Sussman: Weisenberg Violates Assembly Voting Rules

Dr. David Sussman, a Republican the assembly seat currently held by Harvey Weisenberg, called on the incumbent on Wednesday to explain why video shows another legislator casting a vote for the Long Beach Democrat.

In the video, a Bronx Assemblyman, Eric Stevenson, can be seen casting a vote for an absent Weisenberg, according to a story by the Legislative Gazette. Another segment shows Weisenberg casting his own vote, then casting a second vote for another member.

“If this footage is what it appears to be, Mr. Weisenberg is violating explicit assembly rules that limit members to one vote,” Sussman said during his official campaign announcement in Cedarhurst. “After 23 years in office, Mr. Weisenberg must think the laws of government don’t apply to him. At the very least, he owes his district an apology for an egregious lack of judgment and fidelity to the voters’ interests and wellbeing.”

But Weisenberg said this a practice that’s done by both Democrats and Republicans.

“It’s unfortunate when stories are manipulated and blown out of proportion purely for political gain at a time when there’s work to be done,” he told Patch. “This common courtesy is done on both sides of the aisle to record a vote for another member — only at their direct request. This ensures a vote is accurately recorded when a member has briefly stepped away from their desk to conduct legislative business with fellow assembly members and staff within the chamber.”

Sussman, a 17-year member of the Lawrence School Board, said his top concern is to address unfunded state mandates for school districts and high taxes that hinder job growth. He called for policies that will lead to job growth on Long Island and for more of Long Island’s tax money to be returned.

“Voters deserve to have their best interests represented on the assembly,” he said. “It’s time to fix Albany’s utterly broken system, where anything goes, but the will of the people.”