The New York Observer » Pedro Espada Jr.

Espada Ad Cites ‘Double Standard,’ Proclaims ‘Senator Espada Is Our Hero’

In last week's Observer, a longtime Bronx operative told me of Pedro Espada Jr.'s Senate district: "You got to remember, this is a poor district, and they feel victimized. ... Part of his district is one of the poorest in any urban area. They're looking for heroes."

So Esapada's campaign is trying to give them Read More

Paterson: Espada Would Have Done Well in Orchestra on the Titanic

With fears of a government shutdown next week looming larger by the day, Governor Paterson threw some bombs this morning at Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr., the Democrats' chief dissident on budget matters.

Speaking on The Brian Lehrer Show, Paterson responded to Espada's statements that he would not vote for cuts that are slipped Read More

Espada: Coup Sparked ‘Quantum Leap’ in Reform; More Needed

A year after he joined briefly forces with Republicans, leading to a total paralysis of the Legislature, Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr. wants new reforms.

Espada, honoring the anniversary of the coup, issued a statement this afternoon that trumpeted the effects of what he simply described as "Albany reform."

"The so-called coup is greatly exaggerated. It Read More

Andrew Cuomo Would Like to See Some More of Pedro Espada’s Files

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo would like to see more of Pedro Espada Jr.'s records.

This afternoon, Mr. Cuomo subpoenaed the State Senate for records of 10 employees who worked for Mr. Espada's office.

"We want to know where these people worked and when. We also want to know why they were hired and under what circumstances," said Read More

Cuomo on Espada: ‘Even We Never Heard of That Arrangement’

Andrew Cuomo held a press conference--in person!--to discuss the raid on Pedro Espada's office this morning by agents from the AG's office, the I.R.S. and the F.B.I.

Cuomo, speaking inside the lobby of 120 Broadway in Lower Manhattan, declined to say if Espada should step down, and brushed aside Espada's comments yesterday that this probe is Read More

Sampson Envisions New Look, Same Leaders

ALBANY—John Sampson thinks, not unreasonably, that the State Senate needs a new look.

"We need to come out of the box in January and start to really pass some progressive and positive legislation because people have one characterization of us," Sampson, the leader of the chamber's Democratic conference, told reporters during an informal chat in Read More

An Amigo Meal

ALBANY—The State Senate's four amigos will meet for lunch today, to discuss anything and everything.

"We're going to be discussing everything. Everything! The agenda for next year." Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. told me by phone this morning, after his office put out an advisory that the meal would be taking place--at the Nautilus Diner Read More

With Sampson’s Support, Malcolm Smith Might Just Hang On

ALBANY—Malcolm Smith is supposed to leave the top post in the State Senate with the New Year. But nothing in the chamber is ever that easy.

Smith, a Queens Democrat who was

"He's like an ambassador for the State Senate," said his spokesman, Austin Shafran. He added that Smith and Sampson "have an outstanding Read More

Diaz Sr. Throws a Stone at Peralta

ALBANY—State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. has a message for Assemblyman Jose Peralta: "There's a saying in Puerto Rico: if you have glass windows, don't throw stones."

I called Diaz to ask him about a column this morning by Juan Gonzalez which said Peralta had steered over $500,000 to a dubious non-profit organization with ties Read More

‘Ambassador’ Smith Heading to California

ALBANY—State Senator John Sampson got to do most of the back room negotiating over the deficit package. Senator Malcolm Smith gets to go to California.

Smith, a Queens Democrat, will leave tomorrow for a three-day forum of the National Conference of State Legislators in San Diego, his spokesman Austin Shafran said. Smith will Read More

The Thousand Fathers of Marriage Inequality

ALBANY—What went wrong?

Despite the spin, most everyone pushing for a bill legalizing same-sex marriage privately acknowledges that the 24-38 loss in the State Senate was a whopper, and while theories abound, there's no clear explaination for how the bill was so soundly defeated.

Senator Eric Schneiderman started by blaming Republicans.

"If you look Read More

Thanksgiving Without Turkeys

ALBANY—Sheldon Silver's Turkey is sweet and unroasted.

"I enjoy Thanksgiving by getting a Baskin-Robbins turkey-shaped ice cream cake," the Assembly speaker said yesterday. "My children don't like turkey."

State Senator John Sampson, the leader of that chamber's Democratic conference, told reporters yesterday on the floor that "I don't eat Turkey," and said he Read More

Senate Dems Insist They’re Getting Close

ALBANY—It seems the State Senate Democrats are coalescing around a deficit reduction proposal--the question is whether it will be acceptable to everyone else.

"I said last night we're only $200 million apart on a $3.2 billion DRP," State Senator Liz Krueger said this morning. We've gone back in this morning with a number of Read More

Paterson Says That the Senate Has Secretly Promised to Vote on Same-Sex Marriage

ALBANY—A vote on same-sex marriage will be held "at a date not certain between now and the end of the year," David Paterson just promised publicly.

"This is the first time the Senate leadership has indicated that it will support a vote on marriage equality," Paterson said. He also committed to putting the bill Read More

Espada Promises the Repeal of Vacancy Decontrol and More

Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada said he would sponsor legislation to repeal vacancy decontrol.

Speaking at a rally organized by the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, Espada was asked, in front of a crowded gymnasium, if he would support repealing that law.

“The question is answered by saying yes,” Espada said.

To make sure, a member Read More