There’s a new show in Albany, but the same old ring leader.

Like he did a year ago when he created chaos in the state capital, Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada is at it again.

Only this time he could shut down New York’s entire government.

He’s baaack.

Scandal-scarred Espada brought state government to a halt last year, and he’s trying to do it again this year — only with far move devastating consequences.

Espada, a Democrat, and his Democrat ally, the Rev. Ruben Diaz, are threatening to side with Republicans and vote against an emergency budget bill to keep the wheels of government moving. Without Espada and Diaz the Democrats can’t pass the bill.

It led to a nasty confrontation Wednesday at a meeting of legislative leaders.

“That is not a sound bite. That is not a joke. Shutting down government means there is no one to pay the prison guards, no one to pay the state police, the emergency workers,” Gov. David Paterson said.

Paterson took out his frustration at Republican Minority Leader Dean Skelos, who backed Espada’s coup last year and appeared to welcome Espada and Diaz voting with him to stop the governor’s decision to propose emergency spending extender bills every week that impose harsh budget balancing cuts the Legislature doesn’t want to do itself.

“We believe the drip, drip, drip torture every week is not the way you do a budget,” Skelos said.

“But to shut down government, or even talk about a shutdown of government would lead to severe consequences that maybe we would never recover from,” Democratic Senate Leader John Sampson said.

Paterson labeled Espada and Diaz “rogues” who weren’t concerned about the needs of state residents

“Suppose two Democratic senators said they wouldn’t vote for the extender that would be our fault? We’re in the minority, the government is being closed down,” Skelos said.

“I would suggest that when 30 people vote the same way it doesn’t happen by accident,” Paterson responded.

The key vote will be Monday and Senate and Assembly sources said they are trying to find a solution to avoid a shutdown.

But Espada is the wild card.

He faces a civil suit that accuses him of stealing $14 million from his tax payer subsidized health clinics.

And then there is a criminal probe by the feds.

(Source: WCBSTV)