ALBANY - New York Sen.-elect Hiram Monserrate broke away from the so-called “Gang of Four” dissident Democrats Saturday and said he will support Senate Democratic leader Malcolm Smith for majority leader.
Monserrate's support helps seal Democratic control of the Senate on Jan. 1 and improves Smith's chances of running it.
“It is my belief that we need leadership in our state Senate, and that leadership needs to be Democratic leadership and I am proud to support Malcolm Smith as majority leader because I believe he has the issues necessary to move this conference forward,” Monserrate said in an interview.
Monserrate said he expects to be named chairman of a committee, which includes stipends of about $12,500, but he hasn't yet been told what committee it will be.
Monserrate is one of a group of four Democratic senators who have flirted with siding with Republicans, who no longer have a majority of members in the Senate. Democrats won a 32-30 majority on Tuesday, ending more than 40 years of Republican control of the Senate.
The dissident Democrats are Pedro Espada Jr. and Ruben Diaz Sr., both of the Bronx; Carl Kruger of Brooklyn; and Monserrate of Queens. Their power play boosted their chances of getting committee chairmanships that come with lucrative stipends and the power to steer legislation, as well as a stronger voice in Latino issues.
Monserrate denied he ever considered switching parties or opposing the Democratic conference and said he believes Smith will be the majority leader. He said he has spoken with the other dissident Democrats but is unsure if they will choose to support Smith.
“I am proud to receive the support of Senator-elect Monserrate for majority leader of the state Senate,” Smith said in a statement. “I look forward to working with him as we bring a new vision to Albany that will get New York working again.”
On Wednesday, the four dissidents didn't attend Smith's first meeting since winning a 32-30 majority in Tuesday's elections. Espada and Diaz have clashed with Smith over political endorsements in recent years and Diaz and Kruger have been frustrated their conservative proposals get little attention among Senate Democrats.
In Wednesday's meeting, the other senators supported Smith, 28-0, to lead the conference. Adding Monserrate would give Smith 29 supporters for majority leader. However, if the remaining three dissidents side with Republicans, the GOP would have a majority of votes. The GOP could still force a tie in choosing a majority if just one of the dissidents sides with Republicans in the 62-member chamber.
The remaining dissidents could help Republicans elect a GOP majority leader, or Republicans could help the dissident Democrats choose a Democrat other than Smith - perhaps even one of the dissents - to run the Senate.
But Smith's strength is growing, apparently helped by intervention by Democratic Gov. David Paterson who privately persuaded the four dissident Democrats to remain in the fold.
Sen. Jeffrey Klein of the Bronx - long seen as Smith's strongest rival to run the conference - made Wednesday's motion to support Smith as leader. And Smith said, after talking with the dissidents, that he expects them to stay in the Democratic conference.
Monserrate is a former police officer and was backed by the Working Families Party, a group of labor and other interests pushing a more socially liberal agenda that is closely aligned with the Democratic Party.
Tensions among some Democrats have been rising in Albany since the Republican-Democratic split narrowed in the Senate over the last several years. Republicans have made it clear they would be supportive to Democrats who sided with them by offering leadership position stipends.
In May, Smith publicly supported Sen. John Sabini of Queens when Monserrate was considering a primary challenge to the incumbent. Smith defended his member even against the powerful Queens County Democratic Party, which backed Monserrate.
Although Democratic Gov. David Paterson avoided a bigger clash by appointing Sabini to an administration job as a racing regulator, the dispute reflected a deeper concern.
Smith was making a stand for his member. Senate Democrats have bristled at how city council members, now term limited in their city jobs, are increasingly looking to continue their political careers in Albany. City council members' interest in the state Senate rose as the Democrats got nearer to taking a majority, which provides increased clout, exposure and pay.
In 2002, Espada threatened to switch to the Republican party. He didn't follow through on that threat but did sit in caucus with the Senate's Republican majority. In this year's Democratic primary, Espada won back his Bronx seat by beating incumbent Sen. Efrain Gonzales Jr., who was backed by Smith and the Democrats.
Kruger became the first Democrat given a committee chairmanship by the Republican majority when he took the post in 2007, along with its $12,500 stipend. And Diaz, a minister who is far more conservative on social issues than most of his Democratic colleagues, ran as a Democrat and Republican Tuesday.
It doesn't always work. Sen. Olga Mendez of the Bronx, who long worked with Republicans and eventually switched to the GOP party, lost her seat two years ago.
