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

NEW YORK, NY (11/21/2012)(readMedia)-- 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.