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Albany, NY - Albany Coup: Two Democrats Join Republicans to Topple Smith as Senate Leader [Video] |
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Last updated on: Jun 08, 2009 at 06:30 PM
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Sen. Dean Skelos on his way out from Senate Floor (Photo credit VIN News)
The Bronx lawmaker, who returned to Albany in January after a hiatus, said he is a voice for reform Democrats and that more reformers will be joining his lead. He and Sen. Hiram Monserrate of Queens joined the 30 Senate Republicans to remove all leadership put into place at the start of year when Sen. Malcolm Smith became the majority leader.
Led by an aggressive push by Sen. Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton, Republicans forced a resolution that resulted in the vote of Espada as temporary president for the rest of this year and of Sen. Dean Skelos, R-Rockville Centre as the vice president.
The Capitol was turned upside down by the move which ends the Democrats six-month tenure as leaders of the Senate.
"I am a Democrat and I am in charge," said Espada who said he could not sit tight and allow Smith to lead the Senate. "We have been in a quagmire since Jan 7."
The plot to overthrow Smith was supported by Rochester billionaire Thomas Golisano, a three-time gubernatorial candidate and backer of several Senate candidates.
Libous was able to install Sen. George Winner, R-Elmira, to oversee the proceedings. He replaced Sen. Neil Breslin, D-Bethlehem, who had been officiating the Senate when Libous raised his surprise leadership resolution. Breslin was taken aback and had a hard time responding to the hand vote of 32 senators calling for a leadership change.
Eventually, Breslin recognized the vote and left with lawyer Keith St. John so that Republican lawyer Jack Casey and Winner could take the stage. After Espada and Skelos were sworn in, Libous won another resolution to restructure the powerful Rules Committee and cancel all chairmanships and committee appointments.
"Legally, we're absolutely assured," Espada said. "This is about getting a government that works."
Clearly shaken, Democrats left the chamber after the leadership vote, although they first attempted to adjourn. That vote was rejected by Republicans and Espada's allies. As the new leadership began their actions, the lights were turned off in the chamber. They were put back on five minutes later.
Republican aides who had been shoved into the minority seemed buoyed by the turn of events as Democrats seemed unsure of what to do next.
**UPDATE** 5:15 PM
Austin Shafran, a spokesman for Senator Malcolm Smith issued the following statement:
“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. Nothing has changed, Senator Malcolm A. Smith remains the duly elected Temporary President and Majority Leader. The real Senate Majority is anxious to get back to governing, and will take immediate steps to get us back to work.”
Sen. Dean Skelos on his way out from Senate Floor (Photo credit VIN News)
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Total21
Read Comments (21) — Post Yours »
1
Jun 08, 2009 at 03:27 PM Anonymous Says:
so for the last 50 years the dems controled just 5 months the state senate
2
Jun 08, 2009 at 03:38 PM Anonymous Says:
mazal tov next is patterson
3
Jun 08, 2009 at 03:58 PM Anonymous Says:
bh
4
Jun 08, 2009 at 03:52 PM Anonymous Says:
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT SHELLY SILVER?
5
Jun 08, 2009 at 03:44 PM Anonymous Says:
its a big cherbon for all the charities
6
Jun 08, 2009 at 04:25 PM Charlie Hall Says:
“ HOW DOES THIS AFFECT SHELLY SILVER? ”
It doesn't; he is the Assembly Speaker and is supported by the large Democratic majority there.
7
Jun 08, 2009 at 04:33 PM Anonymous Says:
THANK YOU, CHARLIE
8
Jun 08, 2009 at 04:33 PM Josh Says:
Good riddance to them, I say. Hope they lose their seats in the next election.
9
Jun 08, 2009 at 04:35 PM Gay avek, gay marriage Says:
Say kaddish for gay marriage. The Republicans won't let it go to the Senate floor.
10
Jun 08, 2009 at 04:43 PM MyMan Says:
One person backing the revolt to put Republicans back in charge was Tom Golisano, the Rochester businessman and 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, but who 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 crafted in April by Democratic leaders in Albany, which included an increase in taxes on high earners.
Mr. Golisano played a role in negotiating original deal under which Mr. Espada and Mr. Monserrate — along with Mr. Díaz and Senator Carl Kruger of Brooklyn — gave their support to Mr. Smith. Steve Pigeon, his aide de camp, has been a frequent presence in Albany in recent weeks, and said Tuesday that Mr. Golisano felt betrayed by Mr. Smith because the Democratic leader had not delivered the overhaul of Senate rules he had promised upon taking power.
11
Jun 08, 2009 at 04:41 PM Moshe Says:
The Democratic Party becomes a minority again in the NY Senate by squabbling over a symbolic issue the general public isn't interested in. While people lose their jobs, and have their houses foreclosed, Dems squabbling over voting on gay marriage. A classic tactical blunder.
12
Jun 08, 2009 at 05:11 PM Charlie Hall Says:
Smith may have a point. There isn't anything in the Senate Rules that would seem to allow for his being voted out of office mid-session:
http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/LAWSSEAF.cgi?QUERYTYPE=LAWS+&QUERYDATA=$$CMSSENATERUL$$@TXCMS0SENATERUL+&LIST=SEA3+&BROWSER=21617870+&TOKEN=02561854+&TARGET=VIEW
13
Jun 08, 2009 at 05:01 PM Charlie Hall Says:
“ The Democratic Party becomes a minority again in the NY Senate by squabbling over a symbolic issue the general public isn't interested in. While people lose their jobs, and have their houses foreclosed, Dems squabbling over voting on gay marriage. A classic tactical blunder. ”
NY1 reported last week that Espada was planning to vote for Gay marriage. Either he was lying, the reporter was lying, or this isn't about Gay marriage.
