Little Chance To Override Andrew Cuomo's Veto Of Port Authority Reform Bill

People have said, if the legislatures of both New York and New Jersey passed the Port Authority reform bill 612-0, surely they can get two-thirds of that number to override Cuomo's Saturday night veto and Christie's coming veto in January.

The NY Times reports that's not going to happen:

Despite the unanimity of the legislators in Albany and Trenton, however, and despite the torrent of criticism they unleashed after the governors’ announcement, the bill’s backers said on Sunday that prospects for overriding the veto seemed slim at best. Neither Legislature has accomplished that feat with Mr. Cuomo, who was elected to a second term in November, or during Mr. Christie’s nearly five years in office.

And with only days left in the current legislative term in New York, that streak was not likely to be broken. That left officials to sift through the reform recommendations the two governors put forth as they quashed the bill, some of which drew praise for reducing the governors’ political influence at the agency and others of which have already attracted withering criticism. 

“An override is not practical,” said Michael Whyland, a spokesman for Sheldon Silver, the speaker of the New York Assembly. “We still think legislation is needed, and we will work with our colleagues in both states to bring increased accountability to the Port Authority.” 

In New Jersey, sponsors also conceded that the makeup of the State Senate — where Democrats hold more seats, but not the supermajority needed to reverse a veto — was likely to scotch any override. While the legislation passed unanimously, Republican legislators have been known to switch positions on an issue rather than risk crossing Mr. Christie.

And so, the partners in corruption, Governor Christie and Governor Cuomo, have ensured real reform will not come to the Port Authority.

Instead we'll get a brand of reform that they want - one that largely maintains the status quo.