I have not seen to many diaries posted on this subject, but you have to give the Dems in the New York State Senate credit for this move.
http://www.pressconnects.com/...
ALBANY(AP) - Democrats claimed control of the split New York Senate on Tuesday, declaring a quorum after a Republican took a short cut through the chamber because an exterior parlor had been blocked by Democrats for a press conference they never held.
Now come on people that is to funny for words. The detail behind this story is Dems won control of the New York State Senate for the first time then two Dems switched in a coupe to give Republicans control. More after the Jump.
http://www.nytimes.com/...
Two Democratic senators, Carl Kruger of Brooklyn and Rubén Díaz Sr. of the Bronx, have refused to commit to supporting a Democrat for majority leader when the Senate convenes next year. A third Democrat, Pedro Espada Jr., who won a fierce primary in the Bronx this week and is all but sure to win election to a Senate seat there, announced on Wednesday that his vote, too, would be up for grabs.
Well it happen two Dems switched to the Republican side.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
In a desperate attempt to retake control of the Senate, the Republicans are willing to make Pedro Espada the President of the Senate and next in line to be Governor of the State of New York.
So we at least know what was offered to one of the Dems in order to switch control of the New York Senate which was won on the ballot by the people to be controlled by Dems.
http://www.bloomberg.com/...
Pedro Espada from the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate from Queens sided with 30 Republicans on key votes to change the Senate’s leadership. Democrats immediately challenged the claim and described the action as illegal. Governor David Paterson called it "despicable."
And now you have the name of the Second dem who switched. Welcome to the Political Circus that is the New York State Senate.
Sen. Diane Savino, a Staten Island Democrat, said it doesn't matter if Padavan was just walking through. "As soon as you enter the chamber you're recorded as present for the day. These are the rules of the chamber," she said, adding she thought Padavan did it intentionally because there are many important issues at stake.
Of course.
Padavan, a Queens Republican, acknowledged he walked through the chamber, but insists that was before the session started and only because the Senate parlor was blocked. "It's fraud," he said of the Democrats' claim to a quorum.