I watched NY1's coverage of the Council hearings on term limits last Friday night, and not long after sitting down, who did I see at the mic but Kenny Agosto, the 80th Assembly District Democratic district leader.
"This isn't about Mayor Bloomberg," said Mr. Agosto. "Many of my constituents ... admire the work the mayor is doing and many of the members of this body. This is about due process."
He invoked a series of elections that occurred during the midst of tough situations: Abraham Lincoln seeking re-election during the Civil War; Harry Truman succeeding Franklin D. Roosevelt — although that was because Mr. Roosevelt died shortly after beginning his fourth term, the first and only fourth term of any American president — and of Mr. Bloomberg himself succeeding Rudy Giuliani after 9/11, despite Mr. Giuliani's bid to stay on for a third term.
"We're here today to say that we respect the work that this body does legislatively, but the right of the sacred vote is the right of the sacred vote. We need to know that this is not a game, and people go to the voting booth to make a decision," Mr. Agosto continued.
Mr. Agosto dramatically turned coat against his assemblywoman, Naomi Rivera, after rumors her father, Assemblyman Jose Rivera, deliberately under-supported state Sen. Efrain Gonzalez Jr. during the recent primary elections.
Mr. Rivera, by the way, and his son, Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera, one of his biggest supporters, Councilwoman Maria Baez, and another ally, Councilman Larry Seabrook — who was running the meeting when Mr. Agosto spoke — all support extending term limits from eight years to 12.
Mr. Agosto's now aligned with a group of Bronx Dems led by Assemblyman Carl Heastie and Jeffrey Dinowitz, among others. Mr. Dinowitz — as well as the two council members aligned with him, Annabel Palma and Jimmy Vacca — oppose extending term limits. Though Mr. Dinowitz, the only one of the three I've spoken to, only opposes the move because term limits have been upheld twice through public referendum.
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1 comment:
I shall continue to oppose Mayor Bloomberg's term limits extension. I fully support the federal lawsuit. This is about due process. This is about the city council legislating for their own benefit above the express will of the people. I testified before the city council and in front of the mayor, I looked him in the eye and told him many of my constituents like him, but the majority of my constituents voted twice for term limits. I sincerely hope the federal courts sustains the sacred votes of 2 million New Yorkers.
Sincerely,
Kenny Agosto (D)The Bronx
Democratic District Leader - 80th AD
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