Two dissident Democrats switched sides on Monday, returning control of the New York State Senate to the GOP in a bombshell change of leadership.
It was not immediately clear which Republican replaces Democrat Malcolm Smith as Senate Majority Leader. Dean Skelos, who supplanted the retired Joseph Bruno, was the last Republican to hold the post.
Ruben Diaz Sr. and Pedro Espada Jr., two of the “Gang of Three” democrats who flirted with switching sides following the election, are rumored to be the two dissidents who swung the vote, but that has not been confirmed. The third dissident, Hiram Monserrate, is not believed to be a player in the power struggle following his indictment on charges he assaulted his girlfriend.
Mark Hansen, a spokesman for the Senate’s GOP conference, issued an urgent media advisory Monday stating: “Members of the news media should come to the State Senate Chamber in the Capitol IMMEDIATELY…
“An historic change in leadership is taking place at this moment and a new bipartisan, coalition is being established that is bringing real reform to the Senate RIGHT NOW.”
(Source: CBS6)
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6 Responses
1. I see New York is competing with California to be #1 again, albeit for the title of state with the most dysfunctional state government.
2. Any chance of anyone from a district with a large frum population joining the shift??????
Major news with huge ramifacations for our community.A Republican led Senate will protect the institution of marriage and other issues of morality.
Make no mistake, this is very big news and a very important day.
this takes the place of alene specter
mbachur: HUH?? I assume you mean Arlen Specter. If so, he is a US Senator, not a State Senator. (From PA, not NY)
Assuming your point was that just like Specter defected to the Democrats, thereby giving them PA, we now have NY on the Republican side. The above is irrelevant, because the article here is about the NYS Senate, not the US Senate.
This has huge ramifications on the NYS politics, but (almost) none on the National scene. Likewise, it will have no affect in regard to the super majority the Dems have in the US Senate.
Think Straight,
Ah, but 2010 fast approaches and congress people are already hearing the phones ringing with unhappy people being left with no change.
Think straight, think straight! I meant it as that now the dems shouldn’t be all up in arms about 2 democrats getting a majority in a state senate when they did it with arlen specter for the us senate