Coup Puts New York Senate under GOP Control

Late yesterday, a rather foul political move put the Republicans back in control of the New York State Senate. While the Democrats held a 32-30 majority, two of their number, perhaps the most ethically challenged individuals in the chamber (which is saying something), voted to oust the Democratic leadership. The Dems are saying it was illegal, the governor refuses to recognized the change, but it appears that the coup succeeded. The questions now are what was promised and how badly will the business of the people suffer in the two remaining weeks of this session?

The two Dems in question are Pedro Espada, Jr. (D-Bronx) and Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens). Neither is a Boy Scout. Accusations that Mr. Espada lives in Westchester County rather than in the Bronx are everywhere, and he has not debunked them. This in itself is sufficient to get him removed from office. However, that is relatively minor. He owes more than $13,500 in unpaid fines for election finance violations. In 2002, he switched to the GOP, and with Republican help, steered $745,000 in grants to Soundview Healthcare. At the time, Soundview paid him $200,000 as its CEO. Eventually, the grants were canceled. The Republicans have named him president pro tem of the Senate.

As for Mr. Monserrate, he was fined $30,000 in February for exceeding campaign spending limits in a 2005 race for city council. No one is sure if he has paid that fine. Worse, he was arrested in December for allegedly slashing his girlfriend with a broken bottle. Alleged pictures of her alleged wounds were on the alleged front page of the alleged New York papers the next day. The case has yet to come to trial.

The coupsters have said that their intention is to reform the way the Senate works, and nothing would be better for the state than real changes. They claim that they will set up a power sharing arrangement that would let Democrats chair 12 different committees. However, in any putsch, the slogan tends to focus on fixing a bad situation, and then, the practice of sending the tax money to private Swiss bank accounts begins. Besides if the Republicans really wanted to reform the state Senate, they could have done so at any time in the last 44 years when they controlled it.

That said, it isn't the fault of the GOP or of the two defectors that things have come to this sorry state. Ousted Majority Leader Malcolm Smith is at fault for thinking that a 32-20 majority would allow him to ignore Republican interests. A little cross-aisle work back in February would have prevented this. Instead, he locked the doors to the Senate chamber yesterday in protest, and one cannot be certain that the doors will open later today.

Meanwhile, the business of the people goes unattended. Reauthorization of mayoral control of New York City schools is not complete despite being the driving force behind improvements in the public schools. Legalization of gay marriage may not even get out of committee despite approval by the State House. The current proposed ethics laws are withering on the vine, and changes to city laws go nowhere.

Kenneth Lovett and Glenn Blain writing in New York's Daily News said, “Upstate billionaire Tom Golisano helped broker the coup. He was upset at a state budget that raised taxes and fees by $8 billion.” Given Mr. Golisano's deep-pockets and the habit of Albany politicians in both parties to walk around with their hands out, one doesn't get the feeling the people are going to get the government they deserve. Instead, it looks like buisness as usual.

© Copyright 2009 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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