The man behind last year’s crisis and shakeup in Albany politics was threatening yet another New York State government shutdown.

State Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada said he would rather see government services shut down than have lawmakers forced to pass another of Governor Paterson’s emergency spending bills.

Espada said he will refuse to give Democrats the 32nd vote need to pass the spending measures.

Espada and Hiram Monserrate set off political chaos in Albany when they changed party loyalty, joining with Republicans to oust the Democratic leadership, essentially paralyzing the state capital for much of last summer.

Espada parlayed that into the Senate Majority post. Monserrate was expelled from office after being convicted in a domestic violence case.

Democratic activists descended on Espada’s Mamaroneck home on June 5 to protest the lawmaker. “He doesn’t live in the district, he doesn’t represent the district, he doesn’t care about the district,” demonstrator Marian Feinberg said.

“I want him out,” protester Yolanda Maya said. “I want him and his cronies out of Albany.”

“The people gave the Democratic Party a mandate last election, and he and his friend dismantled it,” demonstrator Richard Brander said.

(Source: WCBSTV)