No board seat for Amazon-killer Gianaris
Sen. Michael Gianaris’ nomination to the state Public Authorities Control Board just went the way of Amazon’s Queens headquarters.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea StewartCousins, in a Saturday letter to Gov. Cuomo, announced she was withdrawing her nomination of Gianaris, one of the prime movers behind scuttling Amazon’s Long Island City plan.
The governor — who just one day earlier called the abrupt abandonment of the Amazon project the “greatest tragedy” in his lengthy political career — greeted her declaration with a touch of sarcasm.
“Great,” said Cuomo senior adviser Rich Azzopardi. “But it’s a day late and $27 billion short.”
Stewart-Cousins (DYonkers) fired off a fourparagraph letter to Cuomo declaring Gianaris was out of the PACB running, with Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-Queens) emerging as her new choice. The obscure board would have held veto power over the Amazon deal, setting off party infighting.
“Through comments you have made to others in public meetings and interviews … it is clear that you do not intend to confirm my appointment of Sen. Gianaris,” she wrote.
And she took a shot at Cuomo for ignoring the Gianaris nomination, noting the PACB seat was filled by a Republican while urging quick approval of Comrie.
“Because of your inaction, the Senate’s duly elected Democratic majority is not being represented on this critical body. It is critically important that we not let personal grievances or external arguments affect the day-to-day operations of government.”
Amazon cited political backlash in its decision to scrap its Queens plans. The move cost the city about 25,000 jobs and an $27 billion in revenue, said state Budget Director Robert Mujica.
On Friday, Cuomo said state Democrats could have taken Queens Democrat Gianaris out of contention when his opposition to Amazon became evident.
The governor questioned “the misguided decision” by Senate Democrats to act as if the Amazon deal was “a local political issue” rather than a game-changing addition to the state economy.