Former Mayor Ed Koch has been telling voters to "throw the bums out" if they don't support his Albany reform pledge.
But today he said the Assembly may decide to throw Speaker Sheldon Silver out, if he continues to withhold his signature.
"He places himself in jeopardy with regard to being re-elected as speaker," Koch said Monday, after announcing that almost half of the Assembly has signed on to the pledge.
Yet Silver has defiantly said "I don't sign anybody's pledges" -- clearly not wanting to tie his hands.
"I believe if Shelly holds out and we are able to get a majority he will be thrown out," Koch said.
Right now, Republicans outnumber Democrats who have signed the pledge, forcing Koch to grudgingly name the GOP as the party of reform.
Silver's spokeswoman referred NBCNewYork to a month-old statement she released on how Republicans were in control of the Senate for decades and blocked ethics reform.
Local
But the same question can be asked of Democrats: Since they have controlled both houses of the legislature for the past two years, why haven't they passed it?
In the meantime, politicians, watch out! Former Mayor Ed Koch will be traveling to your home turf to name you as "an enemy of reform."
Koch went to White Plains Monday to name names of suburban lawmakers who should be reelected, and the "bums" who should be "thrown out."
The pledge is part of an effort by the former mayor's political action committee, NY Uprising, to try to help voters make the right call when they head to the polls. The pledge is a promise to vote for an independent redistricting commission, independent ethics panel and responsible budgeting practices.