A spokesman for Diaz, Espada Kruger didn't immediatly respond to a request for comment.
AP-ES-11-08-08 1457EST
“It is my belief that we need leadership in our state Senate, and that leadership needs to be Democratic leadership and I am proud to support Malcolm Smith as majority leader because I believe he has the issues necessary to move this conference forward,” Monserrate said in an interview.
Monserrate said he expects to be named chairman of a committee, which includes stipends of about $12,500, but he hasn't yet been told what committee it will be.
Monserrate is one of a group of four Democratic senators who have flirted with siding with Republicans, who no longer have a majority of members in the Senate. Democrats won a 32-30 majority on Tuesday, ending more than 40 years of Republican control of the Senate.
The dissident Democrats are Pedro Espada Jr. and Ruben Diaz Sr., both of the Bronx; Carl Kruger of Brooklyn; and Monserrate of Queens. Their power play boosted their chances of getting committee chairmanships that come with lucrative stipends and the power to steer legislation, as well as a stronger voice in Latino issues.
Monserrate denied he ever considered switching parties or opposing the Democratic conference and said he believes Smith will be the majority leader. He said he has spoken with the other dissident Democrats but is unsure if they will choose to support Smith.
“I am proud to receive the support of Senator-elect Monserrate for majority leader of the state Senate,” Smith said in a statement. “I look forward to working with him as we bring a new vision to Albany that will get New York working again.”
On Wednesday, the four dissidents didn't attend Smith's first meeting since winning a 32-30 majority in Tuesday's elections. Espada and Diaz have clashed with Smith over political endorsements in recent years and Diaz and Kruger have been frustrated their conservative proposals get little attention among Senate Democrats.
In Wednesday's meeting, the other senators supported Smith, 28-0, to lead the conference. Adding Monserrate would give Smith 29 supporters for majority leader. However, if the remaining three dissidents side with Republicans, the GOP would have a majority of votes. The GOP could still force a tie in choosing a majority if just one of the dissidents sides with Republicans in the 62-member chamber.
The remaining dissidents could help Republicans elect a GOP majority leader, or Republicans could help the dissident Democrats choose a Democrat other than Smith - perhaps even one of the dissents - to run the Senate.
But Smith's strength is growing, apparently helped by intervention by Democratic Gov. David Paterson who privately persuaded the four dissident Democrats to remain in the fold.
Sen. Jeffrey Klein of the Bronx - long seen as Smith's strongest rival to run the conference - made Wednesday's motion to support Smith as leader. And Smith said, after talking with the dissidents, that he expects them to stay in the Democratic conference.
Monserrate is a former police officer and was backed by the Working Families Party, a group of labor and other interests pushing a more socially liberal agenda that is closely aligned with the Democratic Party.
Tensions among some Democrats have been rising in Albany since the Republican-Democratic split narrowed in the Senate over the last several years. Republicans have made it clear they would be supportive to Democrats who sided with them by offering leadership position stipends.
In May, Smith publicly supported Sen. John Sabini of Queens when Monserrate was considering a primary challenge to the incumbent. Smith defended his member even against the powerful Queens County Democratic Party, which backed Monserrate.
Although Democratic Gov. David Paterson avoided a bigger clash by appointing Sabini to an administration job as a racing regulator, the dispute reflected a deeper concern.
Smith was making a stand for his member. Senate Democrats have bristled at how city council members, now term limited in their city jobs, are increasingly looking to continue their political careers in Albany. City council members' interest in the state Senate rose as the Democrats got nearer to taking a majority, which provides increased clout, exposure and pay.
In 2002, Espada threatened to switch to the Republican party. He didn't follow through on that threat but did sit in caucus with the Senate's Republican majority. In this year's Democratic primary, Espada won back his Bronx seat by beating incumbent Sen. Efrain Gonzales Jr., who was backed by Smith and the Democrats.
Kruger became the first Democrat given a committee chairmanship by the Republican majority when he took the post in 2007, along with its $12,500 stipend. And Diaz, a minister who is far more conservative on social issues than most of his Democratic colleagues, ran as a Democrat and Republican Tuesday.
It doesn't always work. Sen. Olga Mendez of the Bronx, who long worked with Republicans and eventually switched to the GOP party, lost her seat two years ago.
A spokesman for Diaz, Espada Kruger didn't immediatly respond to a request for comment.
AP-ES-11-08-08 1457EST
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