“I am appalled that someone as respected as Mayor Ed Koch would resort to making inflammatory robo-dialed calls suggesting that lawmakers such as myself are ‘Enemies of Reform’ for not rubber-stamping Governor Cuomo’s redistricting bill. I can tell you a couple of things: Mr. Koch knows nothing about this district, let alone me.

“Mayor Koch’s calls are not only bothering hardworking North Country residents, but doing little to illuminate the real issues behind reform in New York. The Assembly Minority and Upstate has historically been the greater victim of the redistricting politics; how on earth could Koch target the victims in the process?

“The fact is that I am an avid supporter of fair redistricting reform and continue to support legislation which will end gerrymandering for career politicians, as I announced in early March. The bill I have sponsored addresses serious deficiencies in the governor’s measure that would adversely affect the North Country, and it is gaining support around our region.

“If Koch is, in fact, a supporter of reform in this state, why would he accept a plan that hands the governor, any governor, disproportionate control over appointments to the Independent Redistricting Committee?

“Also troubling to me, as a representative of the North Country, is the blatant exclusion of this region from public hearings regarding redistricting, including how prison populations will be counted. I don’t support the governor’s bill because the legislation is bad for Upstate and my constituents; it’s as simple as that.

“When I signed the New York Uprising pledge, the bill Koch is pushing now wasn’t even on their radar. An entirely different bill was being supported then.

“Furthermore, I joined New York Uprising because of its complete reform package, which included state budget and ethics reform, in addition to redistricting. Did New York Uprising drop those issues from their agenda?

“Mayor Koch’s latest gimmick is just another example of New York City politicians bullying Upstate and I’m going to tenaciously defend our interests. I’m not going to fold over a little pressure from downstate special interests. Our North Country voters are smarter than Albany and New York City believes – and they aren’t going to buy into this disingenuous reform plan.”