet.american]

11. No. Republicans are in a class by themselves. Bottom of the class. nt

[ronnie624]

12. If you can provide evidence for Democratic abuses of power

that even remotely approach that which has been committed by Republicans during the last eight years, I would really like to see it.

On edit, here is a good resource for this topic:

<http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Republican_%27culture_of_corruption%27:_Articles_%26_Commentary_2005>