Time Warner Morning Memo and Disgraceful Republican Leadership

USA 11 August 2014.  The RINO's, complicit in the Albany dysfunction, are doing the same thing to Rob that they did to me.  They have not only laid down but they are overtly campaigning against Rob, and it will get worse because Cuomo owns them and has the money.  
 
This statewide race is about Upstate and Long Island verses New York City- and the enemy owns the Upstate legislators. You hold your office because the Upstate party people put you there but your refusal to confront the demons has generated significant discussion that the party needs new leadership with a whole different approach.
 
Do you now see why I begged you guys to denounce the RINO legislators last October?  Had you cleansed the party, this kind of treachery would not be on the front page. The cowards would be frightened to say anything. Instead, even with Cuomo on the ropes, he can depend upon the complicit Republican wimps to praise him.  
 
Nozzolio is Skelos' stooge and he's doing Skelos' bidding while Skelos quietly confers with his attorneys and sits at home saying novenas that Libous and Maziarz don't chirp to Preet Bharara.  You can bet they will chirp like a flock of birds because Libous doesn't want his son to go to jail and guys like Maziarz don't do well in prison.  They'll hopefully all serve their time in the same special ward at Dannemora, where they will meet some real upstate Republican/Conservative jailers and get "very special treatment."
 
Are we going to limp to the finish line or take off the gloves, denounce Skelos and Kolb and the traitors in the Legislative caucus and illustrate to Republican,Conservative and Independent voters that their leadership and candidates have values, principals and a set of balls.  
 
Rob, wasting time speaking to Black ministers instead of going to the Erie County fair (and the dozens of fairs all around the State) with daily press conferences launching volleys against the Albany cesspool, is insane.
http://www.nystateofpolitics.com/2014/08/in-spite-of-moreland-mess-cuomo-still-earns-praise-from-republican-lawmakers/

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In Spite Of Moreland Mess, Cuomo Still Earns Praise From Republican Lawmakers

From the morning memo:

As Albany revels in the ongoing Moreland Commission controversy that has engulfed his administration, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has ventured out to various friendly venues around the state.

His first appearance after a scathing New York Times detailing his office’s involvement in directing subpoenas from the commission was made at SUNY Buffalo for a START-UP NY event.

Following that, he appeared on Long Island for a Sandy recovery announcement.
And on Tuesday, he was in Canandaigua, Ontario County, for yet another economic-development announcement.

As stays far from Albany, Cuomo has collected some public praise along the way.

But at yesterday’s event in western New York, it was from Republican members of the Legislature: Sen. Michael Nozzolio and Assembly Minority Leader Brian.
Yes, there’s there pre-requisite “we-don’t-agree-on-everything” boilerplate, but also praise for Cuomo’s handling of the economy.

“As a matter of fact, there are a lot of things we haven’t agreed on in the past,” Nozzolio said. “One thing is undeniable. I’ve served with five governors and Gov. Cuomo has been more focused, more cooperative on job development projects. And he, despite our differences in terms of philosophy , has sought out my opinion, has worked with us, has said how can we partner on projects.”

Nozzolio lauded Cuomo for being “focused on jobs and economic development” while also working with Republicans in Albany.

“So governor, as a personal aside, Thank you for your focus and your attention on things that really matter to people and that’s jobs,” he said.

For Kolb, who joked about the Adirondack Challenge — Cuomo’s now annual rafting event on the Indian River — it was about striking a bipartisan tone.

“But really, it’s about respect and not about party politics,” Kolb said. “For Gov. Cuomo and his administration, it’s his passion and about what he believes in and I respect that.”
Of course, that passion has been channeled in other, less sunny ways as the Moreland saga can attest.

But the events around the state seem to signal an effort on Cuomo’s part to return things to normal as the U.S. attorney’s office continues its investigation into the Moreland matter.
Cuomo kept his answers relatively brief when asked about Moreland.

The public show of support from Republicans — especially in the state Senate — comes as Cuomo backs a plan to flip the chamber to full Democratic control.

He brokered a deal in June that ended the leadership coalition with the Independent Democratic Conference and Senate GOP.

When gaining the endorsement of the labor-backed Working Families Party, he pledged to enact the public financing of political campaigns statewide, the DREAM Act for undocumented immigrants, allow local governments to raise the state’s minimum wage and accelerate the timetable for increasing the wage itself.

Senate Republicans, for now, have warned that a Democratic-dominated chamber wouldn’t be controlled by Cuomo, but liberal New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Few in the Senate GOP have come to the side of Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino, who has been trying to capitalize on the Moreland mess, but has struggled to raise both money and name identification.

The state Republican Committee, however, isn’t part of the Cuomo triangulating.

The party released a statement this morning pointing to a measure carried by Senate Democrats that would ban the use of campaign funds for paying legal bills (Cuomo is dipping into his campaign account to pay for an attorney to represent the governor’s office).

“If these Democrats truly believe in their own legislation to ban politicians like Andrew Cuomo from using their campaign funds to pay for legal defense, then why aren’t they speaking up now and calling on the Governor to stop doing so? Instead, they have put politics over principle, and are covering up for the Governor,” said Republican Chairman Ed Cox. “People need and deserve to have representation they can trust at all times, not just when it’s convenient. In the midst of the Governor’s Moreland scandal and questions swirling around about who ordered what and when, these so-called leaders should stand up and be counted. If they don’t, it speaks volumes about their character.”