Some State Senate Stuff

As many of you have noticed, I have purposely been avoiding making posts to this blog regarding the situation in the State Senate. Despite the fact that this is happening in Albany, the most dysfunctional state legislature in the country, I didn’t actually believe that the shenanigans would be going on for this long. I wasn’t planning on getting into state politics on this blog, as I meant this to have a more local focus, but the fact that this has dragged on for so long has changed my mind. I will try to report on what local senators are doing as the process continues to unfold.

First, a recap: On June 8th, two unsavory downstate Democrats, both in legal troubles, switched sides temporarily to give Republicans a voting majority and ousted Senator Malcolm Smith from his position as Majority Leader. One of the wayward Democrats, Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. became President Pro-Tem and Minority Leader Dean Skelos became the new Majority Leader, or so claims the ‘coalition.’ Democrat Hiram Monserrate returned to his Democrat colleagues shortly afterward, leaving the chamber split 31-31, with each side claiming a true majority. Now the part about our local senators: Senator John DeFrancisco, a close ally of Senator Skelos, has been one of the most vocal Republicans involved in the coup, as you can see in the video below.


Senator Dave Valesky, who was the number two Democrat in the Senate under Malcolm Smith, has seen his leadership position evaporate and is none too pleased. Senator Darrel Aubertine offered a compromise plan to allow the State Senate to get some business done, even if just a single session, but it didn’t work. Governor David Paterson has been trying to resolve the issue and the New York State Supreme Court has even been involved, though there isn’t much precedent to work from. Despite everyone’s efforts, the State Senate remains deadlocked and now the Senate Democrats have taken to the airwaves attacking Republican senators, as seen in the attack on Senator DeFrancisco below.


I’ll try to keep you up to date when local senators play a role in the conflict over the next few days, weeks, or however long this lasts.