Deputy Republican Leader Thomas Libous, of Binghamton, says 'He's taking some political risks that I think probably are not smart at this particular time.'
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Monday, June 23, 2014, 3:36 AM
If the effort fails, the success of de Blasio's Albany agenda moving forward would be reliant on an angry Senate Republican leadership he is trying mightily to oust.
"He's taking some political risks that I think probably are not smart at this particular time," said Senate Deputy Republican Leader Thomas Libous, of Binghamton.
Former Mayor Bloomberg was the Senate GOP's biggest donor. But not only is de Blasio helping the Senate Democrats raise money, he and his crew are actively engaged in trying to end the unprecedented alliance between five breakaway Senate Dems and the Republicans that has allowed the GOP to keep power. For example, Team de Blasio has been trying to recruit primary challengers to run against the renegade Democrats.
"To keep publicly saying 'we're going to get rid of the Republicans' is not a good thing and not real smart," Libous said. "That's a serious gamble he's taking. It's our goal to pick up seats so we have the full majority next year.
Libous, who is the floor leader for the GOP, said he was surprised that none of de Blasio's Albany team met with him personally during the just completed six-month legislative session-a stark contrast from the Bloomberg years.
Even more surprising to Libous was that de Blasio actively began his efforts to dethrone the Republicans during the legislative session while he still needed them.
"The mayor is hosting a fundraiser for the Senate Democrats, I get that. That's his position," Libous said. "But to announce it before the end of the session, I don't want to say it had an affect on any decisions, but it certainly had people scratching their heads."
Even some Democrats say they were perplexed that the mayor held a phone rally with the liberal Working Families Party on the scheduled last night of the legislative session last week when legislation like the city's push to lower the speed limit in the five boroughs to 25 mph was still pending.
Ultimately, the tensions didn't hurt de Blasio. The rookie mayor managed to get much of his Albany agenda accomplished, including the speed limit bill and full-funding for full-day prekindergarten.
Benjamin "He decided to go political early, which is unfortunate," says Sen. Thomas Libous. "He's obviously not familiar with the Dale Carnagie course on how to influence people," Libous said. "He decided to go political early, which is unfortunate. Obviously he's making a conscious decision. If that's what he wants, so be it. We'll see where we go from here."
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A Democratic takeover of the state Senate could also rekindle tensions between Gov. Cuomo and de Blasio, Albany insiders from both parties suggest.
"The last thing Gov. Cuomo wants is for Bill de Blasio to get stronger and to start throwing his weight around in Albany, backed up at every turn by a complicit State Senate majority which owes its very existence to him," said one insider.
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Fresh off securing a win in her push to legalize medical marijuana in New York, Sen. Diane Savino (D-Staten Island) spoke about the effort in Las Vegas Sunday to the International Cannabis Association.
The association says it "brings together people interested in starting, supporting, or expanding a cannabis business."
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/goper-mayor-blasio-chamber-control-push-serious-gamble-article-1.1839661#ixzz35TVl6JuX
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