OntheWilderSide

Democratic and Republican Party insiders have taken advantage of New York State Election law to place their candidates on the Green Party line. Democratic Party candidate Adrienne Esposito will appear on the Green Party line in the New York Third (3rd) State Senate District, which runs along the south shore of Long Island from Brentwood to Center Moriches. In addition, Republican Party Huntington District Court Judge candidates Steve Hackeling, Walter Long, and Paul Senzer are as well.

According to a September 30, 2014 Daily News article titled “Democrats accuse GOP candidate Rob Astorino of ‘pay-to-play’ in report,” NY Republican Governor candidate Rob Astorino received $907,669 in campaign donations from dozens of companies that got county contracts. The Astorino campaign issues a 100-page report detailing $2.7 million in donations that NY Democratic Governor candidate Andrew Cuomo received since 2010 from companies that won a combined $7.2 billion in state contracts.

Green Party Governor Candidate Howie Hawkins states, “For once Cuomo and Astorino are both right — and both guilty. They are both right about the other participating in pay-to-play contributions-for-contracts. They are both hypocrites for calling out the other for unethical transactions in which they themselves participate.” 

“Cuomo and Astorino are making my case for full public campaign financing for me by demonstrating the pay-to-play corruption in our state and local governments,” he continued. Hawkins also noted that the system of full public campaign financing in New York State that he supports (A04116/S04501) would include a series of debates among all qualified candidates.

“A full public campaign finance system would eliminate the perennial insane debates about debates. It would remove the power of the incumbent to set the terms of debates by putting the debate schedule in the hands of an independent commission,” Hawkins said.

Related articles

• Democrats accuse Rob Astorino of ‘pay-to-play’ in report
• Cuomo Agrees To Two Gubernatorial Debates
• Dem report: Astorino’s ‘pay-to-play’ contributions
• Cuomo on debates: Astorino “only wants to do one”
• Debate set for New York governor’s race
• Green Party of Suffolk Update on Esposito, Hackeling, and Gaza Position
• Tom Croci leads Adrienne Esposito in 3rd Senate district: Newsday/News 12/Siena College poll

Filed under: election, governor, grassroots democracy, Green Party, howie hawkins, Long Island Politics, New York State Politics, News, progressive politics Tagged: | 3rd state senate, Adrienne Esposito, andrew cuomo, howie hawkins, Paul Senzer, pay-to-play, Rob Astorino, Steve Hackeling, Walter Long