Jul 10, 2009 6:05 am US/Eastern
Albany Backflip: Espada Rejoins Democrats
Bronx Senator Double-Crosses GOP, Becomes Majority Leader
Democrats Regain Control Of Senate With 32-30 Majority
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Sen. Pedro Espada (D-Bronx) addresses the media after rejoining Senate Democrats on July 9, 2009 -- one month and one day after defecting to the Republican side of the chamber.
CBS
Proving that Albany has more twists than the Coney Island Cyclone, the renegade Democrat Sen. Pedro Espada, who a month ago joined forces with Republican senators to form a coalition government and knock Democrats from the chamber's majority, has defected back to his original party and given Senate Democrats a 32-30 reign once again.
The move puts an end to the month-long Albany stalemate that's been likened to a circus act.
"We needed this exchange. It happened in public. It happened and it took too long, and I'm sorry," Espada said. "But I am not sorry for the opportunity in the restarting of this engine in the Democratic Conference that will bring with it the Republican Conference to a new reality, and a new strength to be able to serve 19.5 million people."
As a welcome home present, Democrats rewarded Espada by making him majority leader, a post that will allow him to help dole out some $85 million pork barrel grants. You might recall that Espada's first defection, stemmed in part by the refusal of the Democrats to green light grants of $1 million each to two groups he controls – one run directly out of one of the clinics he runs in the Bronx.
"This was never about titles – June 8, President pro tempore – this or that, it was about how we conduct our business and how we improve that," Espada said. "And so here today, I stand here with another title, you assign me to the GOP, I tell you very clearly: I have always been a Democrat, I will continue to be a Democrat, I never left home, I had a little leave of absence."
The Democratic Conference will also be run by former majority leader Malcolm Smith, who will now be President pro tem, and Sen. John Sampson as conference leader. The Democrats say it's a good move because it will enable votes to be held and the people's business to be accomplished.
"This has obviously taken a toll on the institution, on the families of all the senators, on our work, on the 19.5 million people throughout the state that witnessed disfunction and chaos at its highest levels. I profoundly apologize, that's not the result, that's a point along a bumpy road," Espada said.
Espada, along with Democratic Sen. Hiram Monserrate, joined Republicans on June 8 to give their new coalition government a 32-30 stronghold of the Senate. Espada was sworn in a Senate President pro tem, a position that would keep him "a heartbeat" away from being governor. But Monserrate's move was short lived. He rejoined his Democratic party days later creating a 31-31 tie between parties, a tight knot that seemed might never break.
Since then, neither side seemed to budge, leaving state bills untouched, and taxpayers, lawmakers, and state leaders frustrated. Gov. David Paterson had tried scheduling special legislative sessions to force the sides to come to a deal, but no resolution was ever reached. Paterson continued to scramble as elected officials across the state found themselves with empty wallets and desperate for the Senate to return to business as usual.
"Today really ends 31 days of chaos," said Monserrate. "But this should not be viewed as a victory for one party over the other, this is a victory for all 62 senators in this institution, an institution that will now be stronger, that will be reformed, that will be more transparent and will strengthen individual senators."
On Thursday, Paterson tried to end the Albany chaos by appointing former MTA chair Richard Ravitch lieutenant governor.
Republicans challenged the appointment early Thursday,
but an appellate court in Albany threw out the restraining order blocking the nomination.
Many in office, including Republican Sen. Dean Skelos of Nassau County, denounced Paterson's actions claiming that they were unconstitutional.
"Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has already said it's unconstitutional for the governor to appoint a lieutenant governor and I agree," Skelos said.
Skelos and Espada had sent lawyers to the home of a Nassau County judge in the middle of the night, who signed a restraining order at 12:23 a.m. Thursday to temporarily stop Ravitch from presiding over the Senate. Lawyers for the governor are expected in court to undo that order, but it's unclear when.
Needless to say there were a lot of tense exchanges.
Lawyers for Skelos tried to reach Ravitch on his cell phone to ask for his address so they could serve him with papers, but Ravitch refused to tell them.
On Thursday, an angry Skelos claimed the governor tried to put one over on him by saying he would swear Ravitch in on Thursday when it was already done Wednesday night.
"The governor's habit of publicly saying one thing and secretly doing another is exactly the kind of hypocritical tactic he used when he secretly negotiated a disastrous budget that raised taxes and spending," Skelos said.
Meanwhile, Paterson said he would not order the former Metropolitan Transportation Authority chairman to preside in the Senate Thursday while various courts take up the issue.
Paterson, however, is convinced that was he did is totally constitutional and will ultimately be upheld.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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