To My Friend Charlie King: I Am a Better Democrat Than Most of Them

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
District 32 Bronx County, New York

You should know that back in 2009 three (3) Hispanic Senators, Sen. Pedro Espada, Sen. Hiram Monserrate and myself together with Sen. Carl Cruger,  (3 Hispanics and a Jewish person) created a caucus in the NY Senate trying to have some influence in Albany’s room of power.  

Sen. Pedro Espada wanted to be co-leader of the Senate; Carl Kruger wanted to be chair of the powerful Finance Committee, Hiram Monserrate wanted to chair the Consumer Affairs Committee and I just wanted the commitment that the Same Sex Marriage Bill will not come to the floor for a vote.  

The Situation became so complicated that we were attack by everyone, the governor, our colleagues, and the media.   They called us crooks, opportunists, blackmailers, selfish, greedy, stupid, and ignoramuses, etc..…The three Hispanics and the Jewish Senator became the laughing stock of Albany.  

The idea of creating such a powerful group by three Hispanics and a Jew was unthinkable!  It was too good, too big, too powerful of an idea.

After everything calmed down then came Senator Jeff Klein with another group of   four White Senators, and taking a page from what we started, they created what they call the “Independent Democratic Conference (IDC).    They demanded and obtained more than what we demanded, and were called crooks, opportunists, blackmailers, and ignoramuses for.  

I remember Governor Cuomo denouncing us (the 3 Hispanic and the Jewish Senator), yet praised and gave Jeff Klein and his group,  all kinds of resources, assistance, and help them organize, calling them geniuses, smart, creative, etc…….  

You should know that Sen. Jeff Klein demanded and obtained what Pedro Espada wanted (Co-Leader of the Conference).   He demanded and obtained committee chairs for all members of his group in the IDC.   Each was given offices to the point that carpenters were contracted to knock out walls to build them bigger offices.   They demanded and obtained a budget of millions of dollars to benefit their conference to the point that, believe it or not, six members of Jeff Klein’s IDC, now have more resources and a bigger budget than the Democratic Conference of 25 Senators lead by Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins, an African American Woman.  

What irony?  We the three Hispanics and a Jew were called, crooks, blackmailers, opportunists, stupid, greedy, ridiculed and never obtained anything.  But the five White senators who did what we did, and even worst demanding and obtaining more, are called heroes, geniuses, and have the full backing and support of Governor Andrew Cuomo.  

Now my good friend, Charlie King, a surrogate to Governor Cuomo, is questioning why Senator Jeff Klein’s IDC is getting stronger, and why members of the regular Democratic Conference, are abandoning their leader Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins and the Democratic Conference to join Klein’s group.

Charlie the answer is simple.  They are abandoning the Senate Democratic Conference because the IDC has been granted the money, they have the governor’s support, they have the media, and they have the resources that have been denied to the Regular Democratic Senate Conference.  

Honestly, it is ridiculous to ask Senator Jeff Klein and his followers to abandon all that the Democratic governor, who is the leader of the party in the state, has helped them to obtain.  
       
It is important also that my dear friend Charlie King understand that when he asked “How come there is room in the Democratic Conference for Sen. Ruben Diaz and not for Senator Simca Felder.”   The answer is because I, Senator Ruben Diaz, has never abandoned the Democratic Conference and that Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins never pushed Simca Felder out.   Since Senator Felder got elected he has always sided with the Republican Conference.   Never, Charlie never not even one day has Senator Felder sat with or sided with the Democrats.  

With the exception of my position against same sex marriage and abortion, I feel it safe to say that as of today, there has not been a better Democrat in the Senate than me always fighting on behalf of the needy, the abandoned and the children that have been left behind.  

I am Senator Ruben Diaz and this is What You Should Know.