Back around, say, 1776, a group of American colonies banded together and sent a message to Mother England — no taxation without representation.
Today, some Staten Islanders (along with some in Brooklyn) find themselves in much the same fix. The man they chose in November at the ballot box to represent them in Congress — Michael Grimm — resigned more than a month ago, having pleaded guilty to a felony tax charge.
That’s left the 11th Congressional District without a representative ever since — even as the new Congress is considering a raft of important legislation.
The Republicans have announced a candidate: Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan. But the Democrats have not yet agreed on a candidate. Indeed, one reason Grimm was re-elected despite being under federal indictment is that Democrats did not pick a good candidate to run against him.
It’s up to Gov. Cuomo to call the special election. But so far he hasn’t done so — and hasn’t explained why.
Not that this has stopped the speculation.
Grimm was the GOP’s lone congressional representative in New York City, so maybe the governor is in no hurry to have a Republican seat filled. Or maybe he’s just waiting for the Democrats to come up with a good candidate. Or hoping that Dan Donovan will in the meantime be damaged if embarrassing details about his handling of the Eric Garner case emerge.
But these and other issues are, of course, for the people of the 11th Congressional District to decide. Meanwhile, they go unrepresented.
So how about it, Gov? Set a date.