March 1, 2011

For Immediate Release

Contact: Marcus Povinelli 518-455-3570
povinell@nysenate.gov

Senator Zeldin Rejects Malcolm Smith’s “Oblivion Pledge”

Statement from Senator Lee M. Zeldin

This new partisan redistricting bill is the real enemy of reform.

It would make the redistricting process even more partisan than it is now.

Democrats would make six of the eight picks to the redistricting panel, giving
them the supermajority they need to manipulate the lines to elect even more
Democrats.

That’s not the independent, non-partisan reform I have been willing to vote
for.

Senator Malcolm Smith, former Majority Leader of the New York State
Senate, has said, “With the Democrats in control of the State Senate, we are
going to draw the lines so Republicans will be in oblivion in the State of New
York for the next 20 years.”

Apparently, Mayor Koch, the Governor, Senate and Assembly Democrat

leadership, and the New York State Democratic Partyare abandoning the NY
Uprising pledge and have picked their poison to follow through on the
Malcolm Smith “Oblivion Pledge”.

During my campaign, I signed up for independent, non-partisan redistricting,

and I remain 100 percent in favor of changing and improving this system and
any other system that possibly can be improved. Show me a bill that
provides for independent, non-partisan redistricting, and I'll show you my co-
sponsorship. In the meantime, Democrat partisans need to stop playing
games to monopolize power in New York State.

I applaud Senator Skelos for his leadership on this issue. Our state is going
through tough fiscal times right now. My constituents have sent me to
Albany to fight for property tax relief, private sector job growth, and fiscal
discipline. Families are trying to figure out how to survive in New
York. Shouldn't our constituents' survival, and a better quality of life for them
be our top priority to deliver? This is the real pledge that the Democrat
machine needs to warm up to and embrace instead of huddling in
their bunkers in Albany trying to plot out how to grab every last piece of
power in our state capital.
Let's talk more about fixing our state and less about redistricting the
Republicans into “Oblivion.” For those who are most concerned about
redistricting, I remain fully committed to supporting any good plan that
accomplishes independent, non-partisan reform. Isn’t that what the New
York Uprising Pledge was all about?

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