Statement from NY-based Indivisible Groups on Proposed Reunification of the State Senate

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

November 28, 2017

NEW YORK AND BROOKLYN — Today, NY-based Indivisible groups Empire State Indivisible, Indivisible Brooklyn, and Indivisible Harlem issued the following statement:

“Yesterday’s proposal for the reunification of the New York State Senate by Democratic Party officials is unacceptable.

“New York: don’t let them tell you this is unity.

“Unity is not a state Senate still divided into factions. Republicans controlling the Federal government have plunged our country into a civic and constitutional emergency, and the Indivisible movement was formed to resist the GOP’s brutal agenda in Washington. Since the IDC gives Republicans a voice at the state level, we will resist them, too.

“We won’t accept a future where the IDC continues to exist and its current members remain as lawmakers.

“We won’t accept a Senate where Jeff Klein has a co-leadership role. Andrea Stewart-Cousins is the leader of the Senate Democratic Conference.

“We won’t accept a special election that will be held after the 2018 budget is completed. Allowing the GOP to control the Senate during the budget process is intolerable. We have watched too much critical, progressive legislation die at the hands of IDC-enabled Republicans.

“We hold Governor Cuomo accountable. We are not seduced by his mystique nor impressed by his presidential ambitions. While the Independent Democratic Conference might have served the Governor’s purposes, it hasn’t served the people of New York.

“It is an outrage that the Governor would attempt to force mainline Democratic Senators to accept his ultimatum or be replaced as a leadership team. Instead, perhaps the Governor needs to be replaced.

“New York: don’t let them tell you this is truly blue.

“On Saturday, Dec. 2, our New York–based Indivisible groups will stand together at the New York Hilton Midtown. We will bring a principled, vocal opposition to the IDC, to those who enable its policies, and to this proposal.”