You thought the prospect of Caroline Kennedy becoming New York's next Senator upset us lefties.
Kirsten Gillibrand is the member of Congress representing New York's 20th district (for you Rocklanders who need a quick political geography lesson, that starts as far south as Dutchess County and follows I-87 way past Lake Placid). She's a woman, she's eloquent, she's young, she's attractive, and she's from Upstate unlike most of her predecessors.
So why are so many progressives, myself included, disappointed by the Governor's pick? Because, while a Democrat, Kirsten Gillibrand is rather conservative (not just a Blue Dog). And New Yorkers should be very worried about her selection.
Together, let's run our fingers across some highlights of Gillibrand's pre-political career and her short record in the House:
Gillibrand, before elected to the House, worked as a lawyer for the tobacco industry. She represented Philip Morris during major litigation including defense of civil lawsuits brought by the victims of smoking. She also represnted the company in FBI criminal investigations. It's no surprise that Gillibrand's campaign finance records show that she had since received $23,200 in contributions from Phillip Morris employees.
And what else of Gillibrand's pre-Congressional life and career. The New York Daily News sheds some light on that for us:
Gillibrand's official bio cites her grandmother as "the inspiration" for her core values. Her father, Doug Rutnik, is a well-known Albany lobbyist, and her upstate ties run deep: She's a fifth-generation New Yorker.
Gillibrand, (D-Hudson), was a tenacious high school tennis player known to friends as Tina. She attended Dartmouth College as an Asian studies major, working one summer in the office of Republican Sen. Alfonse D'Amato.
Wait a second: Alfonse D'Mato, ALFONSE D'AMATO? This is a Democrat?
And here's some more doozies from the short political career of Gillibrand
- Gillibrand split from the majority of fellow Democrats in 2007 to support a $100 billion Iraq funding bill without a timeline for troop withdrawal. (Clinton opposed the bill, along with President Obama.)
- Gillibrand was the only Democrat voting against Rep. Maxine Waters' (D-CA) proposal last year to help states purchase foreclosed homes and offer them at discounted rates to low-income families.
- She did stand apart from 41 House Democratic centrists in 2007 to oppose the "bipartisan" Protect America Act, which enabled the Bush warrantless wiretapping program to continue with minimal judicial oversight ... but Gillibrand voted last year to give legal immunity to telecom companies who had assisted the wiretapping regime, despite her earlier vow to oppose such a shield. (President Obama, it should be noted, flipped his stance in the exact same fashion.)
As far as Gillibrand's FISA vote is concerned, I firmly believe that the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 continued to authorize unconstitutional wiretaps was disgraceful. Her FISA vote is far more serious a concern than telcom immunity. Her vote was an attack on the Bill of Rights, a violation of her oath to protect the Constitution.
This shouldn't come as a surprise to those that know of Gillibrand's career as a tobacco lawyer, but her vote on the Farm Bill, is a return to her past, making excuses to corporations that produce poison that our children consume. The Farm Bill, if you're familiar with it, reads like a political love letter to agribusiness. Among other things, it provides Government subsidies to Agribusiness to produce high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Once again, there seemed to be no concern by Gillibrand that HFCS is behind the greatest health crisis this nation faces—a tiger doesn't change its stripes.
And in a great act of hypocrisy on Gillibran's part, while she voted for this bill, which guarantees that American children will continue to drink half-liter bottles of sweet poison, she ran around the campaign trail proclaiming that she wanted to focus on childhood obesity in Congress.
Shall I go on?
Gillibrand is endorsed by the National Rifle Association and she earns high praise from NumbersUSA, a repulsive an anti-immigrant group. This is not an encouraging pick for the immigrant community.
Gillibrand voted in favor of an amendment that increases funding for the construction of a border fence. The legislation, the Brown-Waite amendment to HR 2638, re-directs $89 million used to create Border Security Fencing--at least 700 miles of barbed-wire and chain-link along the southern border.
And Gillibrand has gone on record as opposing a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and co-sponsored the Secure America through Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act in 2007. The SAVE Act aimed at reducing the inflow of undocumented immigrants by increasing border security and internal enforcement and complete the fence along the border.
And now, let's talk about gay rights:
While Gillibrand received an 80 out of a 100 rating from the LGBT advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign, that was easily the lowest score out of the New York Democratic delegation. And here's how she voted:
- She voted against the repealing of “Don’ Ask, Don’t Tell” legislation.
- She opposed legislation that would grant equal tax treatment for employer-provided health coverage for domestic partners.
- She opposed legislation to grant same-sex partners of U.S. citizens and permanent residents the same immigration benefits of married couples.
- She opposed legislation to permit state Medicaid programs to cover low-income, HIV-positive Americans before they develop AIDS.
That's a pretty bad voting record from a representative coming from a state that has long-prided itself in being accepting and tolerant of those with alternative lifestyles.
Only now are we hearing that she's changing her positions on gays. But as former Senate candidate and political gadfly Jonathan Tasini pointed out to myself and others on a Facebook page: a Republican opponent will make mincemeat of her flip-flopping in a 2010 campaign.
And it's not just "crazy progressives" like myself that are disappointed by the pick. Gillibrand rubs most members of the New York delegation that wrong way.
Kirsten Gillibrand’s nickname is “Tracy Flick” — a not-so-flattering reference to the over-eager, blonde, bubbly and viciously competitive Reese Witherspoon character from “Election.”
Gillibrand, the newly appointed junior senator from New York, has never been shy about her political ambitions — or her willingness to vault over older, more experienced politicians.
That aggressiveness and self-confidence has endeared her to the powerful politicians who share her impatience to get ahead — including Hillary Clinton, whose seat she’ll take; David Paterson, who appointed her to it; and Chuck Schumer, who’ll be the senior senator to her junior.
But many of those who know Gillibrand best — Democratic members of the state’s congressional delegation — weren’t exactly high-fiving over the pick, and not just because several wanted the job themselves.
“Nobody really likes her,” sniped one New York City-area member, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“She's smart and capable, but she's rubbed people the wrong way,” said another.
“I think she's going to get a serious primary in 2010,” opined a longtime state Democratic operative who supports Gillibrand.
A primary, with a progressive candidate running against Gillibrand, is just what New York needs. I'm looking forward to working on a campaign opposing her.
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