(NY) Senate majority flips, vote pushes Smith out as majority leader

[Godhumor]

Source: Democrat and Chronicle

In a remarkable turn, two Senate Democrats this afternoon voted with the Republican minority to oust Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, and return the Senate to Republican control.

Sens. Pedro Espada, D-Bronx, and Hiram Monserrate, D-Queens, voted with the Republicans in an unexpected bid to give the GOP the Senate majority with just two weeks left in the legislative session.


The Republicans voted to install Espada as Senate president and named Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County, as majority leader, a post he held last year.

-snip-

The flip puts in turmoil a number of legislative issues, including whether the Senate would vote to approve same-sex marriages in New York, whether farm worker rights would be strengthened and whether New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will retain control of schools in the city.



Read more: http://democratandchronicle.com/article/20090608/NEWS01/90608027/Senate+majority+flips++vote+pushes+Smith+out+as+majority+leader&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL

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Not surprising but still deeply disappointing.

[CreekDog]

1. New York City Democratic representatives throw state Senate to GOP

I wonder how their constituents like that?

[greeneyedboy]

2. Are the two traitors being bribed or blackmailed?

"Why Mr. Espada and Mr. Monserrate suddenly defected on Monday afternoon was not immediately clear. Both men are under investigation by the authorities. The state attorney general’s office is investigating a health care agency, Soundview HealthCare Network, that Mr. Espada ran until recently. And Mr. Monserrate, who was indicted on felony assault charges in March stemming from an attack on his companion, would automatically be thrown out of office if convicted."

http://www.tinyurl.com/nysenateflipstogop

[WI_DEM]

3. What the hell? did they give a reason.

[Graybeard]

4. These two are really *bad* characters.

Espada besides being investigated by the state AG is also under investigation by the Bronx DA. He is required by law to live in the district that he represents but evidence shows that he actually lives in a wealthy section of Long Island.

Monserrate was caught on a security camera dragging his bleeding girlfriend out of his apartment.

[aquart]

11. Well, that should have been an interesting backroom deal.

There seems to be reason to suspect fraud with one and assault with the other? Well, are the gutless Democrats just going to sit on their hands?

[Jim Lane]

7. It may relate to marriage equality

These two were among the "Gang of Four" that, at the beginning of the session, tried to make Smith's election as majority leader contingent on a promise that he wouldn't allow a floor vote on same-sex marriage. (Of course, they would have been free to vote against it, even without any deal, but their position was that no one should be free to vote for it.)

Smith has continued to support the bill and has said he'll bring it to the floor when he has the votes. He's probably been working on some of the Republicans from less troglodytic districts. If he could bring over a couple Republicans, he'd be able to pass the bill even without unanimity among the Democrats.

The defectors may hope that Skelos as Majority Leader will be able to enforce party discipline and keep the bill bottled up.

[t0dd]

9. No

Espada was a sponsor of the same-sex marriage bill. That isn't why they switched. And the "Gang of Four" weren't all opposed to having Smith as majority leader solely because of same-sex marriage.

[asksam]

5. Typical Rethug Behavior. If you can't steal the election outright...

... steal power through a back-handed method.

Damn Rethugs have been stealing Senate elections here in NY for the last forty years. Now that we finally gained control, they manage to steal it back.

If only we could impeach every Rethug in the State Senate.

[aquart]

18. Right now I'm much more interested in punishing 2 Democrats.

In ways so harsh as to strike a genuine fear in their tiny, twisted hearts.

[Soylent Brice]

6. just peachy.n/t

[Libertas1776]

8. I say good riddance to bad garbage

For one, that Monserratte is a real opportunistic piece of shit, and should be in jail. Let the slimeball join the party of slime. But really, I have just lost all faith in Albany and in both parties. They're all a bunch of party scheming, pay to playing, grafting, corrupt officials. I wash my hands of them all.

[MilesColtrane]

10. Check their bank accounts.

I believe that Switzerland has made anonymous, numbered accounts a thing of the past.

