Democrats end bickering, control Senate
ALBANY — After more than two months of partisan brinksmanship and scuttled dealmaking, Senate Democrats came together Tuesday night in a show of unity to take control of the 62-member chamber after seven decades of Republican domination.
Three holdout Senate Democrats from New York City, who had threatened to break with their party and keep the GOP in control despite the Democratic victory at the polls last November, agreed to join their party’s conference to give Democrats a slim edge over the Republicans.
A new majority leader, Malcolm Smith of Queens, is expected to be formally voted on this morning just before Gov. David A. Paterson gives his first State of the State address.
The Democratic takeover firmly establishes a New York City-based power structure in the Senate, adding to down-state’s control of the Assembly and every statewide office.
“Today, you are looking at the new Senate Democratic majority in the state of New York,” Smith said Tuesday night. He was not able to nail down Democratic control until the final hours leading up to this morning’s formal vote.
The dealmaking calls for awards to the three holdouts — Sens. Pedro Espada, Carl Kruger and Ruben Diaz — with stipends, leadership titles and, in the case of Kruger, chairmanship of the powerful Senate Finance Committee.
In elevating Kruger, Sen. William Stachowski, a Lake View Democrat, was passed over for the finance job, a post that, in the hands of the right lawmaker, can wield enormous influence over the state budget process, not to mention additional pork money for projects back home. Stachowski has been the top Democrat on the committee, and during his close re-election race last fall, Democrats told voters that he would be getting the fiscal post.
Instead, Stachowski will become chairman of the Senate Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business Committee. Sen. Antoine Thompson, D-Buffalo, will become chairman of the Environmental Conservation Committee.
“When all is done I think I will be fine,” Stachowski said when asked if he was satisfied. He declined to elaborate, but Smith earlier had said other leadership posts will be announced later in the week. Stachowski said his new committee job will end up helping the Western New York economy.
The intrigue lasted through the day. Some Republicans said they were contacted by Democrats trying to get them to support the Democratic takeover.
Sen. George Maziarz, R-Newfane, said he was contacted by people who work for Paterson to gauge his interest in joining with the Democrats. He did not name the individuals. His claim came a day after aides to Paterson insisted the governor was playing no role in the Senate leadership fight.
Maziarz said he gave no thought to breaking from the Republicans. “I think it’s important we stick together for upstate New York. I think upstate is going to get lost in the shuffle here and under a Democratic majority, if in fact there’s a Democratic majority, I think it’s going to be bad for upstate,” he said.
The three holdouts, known as the Gang of Three, got a little bit less than the deal they thought they had struck with Smith last month. Espada, for instance, does not get a second-in-command title, but instead will become vice president of the Senate for urban policy and vice chairman of the rules committee. But Diaz, an ordained minister, apparently got his demand that a vote on legalizing gay marriage will not come to the floor this year.
The Democratic takeover will need the support today of a new senator, Hiram Monserrate, who was arrested last month on felony charges for allegedly slashing his girlfriend with a broken glass. If the Democrats did not seat him, the house would be tied at 31 apiece between Democrats and Republicans.
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