Brodsky Attacks Critics of His Congestion Pricing Study

On the Brian Lehrer show this morning, Assembly Member Richard Brodsky brushed off reports of his parking industry campaign contributions and TA, RPA and Streetsblog’s substantive criticism of his congestion pricing study as a “personal attack.”

Here’s a transcript: 

Brian Lehrer: Streetsblog, the website, reported yesterday that over the past five years you have accepted at least $16,000 in campaign contributions from parking garage interests which far exceeds those of any other state legislator. They are implying here that parking lot interests, being based mainly in midtown are opposed to congestion pricing because it would mean less cars and less business and you may be carrying some water for them.

Richard Brodsky: First of all, lets just assume, Brian, that I am the worst person in the world. I assume the reason they are attacking me rather than the report we issued is because the report stands as a fair, thorough, true and accurate analysis of the plan. The attack on me is silly. I raised over 2 million dollars while I was running for Attorney General…um..We raised it from a lot of progressives and a lot of left-wingers. The attempt to demonize and attack your opponents on a personal basis is something I reject when it’s Karl Rove and I reject it when it’s Transportation Alternatives or these blogs.

Brian Lehrer: Than why does parking lot industry give you more money than any other legislator?

Richard Brodsky: Part of the reason is because I have a long-standing relationship with one… uh…family..uh…friends of mine, who have been supporters of mine for years. Brian, I put in bills against congestion pricing in 1995. That’s on the public record. If…if…if what we’re about…assume I’m a crook, if you like. Lets then discuss whether the report that I put out has merit or it doesn’t. And if it doesn’t than I ought to fix it and I ought to re think my position. And if it does, even the people calling me names ought to deal with that. I mean…this is…this is silliness. The…the…the decision to change the discussion to whether I am an honest person from whether the mayor’s program is good for the people of the city is not in anyone’s interest. The Mayor gives out millions of dollars to the organizations that are supporting his plan. He…he gives his personal money. Tens of millions of dollars. I don’t believe those people are supporting his plan because they are dishonest. And I’ll tell you right now, and real clearly — that the decision to raise this now is a sign of intellectual and political bankruptcy.