Some diligent prosecutor could probably find big, greasy wads of GOP cash recently deposited.

[Bleacher Creature]

12. Courtesy of the Daily Gotham, this is what the Dems lost.

http://dailygotham.com/bouldin/blog/republicansaidedbydefectorsretakesenate

"Senator Espada is under investigation by the state Attorney General for misuse of campaign funds - specifically, the AG alleges that not-for-profit funds and taxpayer dollars were used for electioneering - and word on the street is bad. Possible prison bad.

Hiram Monserrate stabbed his girlfriend in the face with what is variously described as a broken glass or a broken beer bottle for days before Christmas 2008."

(SNIP)

Good riddance

[Tunkamerica]

13. four days or for days?

kind of changes the meaning.

[struggle4progress]

14. Smith: Democrats still the majority

Smith: Democrats still the majority
Monday Jun 8 8:07 PM
By Matthew Arco, Gazette staff writer

Despite Republican claims that they now control the Senate, Sen. Malcolm Smith — still calling himself Senate majority leader — held a news conference this evening to say he and the Democrats are still in control of the house.

Smith argued since the vote to overtake his leadership position was done after the Senate was adjourned, it wasn’t a valid vote. He called it an “illegal vote.”

“Let’s just be real clear, the Senate Democrats are still the majority, Senate Malcolm Smith is still the majority leader pro-temp,” Smith said at the press conference in the Capitol. “We understand that there was a vote taken on the floor after the session was gaveled out, and therefore their assuming there was a change in leadership” ... http://www.legislativegazette.com/day_item.php?item=966

[struggle4progress]

15. NY Senate's coup

... 3:35 p.m. ... "I move that we adjourn!" Klein said ...

3:36 p.m. Republican Sen. George Winner takes the seat vacated by Breslin, as the Democrats leave the chamber.

3:39 p.m.: The chamber lights turn off for one minute.

3:46 p.m.: Espada and Skelos are elected; the coalition revokes all leadership and committee assignments made by the Democrats in January ...

http://www.amny.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-nysenatemajority-glan0608jun08,0,1898469.story

[brendan120678]

20. Except the session did not adjourn - the Democrats didn't have enough votes...

instead they tried to adjourn, pretended that it passed, ran out of the room and tried to shut down the session.
The motion was made, it was probably seconded, it's not debatable or amendable - but a majority needs to approve the motion.

As a former New Yorker - I'm kind of glad to be out of the state. Corruptness and ineptness abound in both parties.

[struggle4progress]

16. ALBANY: Shifty work in the state Senate

... Confusion erupted as Democrats scrambled to head off the GOP effort, at one point leaving in protest, shutting of the lights in the chamber and telling staff members to leave. Staff remained behind and Republicans held a series of votes, 32-0, effectively taking control.

The Democratic leader, state Sen. Malcolm Smith, sent a brief statement to reporters calling the Republican effort “illegal” and claiming still to be in charge, though Democrats failed to gain enough votes to adjourn prior to the GOP vote to appoint Skelos majority leader ...

One behind-the-scenes player familiar to Western New Yorkers appears to have played a pivotal role in the proceedings.

“It’s a great day for the state of New York,” said B. Thomas Golisano. The Rochester billionaire, who has run unsuccessfully for governor three times, has spent millions to support candidates he feels will reform Albany to become more democratic and supportive of business ...

http://www.niagara-gazette.com/local/local_story_159205410.html

[aquart]

17. Golisano, the man New Yorkers DON'T want running things.

I'm not wishing good things for him.

[Historic NY]

19. Well this ought to screw up the state even more....Paterson needs to go.

Well the Republican Senate will be cranking up their secret printing press again on Long Island to ensure they maintain a majority. The two moron defectors need to pay for their BS, come election time. I wonder what quid-pro-quo was made for the flip.

[Xenotime]

21. And, how is this not illegal?

[brendan120678]

22. Why would it be illegal?

A motion was made to change leadership. As far as I know, there was no Senate rule against raising such a motion.