Possible deal developing around Espada

July

There is a lot of speculation at the Capital this afternoon that Pedro Espada, D-Bronx, is planning to rejoin the Senate Democratic conference. He told the New York Post that he has a hand-shake deal that he would become Senate majority leader. Sen. Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, would finish out the year as Senate president. Sen. John Sampson, D-Brooklyn, would be Senate president beginning Jan. 1.

One Democratic senator said, “I heard they are negotiating, so hopefully that will happen.”

Joseph Spector of Gannett News said reporters are camped outside Espada’s office, and there are a lot of people going in and coming out of there.

But others cautioned that the situation is fluid and could change. Today’s special session is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Senate Republicans canceled a 2:30 p.m. news conference.

Espada and another Democrat allied themselves with the Republicans and took control of the Senate away from Democrats June 8. Espada was named temporary president. The other Democrat has since returned to the Democratic conference, causing a 31-31 split and an inability for either side to reach a quorum of 32 members.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 9th, 2009 at 2:04 pm by Cara Matthews.
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