Looks that way. From the Daily News:
Senate Democrats appeared on the verge of a last-minute deal Monday night that could avoid chaos when lawmakers go back in session Tuesday.
...
One source said that Sen. Carl Kruger, a Brooklyn Democrat and a leader of the rebel Democrats, would become chairman of the powerful Finance Committee, and Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., a Bronx Democrat and another so-called Gang of Three member, would become chairman of the Aging Committee. Bronx Democrat Sen. Pedro Espada Jr., who under a previous deal that fell apart was to become majority leader, would receive an "influential policy position," sources said.
"Espada will come out the most senior and influential Hispanic in state government," one source said of the Bronx Democrat.
Unlike the previously aborted deal, the positions of president pro tempore and majority leader will not be decoupled. Smith (D-Queens) will hold both titles.
Also, Kruger's Finance Committee will not get a separately funded staff, a source said.
Another source said the Gang of Three will get the titles they seek, but will have no power over the legislative agenda.
Will the caucus sign off on this deal after they pretty much revolted after the last one? I suspect that they will. That said, as I've said before, I'd have gone all Michael Corleone on the Diva Three.
My offer is this: nothing.
Also, this proposed deal proves once again that this whole ridiculous charade was always what it looked like. This was never about "empowering Latinos" or any other such thing. This was about extorting the best possible deal for themselves from the rest of the caucus, a caucus they didn't lift a finger to grow. It also shows what many folks suspected for years, namely that Carl Kruger would never pull the trigger and caucus with the GOP, despite the millions of dollars of your money they invested in him over the years. He was happy to take the money, but never had the guts to do what they the Senate GOP thought they were paying for. |
