2009 Senate Coup | The New York Observer

Espada: 'One Has to Be Very, Very Careful'

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:43:00 -0400

ALBANY—For those of you who can't get enough of State Senator Pedro Espada Jr., he sat down with Susan Arbetter on New York NOW this week for a long, wide-ranging interview. "One has to be very, very careful, because at any given time, an agreement, a deal could be cut that leaves you out," Espada, who did a double-double-cross to become the chamber's majority leader, told Arbetter. Here's a clip of Espada talking about the Democratic...

With Espada's Re-Defection, Skelos Clings to Reform

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:49:00 -0400

ALBANY—Dean Skelos, the leader of the State Senate Republican conference, just threw in the towel. "I hope now that the leadership situation will be behind us," Skelos just told reporters. He hoped that Democrats would stick to the reformed rules of the chamber passed on June 8, which he insisted was the entire point of the coup that crippled the State Senate for an entire month. "It was about reform, it continues to be about reform,...

The New New Democratic Leadership Team

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:13:00 -0400

All of the purported leaders of the Democratic conference stood together to announce their leadership team at a press conference just now. They are: Pedro Esapda Jr., the chamber’s majority leader. Malcolm Smith, the chamber’s president pro tempore. A source familiar with the deal said that Smith would hold that post only until December; when asked about this, Sampson would not say either way. John Sampson, the Democratic conference leader. Jeff Klein, the deputy majority leader. Carl Kruger, chairman...

Republicans Leave as Dems Do Ordinary Senate Session; Medical Absence Leaves Them One Vote Short of Quorum

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:43:00 -0400

ALBANY—The same two-part dance played out on the chamber floor just now as in recent days: two parties, two procedures. After that happened, Republicans walked out of the chamber and into an immediate conference. But this time, double-flipping senator Pedro Espada Jr. remained alongside 30 other Democrats. (State Senator George Onorato has not yet checked in. Angelo Aponte, the Senate secretary, said he is absent to have an adjustment to his pacemaker.) "Despite some of the...

Espada's Promise

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:17:00 -0400

ALBANY—The four amigos walked out of the office of State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. and onto the floor of the chamber—saying little, if anything—where an extraordinary session by David Paterson has been called for 3 p.m. Republicans were there, too, and one handed me a letter that Espada, who has apparently flipped back to the Democrats, sent to his Senate colleagues. It reads in part: Several weeks ago we collectively began our historic, unprecedented journey for...

There and Back Again

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:56:00 -0400

The amigos just walked into the Senate chamber gallery from Pedro Espada’s office to pose for this photo. Steve Pigeon, the top operative for billionaire Tom Golisano, emerged to say that Golisano still supported Espada, who is now back with majority Senate Democrats. Espada, along with Hiram Monserrate, began the whole Senate coup by defecting to the Republicans, with the backing and active encouragement of Golisano. Democratic Senator Eric Adams had this to say about Espada's...

Source: Espada Triple-Crosses, Ending Stalemate

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:54:00 -0400

ALBANY—A Democratic state senator involved in negotiations just confirmed that State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. will be returning to that conference as co-majority leader. "I think the conference will go for it," the source said. Espada is right now standing on the balcony over the Senate chamber talking to Steve Pigeon. Espada told Fred Dicker that "Dean [Skelos] rejected an opportunity" and now he's returning to the Democrats. This would end the stalemate that has hobbled Albany...

Paterson, Ravitch Explain Themselves

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:43:00 -0400

ALBANY—Speaking in the ornate Red Room, which was stocked half-full of administration officials, including the commissioners of several state agencies, David Paterson appeared publicly for the first time with newly named Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch. Paterson said Ravitch was sworn in around 8:40 p.m. last night, and his oath was filed and accepted by the Secretary of State by 11 p.m., over 90 minutes before a restraining order was issued by a Nassau County judge....

Paterson's New Lawyers

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:31:00 -0400

ALBANY—Democrats are attacking a court order restraining Richard Ravitch, the newly appointed lieutenant governor, saying it was obtained improperly. "We continue to want an expeditious court review; we want it to be in the appropriate court, not Nassau County in the middle of the night," Kathleen Sulivan, the former dean of Stanford Law School and the head of David Paterson's newly named legal team, said. "If you're going to try to enjoin action by public...

Winner: We Should Look at Impeaching Paterson

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:57:00 -0400

ALBANY—State Senator George Winner just suggested Paterson's appointment of Richard Ravitch is an impeachable offense. "I think that any time you're talking about willful violation of the constitution for political purposes, as I believe the governor is doing, I think it's a fair game to take a look at it," the Elmira Republican just told reporters. "I think the Assembly should take a look at it. This type of behavior, I think, is intolerable." Under the...

