Dems Lose Control of State Senate, Skelos Sworn In as Majority Leader

The Democrats lost control of the State Senate Monday, the New York Times reported, after two Democrats jumped the aisle and voted with 30 Senate Republicans in a 32-30 motion to grant control of the chamber to the Republican party.

Democratic senators, Pedro Espada Jr., of the Bronx, and Queens senator, Hirram Monserrate, stood with Republicans, hands raised, during a roll-call vote for a change in leadership. Republican senator Dean Skelos, of Long Island, was sworn in as Senate majority leader and vice president. Espada was sworn in as temporary president.

Both Espada and Monserrate are under investigation by the authorities, the New York Times reported. The state attorney general’s office is investigating a health care agency, Soundview HealthCare Network, that Espada ran until recently. And Monserrate, paper said, who was indicted on felony assault charges in March stemming from an attack on his companion, would automatically be thrown out of office if convicted.

Ordinarily, the majority leader and the Senate president positions are usually held by the same person, but Espada and Skelos are dividing the duties as part of their deal to take over the Senate leadership, the Albany-Times Union reported.

The Times-Union said the coup was led by Republican Sen. Thomas Libous, of Binghamton. 

A YouTube video of the swearing in is posted on Elizabeth Benjamin's Daily News Daily Politics blog.

After Espada and Skelos were sworn in, Libous won another resolution to restructure the powerful Rules Committee and cancel all chairmanships and committee appointments, the Albany-Times Union reported.

Austin Shafran, Smith's press secretary posted this statement on Sen. Smith's Facebook page and later on Smith's Senate Web site: "This was an illegal and unlawful attempt to gain control of the Senate and reverse the will of the people who voted for a Democratic Majority. Nothing has changed, Senator Malcolm A. Smith remains the duly elected Temporary President and Majority Leader. The real Senate Majority is anxious to get back to governing, and will take immediate steps to get us back to work."

Speaking to reporters later, Espada said he would like to be jubilant about the day's events, but "it is difficult to be jubilant," he said. "This is a sobering moment born out of a need to have a coalition government, the need to really give the citizens of this state of New York ... the kind of coalition government that will be focused on reform, that will be focused on delivering them a government they can be proud of."

He said that while the toppling of the Democrats may be characterized as a "coup" or "powergrab," Espada asked that New Yorkers to understand that it is a "new beginning ... for real reform."

If the Senate Web site is any indicator, Smith is still majority leader.

Smith's title on his Web page still reads Senate majority leader, while Skelos' staff hasn't bothered to update his. It still lists him simply as senator of the 9th District. But that shouldn't be too surprising, since under the "What's Happening Now" heading on Skelos' Senate homepage is a May 7 press release on what a waste of money the Senate's new websites are.