Koch brings Uprising reform campaign to Nassau

Former congressman and New York City Mayor Edward Koch, the founder of New York Uprising, a group seeking reform of New York State government, brought his campaign to Nassau Wednesday, extolling its aims on the steps of the county executive and legislative building in Mineola.

The reforms, Koch said, deal with three basic issues related to good government: "redistricting not based on party lines, expanding ethics guidelines and a balanced budget under generally accepted principles, with no gimmicks."

Koch, 85, was surrounded by politicians on both sides of the aisle, who said they support his goals. Some of them - like Democratic Assemb. Charles Lavine and Republican candidate Robert Germino, both of Glen Cove - were even opponents for the same office.

Koch said his "old friend" Manhattan Democratic Assemb. Sheldon Silver, the Assembly speaker and a lawyer, is enemy No. 1.

"He is an enemy of reform. He has decided that the people are not entitled to know who his clients are," Koch said, adding that Silver earns millions from clients who could be benefiting from his office. "It is not illegal, but it's immoral," he said.

Melissa Mansfield, speaking for Silver in Albany, said: "We're not going to comment."

Koch said 52 of 61 senators and 76 of 150 Assembly members have signed on in support of the three goals. "Not the speaker, though," he added.

He said if the supporters did not live up to their pledge, he and other Uprising members would go into their districts, shouting "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire" about them.

And 9th Senate District Democratic candidate George Sava piggybacked on Koch's speech to attack incumbent GOP Senate Leader Dean Skelos of Rockville Centre. Sava said Skelos was living off "the hurt" of New Yorkers because "Skelos is invested heavily in companies that profit from increased state spending and debt. He owns stock in companies with over $2 billion in state contracts - his personal stock portfolio stands to increase in value when the state spends more and goes deeper in debt."

Sava said Skelos owns stock in Citibank, GE Capital Public Finance, Merrill Lynch Capital Services and Wells Fargo Bank, among others doing business with the state. "It raises troubling conflict of interest questions," he said.-

Skelos, who was not on hand, did not later respond to the allegations, but New York Uprising spokesman Mark Botnick did. "Mayor Koch has not taken sides," he said, "but Skelos signed on with us early and was able to deliver his entire conference within 24 hours."