Yesterday, we wrote that the County Leg Dems called for Leg president Wayne Zyra (R) to step down. Why? His party-over-people, party-over-county ways won’t change. Look at the way he rammed the latest MCC Trustee selection down the Leg’s throats. GOP chair Steve Minarik may have stepped down, but the ruling structure he put in place still needs to be dismantled, for the good of the county.

So, what’s the GOP response to the Dems’ call for Zyra’s resignation? Who’s interested in true collaboration, as opposed to more sound-bite, photo-op collaboration? Here’s GOP Majority Leader Dan Quatro:

Majority Leader Dan Quatro, R-Webster, said his caucus was firmly behind Zyra and would not change leadership. Quatro suggested instead that Bronson resign.

One thing you have to give the GOP– they are very good at protecting their own at all costs. Kind of the opposite of the famed Democratic “circular firing squad”. And, are you kidding me? Quatro’s response is a variation of “so’s your mother!” Days like this I’m grateful that tapdancin’ Bill Smith (R) is out of the Leg– he was like “Teflon Man”, since you couldn’t get anything to stick to him, and he could talk his way out of anything.

Ok, how about Zyra himself?

Zyra said he doesn’t wish he had done anything differently in leading the legislature and doesn’t plan to change his style.

Sounds a lot like George W. Bush’s inability to admit mistakes.

And how about Maggie Brooks, who has been trying to take on the mantle of collaboration?

Brooks’ spokesman, Noah Lebowitz, said Brooks would not dignify the Democrats’ “partisan, divisive attack” with a response.

Now that’s an interesting response. Why wouldn’t Maggie offer her express support for Zyra remaining as President? Perhaps she doesn’t want him there either, but even if she does, she should let her position be known one way or the other. It’s called true leadership.

Spidey sense is telling me that she wants him out of power, and is mad that the Dems got their first. But hey, you can ask her yourself, since she’ll be on WXXI’s 1370 Connection today from 12-1.

Update: Even James Lawrence, who tries to be moderate in all things, can’t help but notice that Zyra is continuing Minarik’s Iron Reign:

But some things are needlessly pointedlyy political like last night’s Republican insistence on immediately adding banker John Bartolotta to the Monroe Community College Board of Trustees over the objections of minority Democrats.  Democrats said they merely wanted to interview Bartolotta as is the case for appointees by most legislative bodies. But no. Legislature President Wayne Zyra wanted the Legislature to act on the spot. And they did.

This sounds not like the “New Republican Party” that Brooks talked about last week in the wake of Steve Minarik’s departure. Rather , this was GOP business as usual.

Yep.  This is looking less like a “new chapter” for the county GOP, and more like “Second verse, same as the first.”