Senate Crisis Ends with a Twist

He's flipped but certainly hasn't flopped. Sen. Pedro Espada bolted back to the Democratic side after they cut a deal to make him majority leader.

The stunning twist ended a Senate stalemate that lasted a month. But after a June 8th political coup attempt ultimately failed, the Republicans ended up back in the minority.

Many Democrats are still seething at Espada and accept him with not-so-open arms.

Meantime, Gov. Paterson introduced his new lieutenant governor, Richard Ravitch, who Republicans are fighting in court.

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AP Report: Renegade Democrat Flips Back in New York Senate

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- New York's Senate standoff ended Thursday as it started 31 days ago, with a freshman Democrat convulsing the 62-seat house by switching sides and getting a powerful leadership post in the majority.

Bronx Sen. Pedro Espada's return to the Democratic conference gives Democrats a 32-30 majority for the first time since the June 8 coup. 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.

"It was never about power, but about empowerment," Espada said at a news conference.

"As Democrats, we have differences of opinion, different concerns," said Sen. Malcolm Smith of Queens, now president of the Senate but no longer majority leader. "Yet at the end of the day, Democrats always come together."

The self-described three amigos — Sens. Espada, Ruben Diaz and Hiram Monserrate — said the end of the standoff is a victory for Latinos, providing them a greater voice.

"This is a great achievement for our community. The greatest achievement our community has ever gotten," said Diaz, a Bronx Democrat and leader in the Latino community.

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.

"Today really is 31 days of chaos ending," said Monserrate, a one-time dissident whose pending felony assault charge divided Republicans and Democrats early in the session. "Judge us not on what has occurred over the last 31 days ... but judge us on what we do with this extraordinary opportunity."

Republicans accepted their return to the minority, where they were for the past six months for the first time since 1965, but still tried to claim some victory. They say the reforms adopted during the June 8 coup — which gives the minority equal resources and power to move bills — will serve them well and is an improvement over their status before the uprising.

"Upstate is going to be a player," said Republican Sen. George Maziarz of Niagara County. "We have a conference of 30 strong and with these reforms. ... We won't be rolled over."

But Democratic Conference Leader Sen. John Sampson, of Brooklyn, said everything is under review and it could be two months before the new majority passes reforms.

"We are definitely going to reform the state Senate like it's never been reformed before," he said.

Rank-and-file Democrats welcomed Espada back. That was a contrast to the name-calling of the past five weeks, when many Democrats said they would never serve under Espada in a leadership position. Others called him a thug and turncoat.

"I don't think any of us have to accept everybody with open arms," said Sen. Neil Breslin, an Albany Democrat. "He has a right to be in the Democratic conference as an elected Democrat."

When asked if it was hypocritical for Democrats to accept Espada as one of their own after calling him a criminal, Breslin said, "There is a level of that."

Republican Leader Dean Skelos, of Long Island, predicted that within six months Democrats will again be plagued by infighting and will look to the united Republicans for help.

"They have factions there that hate each other," he said. "It's unfortunate, because ... they're supposed to be tolerant to each others opinions and there are so many factions there that would like to — quite honestly — slit the other factions' throats."

All 62 senators met briefly Thursday but refused to act on any of the critical bills Paterson ordered them to consider in this 19th straight extraordinary daily session. Democrats are expected to return to regular session Thursday night, pass all the bills, then go home.

The regular session ended June 22.

Despite landing back in the minority, Republicans argue they've helped their constituents by insisting on reforms to give every New Yorker a voice in the chamber. They said any change couldn't have happened without their actions.

"I'm very disappointed, but in my mind this was never about a power grab, but about reform," said Republican Sen. Thomas Libous of Broome County.