Democrats took over control of the New York Senate with the 2008 election after decades of trying, but that flipped back to the GOP today with two defections.
A raucous leadership fight erupted on the floor of the Senate around 3 p.m., with two Democrats, Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens, joining the 30 Senate Republicans in a motion that would displace Democrats as the party in control.
This makes Dean Skelos the new majority leader by a 32-30 margin, although Espada and Monserrate don’t seem to have officially changed parties. This would seem to be a last-ditch effort to stop gay marriage from clearing the New York Senate, but oddly, the main Democratic obstruction on that front, Sen. Ruben Diaz Jr. Sr., didn’t join the other two dissidents in today’s vote. (H/t Zeitgeist9000.)
As much as this screws up not only the gay marriage push but also the state’s budget, this may have one silver lining: unless there’s going to be some sort of counter-push, Darrell Aubertine isn’t as desperately needed to stay in place, and he can jump into NY-23 with impunity.
UPDATE (David): It looks like gay marriage may have had nothing to do with this:
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.
“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. “What you will see now is power-sharing, real reform.”
LATER UPDATE (David): Senate Dems seem to be saying this is all just a bad dream:
STATEMENT FROM AUSTIN SHAFRAN, PRESS SECRETARY FOR SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MALCOLM A. SMITH
“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.”
ONE MORE UPDATE (David): In a new article, the NYT says that gay marriage had nothing to do with it:
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.
Feels like a punch to the gut. I disagree w/r/t to Aubertine, though – even if this does hold up, we’re still super-close to the majority and still need every seat we can get.
… the same dude that sliced his girlfriend up with a broken wine glass or something like that a few months ago? Sounds like someone who you wouldn’t want in your life on a personal or political level.
The votes were simply never there. It was not ever passing this year. What a disaster. I have to believe that the non-existent leadership from Paterson and Smith played some role in this. If Paterson is at the top of the ballot next year, Democrats are begging for trouble.
In terms of Aubertine, it’s actually a tough call since this district might be chopped up in two years anyway. Aubertine is our best prospect, but if Scott Murphy can carry NY-20, we might not need a A-list pol to win the seat.
This won’t last.
1. Is there anyone who can primary these clowns in 2010?
2. If not to 1, will these two vote for Democratic redistricting plans in 2011? (Of course, if Paterson is the nominee and loses in October, then it’s irrelevant.) Not just for Congress, but the State Senate could use a good un-gerrymandering – Democrats could solidify their control easily this way.
I agree with David on Aubertine – someone else can win NY-23, we need him in the State Senate.
As someone who lives in NY, this sucks horribly. The votes were CLEARLY not there, so I have no idea why they were pushing it so hard when several members of the caucus have said they were willing to hand over control the Republicans if it was pushed.
I doubt we can even primary these guys successfully.
… but how the hell can the Republicans even be close to controlling the Senate in NY? It just does not make sense to me how a state that is 26-3 Dem on a congressional level and that went Obama by 27 points can even be close at the state leg level.
there is no greater sin in american politics to voting against your own party leader for the leadership of the body you’re in.
if i was a local democrat, i can’t imagine that it would be that hard to find decent candidates to run gainst them.
And why do people keep suggesting that somehow Paterson could be the democratic candidate for governor? He and Burris are already dead electorally. There is NO way either one could win a primary.
Even an idiot would not push for gay marriage when the majority is on thin ice.
And I do not even want to think of the various racial implications that his removal will give rise to. Charlie rangel already had hinted at it in an effort to spike Cuomo.
Fron The Albany Project:
http://thealbanyproject.com/di…
I’ll agree that this was an inopportune time to push for gay marriage which wasn’t happening anyway. But that said these two have been a problem and itching to switch anyway. Losing them is like losing James Traficant in the US House. They were never worth keeping in the first place.
or is New York trying to outdo California in terms of who can have the most dysfunctional legislature?
I realize Paterson is getting much of the blame in this thread – but what about the Senate leader who seems to have been completely blind-sided?
he is removed from office, we have a special election, and there’s a 31/31 tie.
So, how many members need to show up for a quorum?
There’s no reason there should be 2-4 Democrats constantly threatening to bolt out of only 32 caucus members. Imagine that percentage of disloyalty in the US House. None of these clowns even come from tough districts like the Dem congressmen who switched after 1994. I imagine this is going to be a very, very fleeting victory for NY Republicans. We’re going to get that majority back in 2010 and draw them down to 15 seats.
So it looks like this was more over political wheeling-and-dealing more than gay marriage. If it was over the gay marriage issue, I could almost respect that more. Political parties exist for important reasons, and when you run with a (D) next to your name on the ballot (especially in places like NYC, where that typically means you’ll win a general election), that needs to come with some responsibilities.
Anyone who has read my comments over the past couple of years knows I’m far from the most rabidly partisan person, and that I am often one of the last ones to jump on the “Let’s primary the SOB” wagon. I’m probably more supportive than many here of a diversity of views in the party. But not this time — in large part because this doesn’t seem to be related to that type of ideological difference. In other words, read these two out of the party.
As has been discussed above, these two Senators have more than their political careers to worry about. It sounds like both could be off to jail — and there they can legitimately worry about a different and much more personal type of gay marriage.
If not, why not?
Even if the switch hasn’t happened, having these clowns in office automatically imperils the majority. They need to face primary opponents with more money than they know what to do with.
Ruben Diaz, Sr. is the wayward state senator and the vociferous homophobe that is sadly, also a Democrat. Ruben Diaz Jr., his son, who sits in the Assembly, supports marriage equality.
WTF is going on here?
A lot of people are saying that Hiram and Pedro will be indicted etc. and they will not remain senator very long. I doubt it.
HM will remain a senator for some time to come. Her girl friend has recanted.
Pedro Espada may go to jail oneday. But not very soon.
This would not have happened under the previous governor. I do not approve of his morals. But he knew how to deal with his enemies. He would have offered a Republican chnage sides soon after the election to cement a strong majority. David Paterson sucks.
Incidentally, the two defectors have been called “wise litano” senators several times in the NYT comments.