Dear Lucas,
I wanted to give you some news on our No Bad Apples project and the fight for a Democratic State Senate committed to reforming Albany. There are three big updates:
Campaign Questionnaires: We have scoured the state for months, looking for the new leaders who will join the fight for reform in the State Senate. This week, No Bad Apples will send PAC Questionnaires to at least 14 pro-reform Democrats we've spoken with - women and men from around our state who want to change Albany.
We plan to assess the strength of their campaigns and their ideas for reform. Once we've passed down our endorsements, we'll work to help them win. Stay tuned to learn more about our 2012 Good Apple Candidates!
Update on Lew Fidler for Senate: Our first endorsed candidate, Councilman Lew Fidler, ran in a tough district represented most recently by one of the worst 'bad apples' in the history of our state, disgraced ex-Senator Carl Kruger. At this moment the outcome is too close to call.
With our endorsement, No Bad Apples PAC sent Councilman Fidler's campaign financial support as well as scores of volunteer hours. With many hundreds of absentee ballots left to be counted and a margin of just over 100 votes separating Lew and his Republican opponent, we'll be watching closely to keep you updated.
Redistricting; We'll See Them In Court: Despite a brazenly gerrymandered deal cut after midnight on the Ides of March, the redistricting fight is far from over. Over the objections of Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals has directed Judge Roanne Mann to prepare for the possibility of drawing new maps. The midnight gerrymandering deal must pass a U.S. Department of Justice review for violations of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, and it is already under attack in the courts for violating the New York State Constitution.
The fight continues - in the courts, at the Department of Justice and on the campaign trail - and I will keep you up to date as it happens. In the meantime, take the time to like No Bad Apples on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Sincerely,
Sen. Liz Krueger