The leader of a coalition that mounted Monday's coup in New York's Senate said he's being denied the keys to the historic chamber.
The alliance of Republicans and two dissident Democrats is asking for the resignation of the secretary of the Senate, a position appointed by the Democratic conference that appears to have lost its voting majority. The secretary holds the chamber's keys.
Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. is the new head of the Senate if the overthrow stands, as many now expect it might. He said that if he can't get the keys to the Senate, he'll open Wednesday's session in another room, or even a park.
Espada, a Bronx Democrat, said he's sure the coup is final and will withstand any legal or political challenge. He has already updated his Website to say that he is the new leader of the chamber.
But Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith says despite the GOP's new 32-30 voting edge in the chamber, he won't go quietly.
"Let's just be real clear -- the Senate Democrats are still in the majority, and Sen. Malcolm Smith is still the Majority Leader pro tem," he said Monday night. "We understand that there was a vote taken on the floor after the session was gaveled out, and therefore their assuming that there was a change in leadership is just erroneous on their part unfortunately."
But Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos apparently checked his math, and lobbed a jab to Smith on Tuesday
"Right now, it seems that Malcolm Smith doesn't understand that 32 is a majority," he told reporters.
Sen. Hiram Monserrate, of Queens, joined Espada in Monday's maneuver. The pair said that although they did not change party affiliations, the switch was based on "gridlock" in the chamber.
Monserrate was recently indicted on charges that he slashed his girlfriend with a broken glass, and Espada faces campaign fines and an investigation into a non-profit he once ran.
But Tom Golisano, the Rochester billionaire who helped the Democrats win the Senate last fall, said he felt betrayed that the party seems to have abandoned its promises of reform.
"Don't talk to me about ethical backgrounds in Albany, New York," he said. "I mean, (Eliot Spitzer) stood on a podium on national television and said he had extramarital affairs and used cocaine."
Monday's move was the culmination of six to eight weeks of planning so secretive that top staffers -- and even the families of the senators staging the power grab -- were kept out of the loop.
Meanwhile, Gov. Paterson told reporters Tuesday that he won't be going anywhere during the disquietude.
"I would not plan on the leaving the state right now," Paterson said. "I would think the best thing for me to do is to stay here."
