Lavine For Good Government

Press Release August 25, 2010Contact Steven Friedman:Steven@lavineforgoodgovernment.com or(516) 455-6231

The outcome of a State Senate primary election in the Bronxis extraordinarily important to every New Yorker who wantsAlbany to improve.The incumbent is being challenged by an outstandingindividual named Gustavo Rivera. I first met Mr. Rivera when heserved as Director of Outreach for United States Senator KirstenGillibrand, work he performed with great distinction. Gustavois a professor of political science at Hunter College and atPace University. His superb academic background, combined witha real-life understanding of the needs of our citizens earnedthrough his work as a community organizer, make him the superior

candidate. Gustavo’s well deserved reputation for honesty,

integrity and dedication to the community are the very qualitiesthat are so desperately needed in the 33

Senatorial Districtand in Albany.

The present senator, Pedro Espada, shut down New York’s

government in June of 2009 after he made a deal with theRepublicans.He then bargained with the Democrats to rejoin them,cashiering that switch into a position of leadership.Every decent New Yorker was disgusted by that self-servingmanipulation.That exploitation caused an increase in public cynicismabout government in general.

And this week’s scandal surrounding the governor has had

the effect of rubbing salt into that wound, a wound that surelyneeds to be healed.My friend Gustavo Rivera will be a great Senator becausehonesty and integrity must be restored to government in New YorkState.The crisis in the office of the governor and the crisis inthe Senate are not the result of any defect in organizationalstructure or process. Instead, they have been caused by a lackof responsible leadership.