Why NYC Republicans aren’t taken seriously

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The Observer notes that, “New York City Republican Leaders Want George Pataki to Run for President“:

“Leaders of the five Republican county organizations in New York City are urging former Gov. George Pataki to run for president … The five Republican chairs in New York City are Craig Eaton of Brooklyn, former Congressman Bob Turner of Queens, Adele Malpass of Manhattan, John Greaney of the Bronx and John Antoniello of Staten Island …”

What a bunch of losers.  This is the best idea for a presser they could come up with?

“… How much help county leaders can actually offer Mr. Pataki is an open question. There are no Republican elected officials in Manhattan and the Bronx, while the Queens and Brooklyn GOP organizations have been wracked by infighting for years …”

Stupid shit like this is the reason they can’t get people elected.

Nobody believes G. Elmer is running for President and nobody really wants him to.  Pataki floats his name just to massage his own ego and everybody knows it because he’s been doing it since he left office!

SCOTUS says felons can sell their guns

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In a win for gun rights, SCOTUS unanimously ruled in the case of Henderson v. U.S. that the government cannot prevent a convicted felon who is barred from possessing firearms from trying to sell his guns after they are confiscated by the authorities.  Writing on behalf of the court, Justice Elena Kagan said letting a convicted felon sell or transfer guns is allowed as long as the person getting the guns won’t give the felon control over them.

Here is the brief NYSRPA filed in support of the plaintiff.

Cuomo pushed for Flanagan

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The Mental Recession reports, “DeFrancisco Confirms: Cuomo Pressured Republicans on Skelos Replacement”:

“Upstate conservative Senator John DeFrancisco has confirmed that Governor Cuomo “made calls” and pressured Republicans to elect his preferred choice, John Flanagan, for Senate Majority Leader.  In an exclusive report by The Mental Recession early last week, a high-ranking Senate insider said “Cuomo is pushing behind the scenes for Flanagan.” … “He needs to continue the same relationship he had with Skelos,” the source stated. “He’s been able to easily push through his agenda, why would he want it to change?” …”

It was obvious this was going due to the number of denials I saw.

The question now is do Republicans want Andrew Cuomo picking their “leaders”?  One Senator who voted for Flanagan, Hugh Farley, is now looking at a primary challenger for ’16.

Flanagan blowback

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A couple of the Senators who voted for John Flanagan are trying to deflect criticism from us:

“Newly elected New York State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan hasn’t received a warm reception from gun rights groups.  But state Sens. Michael Nozzolio and Jim Seward think Second Amendment advocates should give Flanagan some time before passing judgment.  One of the state’s prominent pro-gun organizations, New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, said Flanagan’s election “should send a chill down the spine of every gun owner since the new leader voted in favor of the so-called SAFE Act.” … But Nozzolio, R-Fayette, and Seward, R-Milford, think NYSRPA and other pro-Second Amendment groups should give Flanagan a chance.  After Flanagan’s election, Nozzolio and Seward said the new majority leader pledged to support changes to the SAFE Act … “… I think the law abiding gun owners of the state are going to be pleased with the package that passes the Senate fairly soon,” Seward said …”

Notice what Seward said, “passes the Senate.”  He didn’t say “passes the legislature.”  That tells me some symbolic measure will be taken up in the Senate knowing it will never even be voted on in the Assembly, let alone sent to the Governor.

Flanagan wins

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Suffolk Co. Senator John Flanagan is the new Majority Leader.

I would have preferred someone farther away from NYC.

Leadership vote

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It looks like there is going to be a Senate leadership vote tomorrow.  On the one hand you have the corrupt Nassau Co. machine pushing for John Flanagan while most of upstate wants John DeFrancisco.

I am told there is pushback against DeFrancisco because he is a trial lawyer.  That concerns me, but scumbag Al D’Amato wants Flanagan and that concerns me even more.

Circling the drain

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Dean Skelos isn’t going down quietly:

“Since being charged with six counts of federal of federal corruption Monday, Republican Senate Majority Dean Skelos has not only maintained his innocence but refused to consider calls from some of his colleagues that he step aside from his leadership role.  On Tuesday, he was defiant in telling reporters he will remain as majority leader, and now, sources tell NY1 that Skelos is all but holding himself hostage politically, threatening to resign his seat if fellow Republicans try to force him out …”

Fuck that.  Resign and see if anyone cares.

“… If Skelos reisgns from the Senate, Republican lose their numeric majority. Thirty-two seats are needed to control the chamber. If Skelos resigns, they would have just 31 … With Skelos gone, Republicans would be forced to make a deal with either the Democrats or the five-member Independent Democratic Conference, who they formed a coalition with the last two sessions in 2013 …”

Cutting deals with Democrats has been the hallmark of Skelos’ leadership tenure, from passing SAFE to screwing Rob Astorino.

“… “The New York Republican Party is a minority party,” [Republican consultant Bill O’Reilly] said. “It needs to be two things in order to survive in New York State. It has to be a party of principle, and it has to be a party of reform. And right now, it’s neither.” …”

Exactly.

Win for open government, not gun rights

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State of Politics reports, “Judge: State Should Release SAFE Act Stats“:

“New York state is being ordered by a state Supreme Court judge to release the statistical data on the number of firearms registered under the SAFE Act.  The ruling was issued on April 30, but released earlier on Thursday by the Shooters Committee on Public Education, or SCOPE, a gun-rights group that had challenged the state’s refusal to issue details on how many firearms have been registered … Gun-rights groups have contended the number of weapons registered under the SAFE Act is a relatively small, if not insignificant amount that renders the requirement toothless.  They point to the lack of transparency regarding the statistical data as having lent credence to the claim …”

While this is a win for government transparency it doesn’t do a thing for gun rights.  Neither the Governor nor the legislature care if the number is zero or one million and neither is likely to take any sort of action because of it.  There are all sorts of bad laws and failed government programs still on the books.  One more isn’t going to motivate Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders to admit they  made a mistake and at the end of the day SAFE will still be one of them.

Legislative Report #8 plus Peruta amicus

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Legislative Report #8 is now online.

The amicus brief by NYSRPA, ANJRPC, Commonwealth 2nd Amendment, GOAL and MSRPA filed in support of the plaintiff in the 9th Circuit Court case of Peruta v. County of San Diego is also online.

Stirring the pot

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Stirring the pot:

“Don’t pick a SAFE Act supporter.  That’s the message the state Rifle and Pistol Association is urging its members to tell their local senators as Senate Republicans increasingly consider dumping Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos.  The group encouraged its members to tell senators to back Sen. John DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse, to succeed Skelos — instead of Long Island Sen. John Flanagan.  “It appears the new majority leader of the NYS Senate is going to be one of the following two men,” wrote Tom King, the head of the Rifle and Pistol Association, yesterday to supporters.  “John DeFrancisco a Syracuse based conservative senator who voted against the SAFE Act or John Flannigan (sic) a Long Island base Senator who voted for the SAFE Act. Please call your Senator and urge him to vote for Senator DeFrancisco as the new Majority Leader.” …”

I miss Uncle Joe.  He had lots of faults but was a much better leader than Skelos.