Cuomo Complies With Judge’s Order To Call Special Election

Governor Andrew Cuomo called a special election today to fill the seat of former Congressman Michael Grimm, setting an election date for May 5.

Though Grimm officially resigned amid charges of fraud over a month ago, Cuomo took his time acknowledging the vacancy, prompting a federal lawsuit which forced the governor to start the electoral process.

The New York Observer reports:

Mr. Cuomo had resisted officially recognizing Mr. Grimm’s resignation and the vacancy it left, which would automatically trigger a vote for a new representative within 70 to 80 days. But—in response to a suit brought by a group of Staten Islanders—Eastern District Court Judge Jack Weinstein declared on Monday that governors do not have the power to leave New Yorkers without a voice in the House of Representatives without good reason, and demanded Mr. Cuomo set a date for the special election by today. If not, the judge said he would set it for him.

Though he said he would comply with the order, Cuomo blasted the judge’s decision to a group of reporters yesterday, offering fiscal concerns as his rational for holding out on calling the election.

“From their point of view, taxes don’t matter, spend, spend, spend. You know, I understand that. That’s why New York is one of the highest taxed states in the United States. Cost isn’t a matter—unless you’re paying. For the people who are paying, the cost, the cost is a consideration,” Cuomo told outlets.

Meanwhile, some have criticized Staten Island Democrats for failing to come up with a candidate on the Staten Island side of the district to oppose the Republican’s nominee, Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan. After Assemblyman Michael Cusick revealed that he would not be running, the Democratic Party interviewed Councilman Vincent Gentile, Senator William Colton, and a Staten Island union activist, Robert Holst, but has yet to select a candidate.

Then, earlier this week, the vice chair of the Staten Island Democratic Party, John Sollazzo, a 75-year-old firefighter who has long played an important role in the party, announced that he was interested in running for the congressional seat.

Now that the special election has been called, we can expect a Democratic candidate to be chosen imminently.