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Loading ...Renegade Dem flips back in NY Senate
07.09.2009 4:53pm EDT
(Albany) A dissident New York Democratic state senator is back with his party after helping lead the Republican-dominated coup that shut down New York’s Senate for more than a month.
Bronx Sen. Pedro Espada’s return gives Democrats a 32-30 majority for the first time since the June 8 coup.For more than a month, the Senate’s paralysis stalled action on mayoral control of New York City’s schools, taxing authority in some municipalities and economic development programs.
As part of the deal, Espada takes the title of Senate majority leader.
Espada’s move comes after Democratic Gov. David Paterson’s shocking decision to appoint a lieutenant governor to preside over the Senate, giving his party the upper hand in a chamber that’s been divided 31-31.
So what happens now?? Did the Lt. Gov. help?? Confused. How can anything get done in this atmosphere??
A judge blocked Paterson’s appointment, but it won’t matter now.
That Espada sure is an opportunistic manipulator.
I don’t know that I would let Espada come back, let the new Lt. Gov. break the tie votes and get on with passing gay marriage. Espada is untrustworthy. They also need to replace the homophobe Dems in the State Senate with pro-lgbt members, and of course get rid of as many anti-lgbt Republicans as possible.
Isn’t Espada the “Born Again Christian”? who is against LGBT rights because of his “religious beliefs”?
I may be confused, will have to go research him now and get to writing more letters.
Mary: I think you’re thinking of Ruben Diaz, Sr. The guy in the article is pro-gay (I think.) Hmm, maybe you should keep researching.
Espada is a corrupt untrustworthy thug … as are several of his accomplices who staged their “Republican Coup”, making a farce of the NY State Senate, and costing all of us millions of dollars in the process. I hope the electorate remember these low life banana Republicans and vote them resoundingly out of office in the next election. The fact that they held marriage equality hostage to their power games tells you what they think of us. Dump their sorry asses next time.
Espada held them all hostage….he should be voted out of office by his distric for all the waste of time, money, issues due to his greed. He is neither democrat or republican…..just for himself..and plain plain plain ol’ GREED.
I’d always thought Espada was anti-gay, but I believe he is a co-sponsor of the marriage bill
So now what excuse will the Democrats contrive to not pass Gay Marriage legislation; they again have the political “upperhand”.
I can haz marriage?
Pedro Espada is a lowlife. This selfish politician held the whole state of NY hostage for a month and now gets what he wants. Power hungry con artist is what he is.
Let us know which Senators support equality and which don’t so we know who to support in New York’s next election. Got my check book all ready. Democrats, Republicans, Green, Torys, Wigs, I don’t care. As long as they support equality for LGBT they can count on my money.
This is the kind of nonsense that lead to me dropping my membership in the DNC… they appease traitors with rewards.
Shame shame NY Dems.
Espada is flip-flop!!! I’m not very impressed the ways our NY Senate go. RECALL and DISBAND all of them and set up new fresh senators. This is our NY state taxpayers’ waste of money and time during middle of economy meltdowns.
Republicans should learn to be graceful when come to lose the game, Unfortunately they are SO spoil BRATS IMMATURE CHILDREN after decades of control the senate. Don’t they learned to be take a turn.
For all the graft and spoils that normally mark Albany, this is a new level of poor performance. They haven’t done a goddamn thing for the people of New York. Maybe the Senate itself needs to be suspended, with all decisions made by the Assembly. Nebraska has a unicameral legislature, as do local governments (remember NYC’s Board of Estimate?). Maybe that will be enough to shock these Senators into doing their legal duty. Then again, that puts the Assembly in control, and it’s New York State…