On Friday the New York State Senate introduced Gov. Andrew Cuomo's redistricting legislation, but unlike the Assembly, which referred the bill to the Committee on Government Operations, their bill went straight to the Rules Committee. Senate Democratic Spokesman Austin Shafran lambasted this decision by the Senate Republicans as a move to impede the governor's plan.
“Senate Republicans are again backing away from their promise to pass independent redistricting and building barriers to the reforms needed to clean up Albany," said Shafran. “Senate Republicans are attempting to quietly kill Gov. Cuomo’s independent redistricting bill by burying it in the Senate Rules Committee to anonymously avoid public oversight and prevent rank-and-file members from supporting this critical legislation.
Referencing the pledge GOP senators made to Ed Koch's redistricting plan, Shafran accused Senate Republicans of reneging on their promise, which was made by every single member of their conference.
Shafran concluded, "New York needs independent redistricting now to have fair elections and a more responsive legislature where the public interest comes before political incumbency. Senate Republicans are standing in the way of reform, instead of standing behind the promise they made to all New Yorkers."
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