I have submitted a Resolution calling on Governor Cuomo to reject the Independence Party nomination for the upcoming elections.
The so-called Independence Party of New York State has been a thorn in the side of Progressives and Democrats for years, impeding our efforts to elect candidates who share our policy concerns and values.
Former State Party Chair Jay Jacobs has been raising the alarm about the noxious funding practices of the Independence Party and its “pay to play” endorsement processes; his concerns have concrete information backing them up. Furthermore, this is the year to act.
Under Wilson-Pakula, if the Independence Party does not receive 50,000 votes or more in a Gubernatorial Election it no longer exists. And without Andrew Cuomo’s name on their ballot line, the Independence Party will not receive the necessary 50,000 votes.
We have collected enough signatures to get a Resolution calling upon Governor Cuomo to reject the Independence Party nomination on the floor for a vote at the May State Committee meeting – providing that State Party Rules on voting are actually followed (we’re looking to Jay Jacob to ensure that occurs). We still welcome additional signatories; the Resolution is listed below. If you’d like to add your name, click here.
Our message is clearly getting through to the media. The New York Times published a masthead editorial, on May 7th, calling on Governor Cuomo to be “Independent of the Independence Party” as did the New York Daily News in “Cut the Cord, Cuomo.” And both the Daily News editorial and a recent Capital New York article noted that it is the Progressives within the Democratic Party who are pushing this issue.
We hope that State Committee Members will use both their votes and their voices to pass this Resolution at the upcoming May meeting. If we want issues that are important to us as Progressives, such as the Dream Act or the Women’s Equality Act, to become law, we need to remove sham ballot lines that mislead voters and elect politicians who refuse to pass such legislation. We must tell the State Party and Governor Cuomo that they should not support or work with entities that represent the most cynical practices of transactional politics and are inimical to the values that we hold as Democrats.
Rachel Lavine
Chair
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Resolution of the New York State Democratic Committee
Calling Upon Governor Andrew Cuomo
To Reject the Independence Party Line
May 20-22, 2014
Whereas the New York State Independence Party is a very minor Party that embodies the corrupt ethos of “pay to play” politics;
And whereas many voters are confused by the designation of “Independence” and believe that by registering on the Independence Party line they are actually registering as Independents who are unaffiliated with any party;
And whereas instead the Independence Party is anything but an outside voice for independent opinions, but is instead synonymous with the worst kind of cronyism and corruption that so many disenchanted voters associate with political Parties;
And whereas the Moreland Commission investigation of public corruption heavily criticized the Independence Party for campaign financing improprieties in the 2012 elections;
And whereas the latest campaign finance disclosures show that 80 percent of the monies raised by the Independence Party over the last two years was spent on businesses owned or activities conducted by a very small group of Independence Party leaders and their cronies;
And whereas the Independence Party hampers the efforts of New York Democrats to build Democratic registration in their districts;
And whereas the Independence Party is a genuine impediment to Democrats and progressives seeking to elect Democratic candidates to office;
And whereas under New York State law any party that receives 50,000 votes in a Gubernatorial election gets an automatic ballot line for the next four years;
And whereas the rejection of the Independence Party line by all Gubernatorial candidates would ensure that sham Party’s demise;
Therefore be it resolved, that the members of the New York State Democratic Committee call upon our leader Governor Andrew Cuomo to reject the nomination of the Independence Party, thereby ensuring that a New York voter can actually vote on ballot lines that represent the values, views and opinions of that voter.