The Amigos Don't Get Paid

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:28:00 -0400

ALBANY—Apparently, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli made good on his word to not pay still-fighting state senators, and they're taking it as a joke. A legislative staffer picking up his paycheck sent along this account from the payroll office on Wednesday afternoon: Sen. Monserrate and Sen. Diaz strolled into the payroll office joking around and asking "where is my pay check" and (Monserrate) "why don't I get one" and laughing about it. I turned to the clerk and...

Why Ravitch Helps Paterson More Than a Settlement

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:12:00 -0400

ALBANY—Democrats in the State Senate just said they will use David Paterson's appointment of Dick Ravitch as lieutenant governor to start passing legislation, a move which will add new layers of controversy to a leadership struggle that, given the increasingly complicated legal picture, isn't getting any closer to a resolution. "I can tell the 19.5 million people: We are free, out of bondage. We're not going to be held hostage anymore," Senator John Sampson said...

The Gay Movement, After Marriage

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:08:44 -0400

On the night of June 26, two days before the gay pride parade would overtake Manhattan in honor of the 40th birthday of the Stonewall riots that are popularly imagined as the birth of the gay rights movement, a group numbering a couple of dozen mostly gay men and women found themselves crammed into the parlor floor of the West Village townhouse of John Connor, a former banker who lives with his companion, the...

Sides Agree to Produce Records, Keep Talking Out of Court

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:09:00 -0400

ALBANY—We'll have to wait until Monday, or even longer. Judge Thomas McNamara sent the dueling parties in State Senate leadership struggle back to the negotiating table—a move that has become something of a trademark for him. By my count, this is the sixth time legal action related to the case has been adjourned. After a closed, hour-long conference, the two sides also agreed to produce a transcript for the court showing the exact proceedings of June 8,...

Sources: Leadership Deal Has Smith and Skelos Splitting Top Jobs

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:17:00 -0400

ALBANY—Negotiations to resolve the State Senate leadership struggle include a deal that would make Malcolm Smith the chamber's president pro tempore and Dean Skelos the majority leader, sources familiar with the discussions said. Irene Liu at Capitol Confidential reported this earlier, and has more on the second level of leadership. I've heard that things are still fluid regarding the role of the much-maligned Senator Pedro Espada Jr., who currently claims the title of president pro tempore,...

In the Chaos, Senate Dems May See One Last Opportunity to Wrest Schools From the Mayor

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:14:00 -0400

ALBANY—As both sides of the State Senate leadership struggle inch closer to an operating agreement, Democrats are positioning themselves to take one last crack at diluting mayoral control of city schools. Speaking to reporters after an extraordinary session that lasted just over three minutes, Senators Malcolm Smith and John Sampson, the leaders of the Democratic conference, insisted that they did not want to work out the problems and convene in a regular legislative session, which...

Paterson: No Expenses for Senators

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:35:00 -0400

ALBANY—Noting that "today is the same as yesterday, yesterday is the same as the day before," David Paterson said he has directed the state treasurer not to pay senators per diem expenses and asked Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to review whether members of the still-hobbled State Senate should be paid. Paterson said he believes he has the power to withhold the per diems because they "relate to state travel, and there we feel we do have...

Senators at the House of Justice

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 08:59:43 -0400

Al Sharpton hosted a meeting of some Democratic State Senators on June 20 in Harlem.

Sharpton implored them to find a solution to the power struggle in their chamber, and said, "Who cares who’s the captain of the Titanic? The issue is to make the ship float."

The Democratic Senators care,...

Paterson Acts, Senators From Both Parties Complain

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:38:00 -0400

ALBANY—David Paterson publicly declared Sunday he would force the State Senate into a special session on Tuesday, barring some resolution of the leadership struggle in the chamber that is entering its third week. In doing so, Paterson had harsh words for senators, many of whom are former colleagues: "Over the last few weeks, the senators' conduct has been laughable. But what's going on around here these days is no joke, and I don't find it...

This Is the Cup of Hiram's Blood, Which Will Be Shed for You and for All

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:41:00 -0400

Here’s Hiram Monserrate this morning at the National Action Network, talking about his decision to return to the Democratic caucus. At the event, Monserrate likened himself to Jesus, who “began to turn over a few tables” in order “to get the people’s business done right.” Monserrate went on to say that “if it cost my election because I decided to turn over a table or two, and say that business has got to be done differently,...

