Slippery Rick manages to keep silent while other Wall Streeters are forced to publicly oppose the popular reforms.

Dems blast Lazio claim that Wall Street Reform not relevant to governing New York

As President Obama signed Wall Street reform into law, New York State Democrats called on Rick Lazio to finally tell voters where he stands on the historic legislation. Lazio has successfully dodged months of questions about the legislation, despite having spent the last decade lobbying on behalf of the banking industry, which strongly opposed the law.

Last week, his spokesman even tried to suggest that Wall Street reform wasn’t relevant to New Yorkers and that Lazio wouldn't be getting “into matters of the [United States] Senate.” (New York Observer, 7/15/2010, click).

“Rick Lazio’s views on Wall Street reform are so secret that the CIA should ask for pointers. After spending a decade lobbying against Wall Street reforms exactly like the ones signed into law today, Lazio has no right to keep his views on Wall Street reform to himself,” said Jay Jacobs, chair of the NYS Democratic Committee.

“Foolishly suggesting that financial reform isn’t relevant to governing New York is like saying seatbelts aren’t relevant to car safety.  No one buys the idea that a Wall Street lobbyist like Rick has no opinion on the most sweeping reform of Wall Street in a generation. It may not be pleasant, but it’s time for Rick Lazio to tell the truth to voters and admit that he opposes Wall Street reform,” said Jacobs.

One of the law’s staunchest opponents was JPMorgan Chase, Lazio’s employer.  As the legislation made its final rounds, other candidates closely aligned with Wall Street, including David Malpass (Senate) and Harry Wilson (Comptroller) have come out against the reforms.  Lazio, however, has remained noticeably silent.