Common Cause/NY Statement on Vito Lopez and NYC Redistricting Plan

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Susan Lerner

November 21, 2012

212-691-6421

Common Cause/NY Statement on Vito Lopez and NYC Redistricting Plan

In response to news reports that the Districting Commission made eleventh hour changes to the proposed map for New York City Council regarding Vito Lopez, Common Cause/NY released the following statement:

“The fact that the Districting Commission has gone out of its way to accommodate Vito Lopez is bad enough, but even worse considering the substantial allegations against Mr. Lopez as a serial abuser of women. For a variety of reasons which Common Cause/NY has previously stated, it’s clear that the Commission’s proposed map, while acceptable in many respects, is not free from favoritism or political influence. Common Cause/NY urges the City Council and Speaker Quinn to seriously reconsider the proposed plan for 2013. New York City can do better,” said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY.

Background

Yesterday, Common Cause/NY released a critique of the Commission’s proposed plan for the New York City Council, highlighting three major points of issue: the ratio of representation between the Bronx and Manhattan, Council District 8, and the removal of Randall’s Island from Manhattan into Queens. Details can be found here.