Scozzafava loses GOP leadership post
New York's Republican Assembly minority leader, Brian Kolb, today announced that he is punishing Dede Scozzafava for her decision to back a Democrat in last week's NY-23 special election.
Here's the statement released by Kolb:
"Today, I had a thorough and frank discussion with Assemblywoman Scozzafava. As a result, Dede has tendered, and I accepted, her resignation as our Conference's Leader Pro Tempore. Over the coming weeks, I will be assessing who will serve as our Conference's next Leader Pro Tempore to lead our Assembly floor debates."
This is a significant blow to Scozzafava, costing her financially as well as in terms of prestige and influence.
She was the first woman in the history of the Assembly to hold the leadership spot.
The New York Daily News questions whether Scozzafava will continue to caucus with Republicans, or indeed if she will seek re-election in 2010.
NCPR has attempted to contact Assemblywoman Scozzafava through the day. We'll bring you her perspectives on this as soon as possible.
Labels: election09
posted by Brian Mann @ 11/09/2009 07:00:00 PM
20 Comments
20 Comments:
Incredible. So after she supported a Democrat, obviously, her powers of reason, intellect and capacity to lead and work were compromised.
I'm confused that she's being punished for not being supportive of the party. But was Hoffman supportive of the party? Some would say no. I guess his punishment is not winning and ongoing criticism.
Strange doings. I though we wanted the people who represented us to think critically and independently in order to govern best on our behalf and in our name? Slavish following of the party? Representing a narrow party line? Not quite in line what i had in mind. Seems petty to me.
First the party treated her abysmally during the election, now they are punishing her for doing what she believed was right for her constituency. That doesn't say anything positive the Republican party. I'm a life long independent but if I were looking to join a party after this, it wouldn't be the GOP.
I have already heard of a few folks who are changing their party registration, and I am just one person. The rate of exodus will continue. The self-marginalization of the Republican Party continues.
No wonder they are an irrelevant 20-something percent minority in the Assembly.
i think dede absolutely did the right thing by endorsing owens, but i also think the assembly republican caucus would be crazy not to have stripped her of her leadership post for doing so. like it or not, effective political parties have to be able to enforce party discipline. dede knew what she was doing with her endorsement. i think it's only reasonable that she accept the repercussions of that now.
Does this say more about Scozzafava or the NYS Republican Assembly?
Imagine - a politician responsive to the district's constituency rather than the party line. Shocked, I'm shocked! Actually, I am shocked. This is not typical Albany or Washington politics.
Yeah, but where was effective party discipline when Hoffman bolted the party and ran as a Conservative? This guy disrupts everything, under performs, loses the seat by creating a three way race and gets a pass. Someone has some explaining to do.
This morning, Dede shares the front page of the WDT with her brother.
Anon. Both Dede and Thomas Scozzafave were on the front page of the WDT? So...what?
There are 2 stories about Dede losing her status in the NYS assembly and within the Republican party (Martha Ellen and Nancy Madsen).
There is a story about the problems concerning Thomas's businesses.
As to the point of this thread:
Dede should consider becoming a Dem or Indie.
Consider this - John McHugh represented the 23rd as a "moderate" Republican. He was much like Dede on cultural and social issues. He would have taken Federal money to help the district. Which begs the question: Would the party, in a desire to purge itself of anyone still an independent thinker,have gone after John this time around were he the candidate?
keep up the good work GOP and soon you'll be the Grand Obsolete Party.
Good question Frank. Would the Conservatives have attacked John McHugh the same way?
anon 8:33 - I'm another changing parties. Been a republican since old enought to vote but this latest crud was the last straw. Although I believe it's the homphobic conservatives that should branch off I'm not about to wait for hell to freeze over.
Independant thinkers ! WOW, we can't have that now can we. I was in politics for 11 1/2 years, and I was an Independant thinker also and took much grief for standing up for what I thought was right for the taxpayer. Unfortunately as reflected by the pollsters and all those who supported a Radical Conservative such as Carpetbagger Hoffman, we are in trouble. A growing number of people do not take the time to think things through and make a good informed decision when picking the right person to represent them. Radicalism needs to go away from both parties, and people need to start paying attention to the BIG PICTURE, not their self promotional nonsense. Remember, STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES. :)
Dede, despite some of her faults as a member of the Republican Party, was railroaded by said same Party. She was castigated and belittled nationwide, on every FOX (FIXED) News program, Rush Limbaugh went after her, Sarah Palin attacked her, Mike Huckabee, Ann Coulter, Dick Armey, and a host of unnamed local Republicans bought it and turned against Pelosi, err, I mean Dede.
That's not very nice. But that is political hardball.
Dede's not the traitor. She has stood by the same principles for many years now. In fact, as I have asked at a different thread, would John McHugh have suffered the same fate from the national party this time around. He was fairly moderate in his cultural leanings. He would have taken the evil Federal government's bribe... err, I mean stimulus money.
No, my fellow countryfolks, Dede didn't betray the GOP, they betrayed her.
She showed courage and political guts to give her endorsement to Owens.
Thank you Dede for having more integrity than does the Party that rejected you.
In the 1930s in Germany a very active political group spread fear and purged their party of all those who did not follow without question the Party line.
A lot of Republican leaders have lost leadership posts the last few years. Foley,DeLay, Gingrich, Hestert for starters. AT least she was booted out over reasons not related to sex and criminal activities.
this is a big step forward for the Party. Congratulations are in order.
I think Dede fits perfectly in the current Republican party. While they no longer represent my views, she seems to fit their views. I still like Dede as a person and wish she was still my Assy Rep. But, she is more than smart enough to realize what she was doing. She made her choice, now she can live with it.
She sure had no problem taking the money for her campaign from the Republicans. She behaved like a spoiled rotten little child, who when she found out that she wasn't winning the game, decided that she would make sure she ruined the game.
She put her own selfish interests before everything else and now she is paying for it. Boo Hoo
Good riddance!
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow interviewed Dede Scozzafava on her show last night. Watch the video.
Is a leadership post in the ultra minority party of the assembly really something to get excited about one way or the other. It's kind of like being a co-captain of the third string.
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