GOP seeks to expand victory in Senate coup
Democrats try to unravel dramatic state takeover
ALBANY — Republicans and the two Democrats in their coalition fought hard Tuesday to expand fledgling control of the State Senate.
Democrats, meanwhile, revealed potential ethical dirt on Monday’s coup leader in an attempt to unravel, or at least slow, the dramatic takeover of the 62-member chamber.
With just seven scheduled workdays remaining in the 2009 session, the deliberations of the Senate ground to a halt.
“Thirty-two votes rule. It’s fairly simple— it’s over,” said Sen. Thomas W. Libous, a Binghamton Republican, who led the floor fight Monday that ousted Democrats after just six months in control of the Senate.
This afternoon, Republicans and their two renegade Democratic senators are expected to begin passing bills. But still uncertain is where they will meet if Democrats, who hold the keys to the chamber, keep the ornate room locked, which they did all day Tuesday. Republicans say they can hold the session anywhere.
Uncertain, also, is the fate of any bills the GOP would pass if Democrats go to court and succeed in having the coup overturned. Republicans said such a move would not work.Gov. David A. Paterson acknowledged that this is an unlikely route, as well.
Sen. Malcolm A. Smith, ousted Monday as majority leader, fought to put the crumbling pieces back together and tried to beat back talk that Democrats are set to bounce him as minority leader if the coup stands.
Asked three times if he is still supports Smith, Sen. Antoine Thompson, D-Buffalo, would say only: “I’m with the Democratic majority — whatever it takes to get us to retain the majority.”
Republicans were already talking about new committee chairmanships and holding out some assignments for Democrats who come over to their side.
“I really want the Energy Committee,” said Sen. George Maziarz, R-Newfane, one of the chief organizers of the coup, who brokered get-togethers between Senate Republicans and B. Thomas Golisano, the Buffalo Sabres’ owner who worked behind the scenes on the maneuver with Steve Pigeon, his adviser. Pigeon is now in line to be chief counsel to the new Senate president, Sen. Pedro Espada Jr., a Bronx Democrat.
Republicans were already talking about pushing their agenda, including lower property taxes and restoring STAR property tax rebate checks. Espada said he would like to put the bill legalizing same-sex marriage to the floor for a straight up or down vote.
Espada, meanwhile, came under fire when it was revealed that he requested more than $2 million in pork-barrel funding from the state for two entities, created just weeks earlier, and linked to a health care group he founded and that is under investigation by Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo.
The grants were rejected at about the time Espada began plotting the Monday coup. A Democrat familiar with the Espada request who asked not to be identified called the two entities a “sham” created for the pork-barrel money.
When questions were raised by staffers to Smith about the Espada request, Espada changed the addresses of the two groups to a “business flophouse in the Bronx,” the Democratic official said. Espada then withdrew the request and earmarked the money for a Bronx Chamber of Commerce group.
Espada called the allegations a character assassination and defended the entities as legitimate service providers.
Among other developments Tuesday:
• Paterson, who criticized the revolt and said it has stopped work on crucial legislation, conceded he is uncomfortable traveling out of the state as long as there is a leadership fight. The head of the Senate serves as acting governor if Paterson leaves New York.
“If there’s any type of misunderstanding or issue of who is next in charge, I would think the best thing for me to do is to stay here,” said Paterson, who still recognizes Smith as majority leader, at the same time opening the door to meet with the coup leaders.
• Golisano and Pigeon spent another day doing a victory lap around the Capitol. Spending millions, Golisano helped to bring the Democrats to power in last fall’s elections but grew frustrated with a lack of reforms.
“We made history [Monday],” Golisano said. “It’s a small beginning, but it’s a great beginning.”
• Democrats poked fun at Golisano for recently changing his legal address to Florida.
“Tom Golisano, the billionaire tax evader, found a new toy to play with — the Senate Republicans. His money might be able to get him a second home in Florida, but it shouldn’t be allowed to potentially influence the people’s government,” said Austin Shafran, a spokesman for Smith.
Defending his role in backing two insurgent Democrats beset with their own ethical and legal problems, Golisano said, “Don’t talk to me about ethical background in Albany. . . . We have a governor who stood on a podium on national television and said he had extramarital affairs and used cocaine.”
Republicans also dismissed Democratic accusations that Golisano promised donations to help fuel the coup. “No, no, no, no, no, no, no,” said Sen. Dean Skelos, the Long Island Republican who recaptured his old title of majority leader.
• Espada and the coup leaders were intent on luring more Democrats to their side to build political legitimacy. Thompson and Sen. William Stachowski, a Lake View Democrat, said they are not interested.
“This is a real test for us,” said Sen. Jose Serrano, a Bronx Democrat, following a morning strategy session of Democrats.
Veteran Republicans were confident the coup will hold. “Things have changed,” Skelos said.
But all day long, Republicans and associates of Espada and fellow renegade Sen. Hiram Monserrate were predicting more Democrats would join their team. By evening, that had not happened.
Efforts were focused on a half-dozen lawmakers. Thompson said he was contacted, but turned them down.
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