Tom Golisano, who played a key role in yesterday’s Senate takeover, is defending both his involement in the coup and his Democratic co-conspirators – Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada Jr. – despite the fact that neither of them has the cleanest record when it comes to ethics and reform.

Asked about the fact that Monserrate is facing felony assault charges and Espada has been both delinquent in filing his campaign finance reports and under investigation by AG Andrew Cuomo’s office, Golisano replied:

“Don’t talk to me about ethical backgrounds in Albany, New York. We have a governor who stood on a podium on national television and said he had extramarital affairs and used cocaine. These guys have some personal issues? I don’t think they’re part of the picture.”

Golisano also took issue with the suggestion that he somehow bought off Espada and Monserrate by promising to support them in the 2010 elections.

“I think it’s very interesting that somebody who takes all kinds of special interest money, a governor who holds $100,000-a-table fundrasiers, blames me for trying to influence financially an election,” Golisano said. “That’s the way they operate in this state and the country.”

“…If Mr. Espada and the other senator are interested in getting reforms done, and the reforms are ones Responsible New York are interested in, we’re going to support them. If they want to pass budgets like the ones passed last April, we’re not going to support them. it’s Clear as a bell.”

A reader notes even a billionaire is supposed to be bound by the state Election Law.

Says the reader: “Not that Espada cares about campaign finance rules, but Golisano’s announcement that he will protect Espada, presumely with an unauthorized committe, pretty blatantly flies in the face of Election Law Section 14-126.4.”

(Elizabeth Benjamin – NY Daily News Blog)