Senate strikes back at Spitzer's plan

ALBANY - The Senate's Republican majority moved Monday to try to block Gov. Eliot Spitzer's plan to make it easier for illegal immigrants to receive driver's licenses.

The bill to reverse Spitzer's order drew some of the most heated and personal attacks seen in years on the state Senate floor, pitting upstate and downstate politicians against each other.

Some white upstate senators felt they were being called racist and took offense to comments Sen. Kevin Parker made indicating that New York City was more valuable as a terrorist target than upstate regions.