"Independent" Bloomberg Supports NY GOP

Mayor Bloomberg's recent switch in party status may have created big headlines about his Presidential aspirations, but he is still in bed with the corrupt New York Republican apparatus up in Albany. He threw his support behind Joe Bruno and his quest to keep their two seat majority in the State Senate today.

From The New York Times:

On June 19, shortly before Mr. Bloomberg announced that he was leaving the Republican Party, he telephoned the state’s most powerful Republican, Joseph L. Bruno, the Senate majority leader.

The mayor wanted Mr. Bruno to know the announcement was coming. But Mr. Bloomberg, a major contributor to New York Republicans, also sought to reassure the majority leader that despite the change, he would still back Mr. Bruno and his Republican colleagues in the Senate.

“He will support us now, and as we go forward,” Mr. Bruno said, describing the conversation. “His support is his support.”

The call to Mr. Bruno was one of several conversations Mr. Bloomberg has had with Republicans in New York in recent weeks pledging his political support.

So while he promotes a new national image, he continues doing business as usual with Republicans at home. The support isn't just vocal, being a billionaire he is able and willing to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to state Republicans, especially for funds dedicated to holding crucial state Senate seats.

Eliminating that majority is essential to making progress up in Albany. As Majority Leader, Joe Bruno has held up many pieces of legislation that can move New York forward both economically and progressively. With Bloomberg's continued support, we can count him as being part of the problem, despite his positive environmental stance.