Here’s what just came across the email from state Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs regarding the dustup over getting state Sen. Pedro Espada, Jr. out of the party.
This statement preceded the text of the actual letter, which you can read after the jump and which you’ll notice was signed by Edgar Santana, NYS Dems deputy executive director.
Today, the New York State Democratic Committee initiated legal proceedings to cancel Senator Pedro Espada Jr.’s affiliation as a Democrat.
In a complaint submitted to the Bronx County Democratic Committee, the State Democratic Committee charged that Senator Espada became a Democrat for “ulterior motives,” including his own financial gain, not out of a commitment to Democratic principles.
“Time and again, by word and by deed, Pedro Espada has put his own naked financial interest ahead of bedrock Democratic ideals. Espada has run rough-shod over campaign finance rules devised by Democrats, has played fast-and-loose with state residency requirements, and – most egregiously – appears to be a Democrat purely for personal profit, not a commitment to our core values,” said Jay Jacobs, chair of the NYS Democratic Committee.
“By initiating this proceeding, the Democratic Party seeks to make official what has long been true in fact: Pedro Espada is no Democrat. With any luck, the results of today’s action will – once and for all – end any pretense that Pedro Espada is a member in good standing of the Democratic Party,” added Jacobs.
New York law allows a political party to revoke a voter’s party registration where “the voter is not in sympathy with the principles of such party.” New York State Election Law § 16-110 (2). The process was formally initiated in writing by Edgar Santana, the Deputy Executive Director of the NYS Democratic Committee and a registered Bronx Democrat.
The full text of the letter:
July 6, 2010
Dear Mr. Chairman,
This letter constitutes a formal request that the Bronx Democratic Party immediately initiate proceedings to cancel Senator Pedro Espada Jr.’s enrollment as a Democrat, pursuant to New York State Election Law § 16-110 (2).
Quite clearly, Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. left the Democratic Party long ago in all but his official party affiliation. Through his repeated public statements and bad conduct, Sen. Espada has shown he is not “in sympathy” with our party’s fundamental principles.1
The law of New York is clear: Sen. Espada “is not entitled to enroll [in a political party] in order to further his ulterior motives.” 2 The time has come to end the fiction that he is a member in good standing of New York State’s Democratic Party.
For more than a decade, Sen. Espada has cavalierly flouted campaign finance rules. He operates in open defiance of state residency requirements that undergird our representative democracy. And, most importantly for purposes of disenrollment proceedings, Sen. Espada’s decision to affiliate with the Democrats is the result of opportunism and personal gain, not a commitment to Democratic ideals.
This self-serving approach to party affiliation was on vivid display just one year ago, when Sen. Espada bartered his allegiance to the Democratic Party for personal benefit. According to press accounts, Sen. Espada was motivated by a desire to secure about $2 million in discretionary spending for organizations in which he held a personal financial stake3 and by Republican promises to make him President of the Senate.4
Sen. Espada’s Democratic affiliation is based solely on a desire for personal gain. Such motives negate any effort to invoke constitutional immunities for legislative actions. The Bronx Democratic Party is, therefore, legally entitled to disenroll Sen. Espada — and should do so as soon as possible.
Respectfully submitted,
Edgar Santana
Cc: The Honorable Carl Heastie
1 Matter of Mendelsohn v. Walpin, 197 Misc. 993, 1000 (N.Y. Sup. 1950) (cited in Rivera v. Espada, 98 N.Y.2d 422, 429 (N.Y. 2002)).
2 Matter of Mendelsohn v. Walpin, 197 Misc. 993, 1000 (N.Y. Sup. 1950) (cited in Rivera v. Espada, 98 N.Y.2d 422, 429 (N.Y. 2002))
3 “How Espada Betrayed Dems in Grab for ‘Charity’ $$,” New York Post, August 23, 2009.
4 “Pedro Espada’s Self-Coronation: The making of an Albany nihilist,” New York Magazine, July 2, 2009