Source: Paterson Will Call Special Session by Wednesday

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:32:00 -0400

ALBANY—David Paterson will call a special session to deal with "critical bills" if there is no deal reached in the battle over State Senate leadership by Wednesday, an administration official just told me. There's a list of 42 items, as the Daily News reported, which includes lots of local extenders, authorizations for bonding, the Tier V pension plan, a Power for Jobs extender and the Assembly's school control bill. It does not include legislation authorizing...

As Espada Speaks for Them, a Republican Coalition Maintains Its Posture

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:49:00 -0400

ALBANY—They're allied with him in the quest to wrest control of the State Senate leadership, but there are some lingering misgivings among Republicans in the chamber about the partnership with State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. "Several of them are in ‘Oh my God, what have we done' mode," said one Republican who is close to many of the senators. "Pedro is obviously enjoying this immensely. The image of Dean standing mute while Pedro pontificates is...

Al Sharpton, Senate Broker

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:18:00 -0400

The Rev. Al Sharpton is holding a meeting with state lawmakers with the hopes of breaking the stalemate in the State Senate at 10 a.m. tomorrow at his National Action Network office on 135th Street, according to one lawmaker who received an email invitation to the event. A spokesperson for Sharpton confirmed the meeting. The spokesperson said the meeting will be private but there will likely be a press availability...

The Paterson Solution?

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:50:00 -0400

ALBANY—Thursday was a day of circular progression back to a stalemate in the battle over State Senate leadership, with a Democrat almost joining the Republicans on the floor for their daily routine of "session," but not, and Democratic lawyers almost re-filing a restraining order against State Senator Pedro Espada Jr., but balking at the bench. One thing grew clearer by day's end: a growing sense of futility and greater disconnect between the parties. As a...

Political Questions Aside, Espada's Health Clinic Passes Inspection

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:56:00 -0400

ALBANY—Just over a month ago now, shortly after State Senator Malcolm Smith made the fateful decision to demand some accountability to then conference-mate Pedro Espada Jr., I FOILed inspection records from his Soundview Healthcare Network, a nonprofit which Espada has allegedly used to promote his political campaigns. Espada has denied the charge. Anyway, no smoking guns. A man who complained, loudly and repeatedly, about his kidney dialysis. A woman who claims she had HPV and...

Dems Try to Restrain Espada, Again

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:41:00 -0400

ALBANY—Democrats are once again trying to have State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. restrained from performing the office of president pro tempore, which he claims to occupy as part of the ongoing leadership struggle in that chamber. I'm told by Democratic staffers that the suit will be filed this afternoon, but am not sure which court. The language is the same as in an order obtained last week—Espada would be constrained under Article IV Section 6—with one...

Skelos Refuses to Endorse Espada Publicly

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:37:00 -0400

ALBANY—Emerging from closed door negotiations, State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. did not get an endorsement by Republican Leader Dean Skelos. Espada proclaimed to reporters: "I just want to address the many questions you have posed to my office this morning regarding some scurrilous rumors about their being an agreement that Pedro Espada would step down. Let's be clear about where this coalition stands. The coalition is firm, it's united. We are discussing the details of...

Big Senate Meeting, Ongoing

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:04:00 -0400

ALBANY--A massive meeting of Democrats, Republicans and Pedro Espada Jr. is going on on the fourth floor of the Capitol, ostensibly to work out a power-sharing agreement and some temporary resolution to the leadership struggle that has crippled the Senate for the last ten-plus days. Democrats including Malcolm Smith, John Sampson, Carl Kruger, Jeff Klein and prodigal senator Hiram Monserrate just walked out as staffers for Republicans and Espada went in. Golisano aide and coup-facilitator Steve...

Silver to Senate on Mayoral Control: No Tinkering, Please

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:45:00 -0400

ALBANY—There are still murmurings by opponents of mayoral school control that, even with the State Assembly's solid majority vote for the legislation, they will try to dilute the law that is eventually enacted. But Speaker Sheldon Silver has different ideas. State Senator Bill Perkins, an opponent of mayoral control, told me Wednesday night, "We're going to come up with a bill that will represent our vision of what school governance should be." He said there should...

Democrats Cast Stones at Republicans, Espada

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:47:00 -0400

ALBANY—State Senate Democrats are launching a counteroffensive in the leadership struggle over their chamber. The target: State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. In four separate press releases sent over the course of 20 minutes, four different Democrats are criticizing Republicans who are standing by Espada's claim that he is the president pro tempore of the chamber. "I ask him and his fellow Long Island Republican senators the following question: Do you really believe that having Pedro Espada...

