The deal is done. Malcolm Smith will become the new Senate Majority Leader tomorrow:
The Senate leadership deal is officially done, and Queens Democrat Malcolm Smith has finally landed the 32 votes he needs to be majority leader of the Senate, putting the chamber back into Democratic hands for the first time in 43 years.
Flanked by members of his conference - including all of the Gang of Three - who marched from Sen. Carl Kruger's office in the LOB to the Capitol to join their fellow Democrats, Smith announced his victory.
Smith confirmed the details of the deal between himself and the three erstwhile renegades that have been reported throughout the day.
In short:
- Kruger, who ducked out without speaking to reporters, will chair the Finance Committee ($34,000 lu-lu), which Smith said does have a budget of between $5 million and $6 million. Sen. Liz Krueger will be vice chair of that committee (that's a new position, and so has no existing lu-lu; she's also chair of Select Committee on Budget Reform).
- Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. will chair the Aging Committe ($12,500 lu-lu), and also will head a new Latino Task Force.
- Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. will chair the Housing Committee ($12,500 lu-lu) and will also serve as vice chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, the most powerful committee in the Senate, (Smith is the chairman) and president of the Senate for Urban Policy.
From a release just sent from the next Senate Majority Leader:
The Senate Democratic Conference emerged from their meeting tonight with the announcement that Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm A. Smith will serve as Senate Majority Leader, securing a Democratic Majority for the first time in 43 years.
Under the leadership of Senator Smith, the Senate will move New York in a new direction, taking steps to create a more open, accountable and inclusive legislative process.
"We are one Senate, united behind the common purpose of getting New York back on track and creating a government that operates in a more efficient and transparent manner to meet the needs of all New Yorkers," said Senator Smith.
At the meeting, the Democratic Conference solidified its commitment to reform the Senate into a more functional legislative body that allows good ideas to be openly debated by all members.
"Through the appointment of committee chairs with real standing and duties and a comprehensive review of the Senate's rules of procedure, we will restore the Senate's ability to achieve the peoples' agenda," said Senator Smith.
"In the face of the worst fiscal crisis since the Great Depression, the new Democratic Majority will work with the Governor and all of our legislative colleagues to revive the economy through job creation and economic development," said Senator Smith.
And there it is. It's going to be a very interesting session.
I've greatly enjoyed a much needed vacation from regular posting, but posting will be back to normal as of tomorrow morning.
It's put up or shut up time for Dems in Albany. I plan to be all over it. I hope you will be, too.
Stay tuned... |
