Dark Uchiha
06-08-2009, 09:59 PM
ALBANY — Republicans regained control of the New York State Senate on Monday afternoon, winning support from two dissident Democrats in a surprise power-sharing deal. The sudden coup effectively ended Democratic control of Albany after five months and allowed Dean G. Skelos of Long Island to reclaim the title of majority leader, replacing Malcolm A. Smith of Queens.
The shakeup also left Pedro Espada Jr., a Bronx Democrat, as president of the Senate. He becomes the highest ranking Latino in the state’s history, but will have to share power with Mr. Skelos.
Tom Golisano, the Rochester billionaire who recently announced he was moving to Florida because of New York’s high taxes, played a major role in brokering the deal.
Concern over a failure to adopt new Senate rules, coupled with anger over a tax increase included in the recently passed state budget deal, was said to have led to the switch.
The two Democratic defectors said they remained Democrats, and even after the vote, Mr. Smith was not conceding defeat. Democrats nominally have a majority in the chamber, 32 seats to 30, but the two dissidents give the Republicans the power in practical terms.
“This was an illegal and unlawful attempt to gain control of the Senate and reverse the will of the people who voted for a Democratic majority,” according to a statement from Senator Smith’s office. “Nothing has changed; Senator Malcolm A. Smith remains the duly elected temporary president and majority leader.”
Democrats — who regained control in January after more than four decades of Republican rule — were caught off guard by the insurrection.
As the events were unfolding on the floor, Senator Smith, huddled in the hall just off the Senate chamber and consulted with his staff. When asked what was occurring, he responded, “I’m trying to find out right now.”
The change of power upends the legislative debate in Albany and changes the landscape on any number of issues, from mayoral control of New York City’s schools to gay marriage.
“This is a sobering moment,” Mr. Espada said, minutes after being elected Senate president. “I wish I could be jubilant about what just took place here, but indeed it was absolutely necessary. I’m happy that my colleagues had the faith in me to give me this responsibility.”
The raucous leadership fight erupted on the floor of the Senate around 3 p.m., with two Democrats, Mr. Espada and Hiram Monserrate of Queens, joining the 30 Senate Republicans in a series of parliamentary maneuvers. Democrats tried to stall, storming from the chamber and even turning off the lights, but Republicans continued the session and elected new leadership.
Both Mr. Espada and Mr. Monserrate said they still considered themselves Democrats.
Democrats won a majority of Senate seats in the November elections, but they elected Mr. Smith as majority leader only after three dissident Democrats who were being courted by Republicans, including Mr. Espada, agreed to vote for him.
Mr. Espada said he was motivated by the unwillingness of fellow Democrats to reform the rules of the Senate. “We had five months of sheer chaos in these chambers,” he said. But his own record could undermine his positioning as a reformer. Mr. Espada has been fined tens of thousands of dollars over the years for flouting state law requiring disclosure of his campaign contributions.
Mr. Monserrate was indicted in March on charges that he stabbed his companion late last year with a drinking glass, leaving a gash that required 20 stitches to close.
Asked Monday how he would coexist with Republicans, he said, “We’ll figure it out, but I’m a Democrat.”
Also backing the effort was Mr. Golisano, the founder of Responsible New York, a political action committee that gave thousands of dollars to Senate Democrats last year to help them take control of the Senate. He has become increasingly critical of the party.
Mr. Golisano recently announced that he was moving his legal residence to Florida out of anger about the budget deal reached in April by Democratic leaders in Albany, which included an increase in taxes on high earners.
Mr. Golisano played a role in negotiating the original deal under which Mr. Espada and other recalcitrant Democrats gave their support to Mr. Smith.
Steve Pigeon, an aide to Mr. Golisano, said Mr. Golisano felt betrayed by Mr. Smith because the leader had not delivered on the overhaul of Senate rules he had promised upon taking power.
“He feels very strongly that he backed Malcolm Smith, and Smith didn’t keep his word, and didn’t make the changes he said he would,” Mr. Pigeon said. “What you will see now is power-sharing, real reform.”
