Senate Dems Lock Themselves in Chamber

Submitted by Melissa Hoffmann on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 13:37

Just when you thought the New York State Senate had finished shocking you, the hot mess that is Albany politics took a surprising turn today: Democrats reportedly filed into the Senate chamber this afternoon and took control of the rostrum for the first time since June 8, when a historic Republican-backed coup seemingly broke their majority.

The fight for the gavel appears to be continuing.

The 31 senators took their seats and put Sen. Andrea Stewart Cousins (D-Yonkers) on the podium. The press was blocked from entering and watched events unfold through windows.

Republicans claim the presidency belongs to turncoat Democrat Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx, who they installed in the post while ousting Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-Queens). The Democrats reentered the chamber moments after Sen. Eric Schneiderman (D-Manhattan), who is leading the conference's negotiations, announced that talks had broken down with the opposing side.

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