Bronx State Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. had more than housing on his mind when he delivered remarks today at a ceremony commemorating the 100,000th unit being built under Mayor Bloomberg’s ambitious plan to create or renovate 165,000 “affordable” homes by 2014.
“Would you please take a message from me to Congressman Weiner?” Diaz asked Rep. Jose Serrano, sponsor of a fiercely-debated bill giving Puerto Ricans the right to vote on the political status of their island commonwealth.
“Tell him that this Puerto Rican and so many other Puerto Ricans are very angry that he doesn’t want to give us an opportunity to decide our future.”
Diaz told The Post that Anthony Weiner’s vote against the bill was “shameful.”
Weiner lined up with Brooklyn colleague Rep. Nydia Velasquez, who denounced the bill as a backdoor attempt at pushing statehood and urged a “no” vote.
Even as he blasted Weiner, Diaz said he had no problem with Velasquez’s opposing view because “she is a Puerto Rican. This is a Puerto Rican issue.”