The Party of Monserrate Holds Its Nose

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:11:00 -0400

ALBANY—We'll take your vote, Hiram, but don't look for a hug. "We basically were trapped in our need to get to 31-31 at this point in time," State Senator Liz Krueger said of the decision to welcome (force?) State Senator Hiram Monserrate, an indicted Queens Democrat, back into the conference a week after he voted with Republicans to spark a leadership battle that has crippled the chamber. "I think we're making lemonade." As negotiations...

Republicans Make an Offer That Leaves Skelos and Espada in Charge

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:41:00 -0400

ALBANY—Republicans just made a counter-proposal for bipartisan operating of the State Senate, as the deadlocked chamber moves to resolve an ongoing leadership struggle. The Republican proposal would last until 2011. It would leave Republican leader Dean Skelos in the majority leader post and State Senator Pedro Espada Jr., a Democrat, as president pro tempore. The two would jointly publish an active list of bills, but any member could move to have a bill they sponsored put...

What We Missed in the Manhattan D.A. Race

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:00:00 -0400

A spokesperson for a certain Manhattan district attorney candidate has threatened to poke his own eyes out if one more day passed without news on this site about the race. (Admittedly, we've been a little distracted lately.) So, to prevent any more Senate-related injuries, here’s a round-up of what’s been happening in the Manhattan district attorney’s race: Leslie Crocker Snyder She was endorsed on June 11 by Ed Koch, the three-term, pro-death-penalty mayor. At the event,...

Suozzi Laments Albany Sinecures

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:37:00 -0400

ALBANY—Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi is at the Capitol today, and spoke with a gaggle of reporters after meeting with State Senators Dean Skelos, John Sampson and Paterson aide Larry Schwartz to talk about the important bills "that need to be resolved in a timely basis" for local governments to function. Suozzi, who ran an unsuccessful gubernatorial primary in 2006 on a "fix Albany" platform, said he didn't think "anybody could have imagined how bad...

Sampson: Let's Just Go Home

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:50:00 -0400

ALBANY—Democratic Senate Leader John Sampson has a new suggestion for resolving the leadership battle in his chamber: just go home. "I would like to give it one last attempt to negotiate a possible bi-partisan governance to get the work of the people done," Sampson said to Fred Dicker on WGDJ Talk 1300. "But I don't want to waste any more time. I don't want to waste their time, I don't want to waste my time,...

Espada Wants an IG Probe of His Investigators, IG Says No

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:19:00 -0400

ALBANY—The charges against him are selectively pursued, State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. insisted. The Daily News reported this morning that Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson has subpoenaed his legislative records dating back to 1993. Last night, Espada's press aide put out an announcement confirming the investigation, and vowing he would file a complaint with State Inspector General Joseph Fisch for "prosecutorial misconduct and selective prosecution." "In 2000, it took a Bronx jury all of 15 minutes...

Paterson on Governing Amid Senate Chaos, Circling 'Sharks'

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:30:00 -0400

Ask David Paterson about Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, and he will respond, without naming names, by talking about people who are “half-governing.” He does not mean this in a good way. “I am the only one who is governing the people of this state. Others, who comment, half-govern,” said the governor, in a wide-ranging, hour-long interview on June 15. “Let’s take this crisis,” he continued. “You haven’t heard anybody other than the governor suggest...

'This Mess Is Worse Than Ever'

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:46:00 -0400

ALBANY—Apparently, the court decision that both sides in the State Senate leadership struggle were waiting for has changed nothing. Both sides claimed victory when Justice Thomas McNamara dismissed a suit filed last week by the Democrats, a suit which would have declared Malcolm Smith (still!) the majority leader and president pro tempore in the Senate. Democrats said they would not appeal the ruling, and once again reiterated their desire to work out some sort of...

Espada Jr. Implores Dems to Show For Session, Warns, Vaguely, of 'Legal Implications'

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:08:00 -0400

ALBANY—Not surprisingly, Republicans are seizing upon the dismissal of the Democratic lawsuit against the coup they hatched last week to call upon their colleagues to join them for session at 3 p.m. State Senator Pedro Espada Jr., the defecting Democrat who has joined the Republicans in a "coalition" government, asked David Paterson to clean up his mess. "As a good Democrat, I must advise the head of my party to come out forcefully and ask these...

Judge Dismisses Democratic Challenge to Senate Coup

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:36:00 -0400

ALBANY—Finally, after delaying for negotiations four times, Justice Thomas McNamara dismissed a lawsuit filed by Democrats to declare Malcolm Smith the leader of the State Senate. I'm not in court because I was covering David Paterson, who spoke with reporters, but got the news from Democratic attorney Michael Kink's Twitter feed. Republicans told me last night that they believe this means the vote they took last week electing Pedro Espada Jr. as president pro tempore and...