Republicans moved to adopt a new set of rules for the Senate on Monday, but it was not immediately clear what changes had been made.
W..T..F
All because they hate some gays.. :amazed
Link (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/nyregion/09switch.html?em)
The shakeup also left Pedro Espada Jr., a Bronx Democrat, as president of the Senate. He becomes the highest ranking Latino in the state’s history, but will have to share power with Mr. Skelos.
Tom Golisano, the Rochester billionaire who recently announced he was moving to Florida because of New York’s high taxes, played a major role in brokering the deal.
Concern over a failure to adopt new Senate rules, coupled with anger over a tax increase included in the recently passed state budget deal, was said to have led to the switch.
The two Democratic defectors said they remained Democrats, and even after the vote, Mr. Smith was not conceding defeat. Democrats nominally have a majority in the chamber, 32 seats to 30, but the two dissidents give the Republicans the power in practical terms.
“This was an illegal and unlawful attempt to gain control of the Senate and reverse the will of the people who voted for a Democratic majority,” according to a statement from Senator Smith’s office. “Nothing has changed; Senator Malcolm A. Smith remains the duly elected temporary president and majority leader.”
Democrats — who regained control in January after more than four decades of Republican rule — were caught off guard by the insurrection.
As the events were unfolding on the floor, Senator Smith, huddled in the hall just off the Senate chamber and consulted with his staff. When asked what was occurring, he responded, “I’m trying to find out right now.”
The change of power upends the legislative debate in Albany and changes the landscape on any number of issues, from mayoral control of New York City’s schools to gay marriage.
“This is a sobering moment,” Mr. Espada said, minutes after being elected Senate president. “I wish I could be jubilant about what just took place here, but indeed it was absolutely necessary. I’m happy that my colleagues had the faith in me to give me this responsibility.”
The raucous leadership fight erupted on the floor of the Senate around 3 p.m., with two Democrats, Mr. Espada and Hiram Monserrate of Queens, joining the 30 Senate Republicans in a series of parliamentary maneuvers. Democrats tried to stall, storming from the chamber and even turning off the lights, but Republicans continued the session and elected new leadership.
Both Mr. Espada and Mr. Monserrate said they still considered themselves Democrats.
Democrats won a majority of Senate seats in the November elections, but they elected Mr. Smith as majority leader only after three dissident Democrats who were being courted by Republicans, including Mr. Espada, agreed to vote for him.
Mr. Espada said he was motivated by the unwillingness of fellow Democrats to reform the rules of the Senate. “We had five months of sheer chaos in these chambers,” he said. But his own record could undermine his positioning as a reformer. Mr. Espada has been fined tens of thousands of dollars over the years for flouting state law requiring disclosure of his campaign contributions.
Mr. Monserrate was indicted in March on charges that he stabbed his companion late last year with a drinking glass, leaving a gash that required 20 stitches to close.
Asked Monday how he would coexist with Republicans, he said, “We’ll figure it out, but I’m a Democrat.”
Also backing the effort was Mr. Golisano, the founder of Responsible New York, a political action committee that gave thousands of dollars to Senate Democrats last year to help them take control of the Senate. He has become increasingly critical of the party.
Mr. Golisano recently announced that he was moving his legal residence to Florida out of anger about the budget deal reached in April by Democratic leaders in Albany, which included an increase in taxes on high earners.
Mr. Golisano played a role in negotiating the original deal under which Mr. Espada and other recalcitrant Democrats gave their support to Mr. Smith.
Steve Pigeon, an aide to Mr. Golisano, said Mr. Golisano felt betrayed by Mr. Smith because the leader had not delivered on the overhaul of Senate rules he had promised upon taking power.
“He feels very strongly that he backed Malcolm Smith, and Smith didn’t keep his word, and didn’t make the changes he said he would,” Mr. Pigeon said. “What you will see now is power-sharing, real reform.”
Republicans moved to adopt a new set of rules for the Senate on Monday, but it was not immediately clear what changes had been made.
W..T..F
All because they hate some gays.. :amazed
Link (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/nyregion/09switch.html?em)