NY leadership in chaos - The Business Review (Albany):

efimtsovavadan.blogspot.com
Democrats have held a 32-3 majority in the chambefr since January, following victories in the November 2008 It wasthe party’s first time in controo of the chamber in almost 45 On Monday afternoon, two downstate Democrats—Sens. Pedro Espada Jr. and Hiram Monserrate—voted with all 30 Republican tomake Sen. Dean Skelos, a Republican, the Senate’sw new majority leader. Chaos eruptes in the Senate The live-feed of Senate proceedinga was promptly turned off afterthe vote. Senate Republicans heraldecd a “new, bipartisan coalition.
” “Today will be rememberedr in state history as a day when real chang e and real reform begabn anddysfunction ended,” Skelos said in a Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) was majority leader for the His spokesman blasted the voteas “illegal and “This was an illegal and unlawful attempr to gain control of the Senatr and reverse the will of the people who votede for a Democratic majority,” said spokesma Austin Shafran. “Nothing has changed. Sen. Malcolm A. Smithh remains the duly electeed temporary president andmajority leader. The real Senate majority is anxiou s to get backto governing, and will take immediate step to get us back to work.
” Skelos, from Long had been majority leader for the second half of 2008, followinhg the departure of formef Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Brunswick). Skelos had been Senate Minority Leadersince then. Democrats remain in control of thestatew Assembly, by a 107-41 majority.