Senate Republicans Will Pass the Assembly's Mayoral Control Bill, If They Can

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:27:00 -0400

ALBANY—Putting politics aside for a moment, the Senate mess may have a tangible impact on the final shape of the bill reauthorizing mayoral control of schools. Newly named Democratic conference leader John Sampson is, as the Post noted this morning, a "foe" of the system and is one of the co-sponsors of a bill that would have diluted the mayor's power over the Panel for Educational Policy. The Assembly had been waiting for the State Senate...

Paterson Asks the Senate to Do the Easy Things

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:22:00 -0400

ALBANY—Emerging for the first time in this, the second week of the State Senate's leadership struggle, David Paterson said that resolving the dispute over who is in charge is "beyond my pay grade" and instead proposed that the sides come together to work on immediate, non-controversial actions. "I'm getting calls from leaders all around the state who are anxious that if there isn't immediate action, it actually hurts the financial stability of their government and...

Monserrate Says He's on 'Right Side of History'

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:30:00 -0400

I just got off the phone with Senator Hiram Monserrate, whose defection from and return to the Democratic caucus in the State Senate has brought Albany to a standstill. Monserrate said he did what he did because he had an “obligation” to his constituents “to change Albany,” and he is on the “right side of history.” When I asked Monserrate what specifically he found objectionable about the tenure of Malcolm Smith, the Senate Democratic leader at...

Judge Punts Again, to Laughter; Paterson Counsel Sees Hope

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:08:00 -0400

ALBANY—Justice Thomas McNamara has punted again. He huddled behind closed doors with lawyers representing both sides in the State Senate leadership dispute, before announcing in court that he was, for the fourth time, giving both sides more time to negotiate. "During the course of that conference several issues were discussed, and based upon the discussions that were held, and my understanding of the negotiative process that is under way, the matter is going to be adjourned...

Bipartisanship, But How?

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:57:00 -0400

ALBANY—While both sides in the fight over state senate leadership wait to hear from a judge, the 31-31 split in the chamber means things will have to get more bipartisan. Right? "It's not in their political D.N.A. to work in a bipartisan fashion," said Blair Horner, the legislative director of NYPIRG and a longtime Capitol observer. "I don't know how long it takes to get there, but if there's any hope for the session, it's...

All the Democrats Have to Do Is Wait

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:46:00 -0400

The coup instigated last week by Republicans in the State Senate has (at least until Hiram Monserrate changes his mind yet again) landed in a bizarre, unexplored no-man’s land—one seat removed from both failure and success, a 31-31 kiss-your-sister tie in the chamber. Granted, this denouement isn’t technically final. A lawsuit, which Democrats hope will void the coup and reinstall them as the chamber’s majority party, is still pending, while Republicans, with Pedro Espada still...

Sights From a Bungled Coup

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:14:48 -0400

ALBANY--This was supposed to be a quiet week at the Capitol, as positions were scratched out in preparation for the final five-day stretch of session.

But Republicans in the State Senate had other ideas. Starved of the power and perks of majority status since January, when Democrats were finally able to round up the 32 members to support Malcolm Smith as the chamber's majority leader, the Republicans convinced two of their opponents to join them...

Who Is John Sampson?

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:39:00 -0400

John Sampson is the favorite to replace Malcolm Smith as Democratic leader in the State Senate, enjoying the support of a growing number of his colleagues and the blessing of the Conference of Black Senators. Which means that, depending on the outcome of the ongoing struggle for control of the Senate, this anonymous official may soon be one of the Three (or four?) Men who ostensibly run the state. So, who is he? Above...

Steve Israel Is Going to Watertown, Malcolm Smith Is Not

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:42:00 -0400

ALBANY—Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith will not, in fact, give the keynote address at the Jefferson County Democratic Dinner in Watertown this evening, but the event will still prove to be a major mixer for candidates looking to replace John McHugh in Congress. "No," his spokesman Austin Shafran confirmed. "That was on the schedule a while ago." Smith hasn't been sending out a public schedule in recent days as he works to retain his control of...

Monserrate Stays Away, Smith Fades

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:09:00 -0400

Malcolm Smith just emerged from a meeting of Democratic senators at 250 Broadway and said, "The most important thing that we talked about is the lawsuit." He also said, "Our conference is very united."When I asked if Hiram Monserrate had been there, Smith said, "No, no. He was not there."As Smith got into a car, he ignored a reporter who asked if he was still the...