The Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats has issued this statement regarding the Bloomberg Putsch:

The Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID) strongly oppose the recent City Council vote extending their own terms of office and those of the Mayor and other municipal officeholders, as well as the unsavory tactics used by Mayor Bloomberg to bend the Council to his will. Strong-arming charities who depend upon the Mayor's largesse and harrassing vulnerable Council Members do not represent the transparent, accountable governance approaches that this Mayor has always claimed to offer. For the Mayor and City Council to dismiss two recent referenda proving the people's support for eight-year term limits is an outrage.

While many New York City Council members behaved in a cowardly and self-serving manner, Council member David Yassky was a spectacularly shining example of hypocrisy. It is hard to believe that his amendment to require a referendum on the extension of the terms of office was offered in good faith when, upon its defeat, Yassky then voted to support the power grab orchestrated by the Mayor, the City Council Speaker and New York's plutocracy.

CBID is proud that Senator Barack Obama has financed his Presidential campaign with four million donors, most have whom have made small contributions that represent personal sacrifice linked to their passion for the candidate. We don't want a city whose Mayor only has the support of one donor - himself - along with everyone else whose support he has bought with millions of dollars spent to date and during the coming year. This is not democracy in action.

This year, CBID has members working in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida and other areas to protect and enhance democracy through a fair Presidential election. Next year, CBID's members will be working right here in New York City. Mayor Bloomberg, we will not dismiss or forget your hubris. Nor will we forget the lame but devastating votes cast by David Yassky and 28 other Council members. And we will not forgive.

David Yassky is getting more than his share of criticism for the City Council surrender. I would say Quinn and Recchia should also be getting the same level of criticism if not more. But Yassky drew attention to himself by being among the first to come out AGAINST the Bloomberg Putsch, then declaring himself undecided, then surrendering. Honestly, this was strategically the WORST way to act, pretty much pissing EVERYONE off. And it isn't just CBID (which has a history of opposing Yassky) that is pissed at Yassky. Yassky's former allies in the Independent Neighborhood Democrats have also slammed his surrender to Tsar (Hackshaw prefers Caesar) Bloomberg. I hope many of the Bloomberg 29 get serious challenges in 2009, but I know Yassky already has challengers lining up.