Tale of NY Senate (attempted?) Coup {cross-post w/ GD}

[clear eye]

In 2008, after 40 years of a Republican majority, the Democrats finally achieved a 2-vote majority in the NYS Senate. On June 8th of this year, all h--l broke loose. Apparently upstate billionaire, Tom Golisano, who founded NY's Independence Party, believed that his support had helped the Democrats achieve that majority. His stated aim was to achieve budget reform, which in his mind included reducing funding for social safety net programs, in addition to eliminating spending that could legimately be called corrupt. He became offended with the Democratic Senate President Malcolm Smith almost immediately for paying attention to his BlackBerry while Golisano was outlining a budget reform plan. Golisano already had close ties with some Republicans, and worked through political operative, Steve Pigeon, to line up the two defecting Democrats, both of whom have serious legal troubles that may prevent them from running again when their current terms expire. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/06/10/2009-06-10_fiddled_with_blackberry_as_senate_burned.html

NY Sen. Hiram Monserrate, is fighting felony assault charges, and NY Sen. Pedro Espada, Jr., whom the Republican plus two coalition elected Senate President in closed door session after the other Democrats left, is under investigation by NY AG Cuomo for campaign finance violations. http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2009/06/true-power-sharing-in-senate.html#ixzz0I4i5DIPl&C His legal residency in his district is also under question. http://wcbstv.com/politics/pedro.espada.nys.2.989665.html

Golisano claims he ascertained to his satisfaction that the current Republican leadership was ready to initiate real budget-cutting reforms, unlike their performance during the previous 40 years. The plan developed to force the Senate Presidency to a vote, and have the two Democrats vote with the Republicans w/o formally changing party affiliation, in exchange for installing Espada as Senate President, and giving a number of committee chairs to Democrats. But when the vote was put on the floor, the Dems got wind of the impending defections and attempted to adjourn the session. Adjournment was defeated, but they walked out taking with them as much of the papers, agenda, pending bills, etc. as they could carry. The Republicans plus two continued with their planned coup behind locked doors, which is illegal under Senate rules.

Here's where things get serious. The Republican leadership with Golisano's advice had prepared a thick list of new rules for governing the chamber, and passed it in the same session. The public has yet to hear the details of the changes, and whether they will have a generally positive or negative effect on governing in NY. At issue is also whether they are legally enforceable. http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/politics/474278/rule-changes-amid-capitol-confusion/?RegionCookie=12

The NYS Democratic Committee quickly issued a condemnation of unnamed Senators who "let down" New Yorkers by actions not in "the interest of the people they were elected to serve". http://nydems.wordpress.com/2009/06/09/developments-in-the-state-senate/ The Republicans remained locked out of the Senate chamber until ~11am this morning (June 11th). In the meantime, the state Democrats asked for but did not receive a quick court injunction against bringing the Senate into session, and failing that, a ruling on the legality of the coup from the state Supreme Court. Protesters assembled in front of the Senate doors before it opened chanting "The Senate is not for sale!". No Democrats other than Espada went into the session when the doors were finally unlocked, thus preventing any meaningful business from being transacted. The coalition leaders are expected to deliver their arguments to the Court on Monday (June 15th). http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090611/NEWS/90611014

One question that arises is whether the AG will drop its investigation of Espada in exchange for reneging on the coup--which is probably what he hopes to gain. If AG Andrew Cuomo goes ahead, the evidence of serious violations is pretty solid. Personally, I hope the opposite happens and prosecution against the two traitors is expedited, and they wind up in jail and out of jobs. NYPIRG is not coincidentally calling for increased enforcement of ethics violations by the quick establishment of an independent oversight body. http://www.nypirg.org/goodgov/blair/