14
Jun 08, 2009 at 04:59 PM Chasky Says:
I'm going through a few of the major news outlet's stories on this and it seems that nobody has any idea what the hell is going on up there. Various sources, like the Daily News, are saying that its going to be a non-partisan senate, with 10 Dems keeping their chairmanships. Others seem to be going on a completely different track. All and all I'm not entirely sure what to make of all of this, its likely not going to be cleared up by the end of the day.
15
Jun 08, 2009 at 04:56 PM Chiam Says:
...as a New Yorker, there's good reason why most of the people of this state and throughout the country consider the New York State legislature as one of the most dysfunctional. It's because it is, even with the one-seat take-over by Democrats last fall. The state legislature has prostituted itself almost totally to the monied special interests.
Two additional thoughts about this:
1) this will enable Democrats to let Republicans "share the blame" for the state of the state, especially if the Senate ends up rejecting the gay marriage legislation proposed by the governor and passed b the Assembly.
2) If ever there was a time for the Democrats to recruit some ambitious up-and-comers in these two heavily Democratic districts...it is now. All the Democrats need to do is come up with some strong contenders to start applying the pressure to these two state Senators, ideally Democrats with a strong appeal to the Hispanic base of both.
16
Jun 08, 2009 at 05:37 PM Milhouse Says:
“ Smith may have a point. There isn't anything in the Senate Rules that would seem to allow for his being voted out of office mid-session:
http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/LAWSSEAF.cgi?QUERYTYPE=LAWS+&QUERYDATA=$$CMSSENATERUL$$@TXCMS0SENATERUL+&LIST=SEA3+&BROWSER=21617870+&TOKEN=02561854+&TARGET=VIEW
”
Where do those rules say anything about a session, or distinguish between the beginning and middle of a session?
17
Jun 08, 2009 at 05:25 PM Charlie Hall Says:
“ ...as a New Yorker, there's good reason why most of the people of this state and throughout the country consider the New York State legislature as one of the most dysfunctional. It's because it is, even with the one-seat take-over by Democrats last fall. The state legislature has prostituted itself almost totally to the monied special interests.
Two additional thoughts about this:
1) this will enable Democrats to let Republicans "share the blame" for the state of the state, especially if the Senate ends up rejecting the gay marriage legislation proposed by the governor and passed b the Assembly.
2) If ever there was a time for the Democrats to recruit some ambitious up-and-comers in these two heavily Democratic districts...it is now. All the Democrats need to do is come up with some strong contenders to start applying the pressure to these two state Senators, ideally Democrats with a strong appeal to the Hispanic base of both. ”
Espada has pulled the party switch once before -- and was defeated in the next election. The reason he won last fall, in a different district, was the incumbent was under indictment on corruption charges, some to which he pled guilty after the election.
18
Jun 08, 2009 at 09:32 PM NY state constitutionalist Says:
“ Smith may have a point. There isn't anything in the Senate Rules that would seem to allow for his being voted out of office mid-session:
http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/LAWSSEAF.cgi?QUERYTYPE=LAWS+&QUERYDATA=$$CMSSENATERUL$$@TXCMS0SENATERUL+&LIST=SEA3+&BROWSER=21617870+&TOKEN=02561854+&TARGET=VIEW
”
as far as i'm concerned, they didn't VOTE him out of office, they just took away the majority from the dems, so now he can't be the majority party leader!! All that the two state senators did, was switch parties to oust him from speaker. a very legal move, it was endorsed by the democrats in washington when arlen spector switched, so why is it illegal now??? smith wasn't voted into being speaker by the people of NY, he was voted as speaker by the democrats in albany because the democrats won more seats, so now they have less seats, so he'll be the minority leader. can't see why it's illegal, check your fact first!!
19
Jun 09, 2009 at 12:01 AM Charlie Hall Says:
“ as far as i'm concerned, they didn't VOTE him out of office, they just took away the majority from the dems, so now he can't be the majority party leader!! All that the two state senators did, was switch parties to oust him from speaker. a very legal move, it was endorsed by the democrats in washington when arlen spector switched, so why is it illegal now??? smith wasn't voted into being speaker by the people of NY, he was voted as speaker by the democrats in albany because the democrats won more seats, so now they have less seats, so he'll be the minority leader. can't see why it's illegal, check your fact first!! ”
Smith wasn't "Speaker". Sheldon Silver is. Smith was "Temporary President". Please do your research before posting. (Did you read the Senate Rules?)
20
Jun 09, 2009 at 12:11 AM Charlie Hall Says:
“ as far as i'm concerned, they didn't VOTE him out of office, they just took away the majority from the dems, so now he can't be the majority party leader!! All that the two state senators did, was switch parties to oust him from speaker. a very legal move, it was endorsed by the democrats in washington when arlen spector switched, so why is it illegal now??? smith wasn't voted into being speaker by the people of NY, he was voted as speaker by the democrats in albany because the democrats won more seats, so now they have less seats, so he'll be the minority leader. can't see why it's illegal, check your fact first!! ”
Another problem is that the Senate rules require that the Temporary President also be the Majority Leader. The Republicans claim to have elected Espada Temporary President and Skelos as Majority Leader.
21
Jun 09, 2009 at 12:26 AM Charlie Hall Says:
“ Where do those rules say anything about a session, or distinguish between the beginning and middle of a session? ”
There is nothing in there about removing any office holder from office!
An even bigger problem is that the rules clearly say,
"The Senate shall choose a Temporary President who shall be the majority leader "
The Republicans may have to make Espada the Majority Leader as well as Temporary President.