A group of “progressive” activists stood outside the New City office of Senator David Carlucci (D) and declared him a turncoat, even a Trump-o-crat.
Why?
Because for years now, Carlucci has caucused with Republicans in the New York State Senate. At one time he and his fellow members of the “Independent Democratic Conference” actually swung the balance of power in the NY Senate from Democrat to Republican control.
Said Paul Diamond of the activist group, “As you may know, Sen Carlucci has been a part of the IDC (Independent Democratic Conference) in the State Senate since 2011. Today, one day after the special election to fill the seat left vacant by Bill Perkins, the Democrats control 32 of the 63 seats in the Senate which normally would give them a majority. But because the IDC continues to caucus with the Republicans, the Democrats remain in the minority.”
“That means that progressive bills coming out of the Assembly die in the Senate as a result of the Republicans controlling Senate committees and the majority. Indeed nothing makes it to the floor unless the Republican leadership decides it should. Though the IDC claims that their independence allows them to work bipartisan, the truth is most progressive legislation never sees the light of day.”
“Ethics reform, GENDA, DREAM Act, Early Voting all languish or die in committee because the IDC is too ineffective to move it out. What do they get for their cooperation with the Republicans? Committee chairmanships, stipends known as Lulus, bigger offices, bigger war chests to fund their re-election campaigns.”
“Our protest today was part of a larger effort taking place around the state of protesting Senator Carlucci and all the IDC affiliated senators, demanding that they return to caucusing with the Democratic Party; the party they ran on and say they support. Today there were 32 Democrats in the Senate, a numerical majority. We will continue to speak out against the cynical hypocrisy of the IDC.”
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