The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Legislature opens session
ALBANY, N.Y.>> The opening day of the 2017 legislative session went off without a hitch Wednesday, despite Gov. AndrewCuomo being 150 miles away and the long shadows cast over the proceedings by Preet Bharara and Donald Trump.
President-elect Trump was cited in opening remarks in both the Senate and the Assembly, where the top two immediate past leaders are headed to federal prison as a result of U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s corruption investigations.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-83, mentioned Clinton’s loss to Trump in November, as
did Senate Democratic conference leader Andrea Stewart- Cousins, D- 35. Trump has promised to repeal Obamacare and punish New York and other “sanctuary cities” that protect illegal aliens, moves that could cost the state billions in federal aid.
“Many in this great progressive state of New York look to Washington and the new Trump administration with grave concern,” she said. “The national Republican Party hasmade it clear that they are looking at rolling back so many hard-won victories for the working men and women of New York.”
Heastie also alluded to the corruption probes that brought down the two leaders, promoting him to the ranks of one of Albany’s “three men in a room” in the process.
“Unfortunately, some seek to diminish this body because of the actions of a few who have abused the public trust,” Heastie said in his opening remarks. “One of the casualties of poor ethical behavior of a few is that it often overshadows the great work that so many of us do here in Albany and in our districts. My one ask of you is this: don’t let anyone tell you that the work you do here is insignificant ... Don’t let cynicism and a defeatist attitude rule the day.”
Bharara’s continuing investigations of Albany have been given a vote of confidence by Trump, who has said he supports him continuing as the top federal prosecutor for the southern district of New York. His current crop of cases include prosecuting some of Cuomo’s closest former top aides on bribery and bid-rigging charges.
Wednesday, Cuomo was in New York City giving a speech about renovations to JFK airport, skipping the traditional State of the State address laying out his agenda for the year to a joint session of the Legislature. He will instead deliver six smaller regional speeches next week.
Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb and Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, both Republicans, got bipartisan cheers Wednesday when they declared the Legislature needed to assert its independence. Cuomo was not mentioned but the implication was clear, coming after he was blamed for blocking a December pay raise for lawmakers.
“Article III of the New York State Constitution, it’s very simple, the legislative power of the state is vested in the Senate and the Assembly,” Flanagan said in his speech
opening the Senate session. “Not the attorney general, not the controller, and not the governor. I work in the New York State Senate, as do all of you, and I’m going to stand up for the primacy and independence of this body.”
The one surprise of the dayWednesday came as the Senate adopted a new rule prohibiting the use of electronic devices to make videos, photos or record during sessions on the Senate floor. The rule change followed a similar move by the House of Representatives, where Democratic members staged a mutiny earlier this year over a bill and staged a sit-in which they webcast over the Internet using their phones.
News media and the public are still permitted to record proceedings from the visitor galleries that overlook the Senate floor.
Some Senators said it’s a First Amendment issue to let them use their devices however they wished. “Last allowable cellphone photo from #NYSenate thanks to new GOP rules that restrict 1st Amendment rights of press, public & members #extinct,” Senator Brad Hoylman, D-27, wrote on Twitter, posting a picture of his coffeemug on his Senate desk.
The first day of the ses- sion is both ceremonial and practical, as both houses adopt rules and policies to govern the next two years of operations by the Legislature. After Wednesday’s session they are not scheduled to return to Albany again until Monday.