“We have access, we have keys, and we’re going to open the door to do our business,” Mr. Espada said early Wednesday.
But that never happened. Mr. Monserrate’s talks with lawmakers on both sides of the leadership fight held up a planned 3 p.m. session, and he ultimately asked Mr. Espada and Republicans to delay the reopening of the Senate for a day while he continued to talk to Democrats; he said he wanted “to continue the discussions” with other Democrats “that I believe will build our coalition.”
. . . .
Mr. Espada’s former Democratic colleagues spent much of the day mulling over their leadership. Democrats met privately Wednesday morning for about 40 minutes in their conference room on the third floor of the Capitol. When they emerged, few were willing to express any confidence that Mr. Smith would be able to hang onto his job.
Senator Jeffrey D. Klein of the Bronx, the Democrats’ deputy leader and a sometime rival of Mr. Smith’s, said, “I can’t speculate on that,” adding, “We live day to day.”
Pedro Espada is done for politically.
So is Malcolm Smith.
This little coup may yet turn out to be the best thing that ever happened in the NY Senate.
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