Before the 2010 election, majorities in both houses of the Legislature vowed to reject partisan gerrymandering of their districts.
They even signed reform pledges at the goading of former Mayor Ed Koch.
Their word was dirt. These same politicians zipped some of the ugliest district maps in Albany history though the Assembly and Senate in March. Their betrayals must be recorded for history.
In total, 75 lawmakers — more than a third of the entire Legislature — postured as heroes of reform, but became self-serving cowards at the moment of truth.
Leading the turncoat parade was Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, followed by all 31 of his fellow Republicans plus four members of the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference.
Among the two-timing senators were four from New York City: Martin Golden of Brooklyn, Jeffrey Klein of the Bronx and Andrew Lanza and Diane Savino of Staten Island.
Joining them in infamy were 39 pledge violators in the Assembly — 24 Democrats and 15 Republicans. Of that disreputable bunch, 12 hailed from the five boroughs:
Joseph Lentol of Brooklyn; Guillermo Linares of Manhattan; Grace Meng, Edward Braunstein, Andrew Hevesi, William Scarborough, Michael Miller and Francisco Moya of Queens and Nicole Malliotakis, Matthew Titone, Louis Tobacco and Michael Cusick of Staten Island.
This is a roster for voters to clip, save and act on in November.
![In a narrow vote this week, the Federal Trade Commission approved a rule that will ban the vast majority of noncompete clauses by U.S. employers, which have long prevented workers from switching jobs or setting out on their own. In doing so, the agency did its duty to protect American economic dynamism and opportunity, nothing less, nothing more. We hope that’s the clear conclusion of the courts that will now rule on a lawsuit being brought by the Chamber of Commerce, which has strenuously supported this anticompetitive practice. Of the arguments that the business group and other opponents have rolled […]](https://www.nydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/GettyImages-1820955015.jpg?w=490 "In a narrow vote this week, the Federal Trade Commission approved a rule that will ban the vast majority of noncompete clauses by U.S. employers, which have long prevented workers from switching jobs or setting out on their own. In doing so, the agency did its duty to protect American economic dynamism and opportunity, nothing less, nothing more. We hope that’s the clear conclusion of the courts that will now rule on a lawsuit being brought by the Chamber of Commerce, which has strenuously supported this anticompetitive practice. Of the arguments that the business group and other opponents have rolled […]")
