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When the Republicans claimed that they had taken over the New York State Senate on Monday, they said that reform had come to the Senate. In fact, Tom Golisano issued a statement yesterday saying that "reform has come to the New York State Senate."
Those so-called reforms were passed soon after the Republicans took over the Senate. By all accounts, the reforms are a good starting point, but don't address several other areas that needed to be changed.
But as more and more comes out, it is looking like this whole takeover was more about patronage and power than it was about reform and revolution.
The news yesterday that Sen. Pedro Espada's request for $2 million was turned down by Sen. Malcolm Smith because the two groups that Espada was seeking the money for could not be considered legitimate. Also, Espada was guilty of a previous power grab: His attempt, along with three others (including Sen. Hiram Monserrate) to get goodies for themselves in exchange for their support of Smith. Espada didn't get what he wanted out of that deal, so when the Republicans offered him something sweeter - the President Pro Tempore seat he had previously cherished - that was the only selling point Espada needed.
Then there is the Buffalo News report today that Steve Pigeon, who is Golisano's chief adviser, started constructing this coup attempt after his requests for hires in the Buffalo Senate office were turned down by Smith.
From the Buffalo News:
Steve Pigeon, the former Erie County Democratic Party chairman and political adviser to Buffalo Sabres owner B. Thomas Golisano, sought to "take over" the Buffalo office and install his confidantes, spoils for the help Golisano provided Democrats in last fall's elections, according to a Senate Democratic official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The official said three people with ties in various ways to Pigeon, including David Pfaff, a longtime friend and political associate, did not keep their Senate jobs once the Democrats took over the chamber in January.
Pigeon's plan was to have Pfaff run the office, an idea Aponte also rejected.
"We weren't going to farm out the office to political operatives no matter how grateful we were for their support," the official said of the work Pigeon did and the millions Golisano spent last fall helping the Democrats take over the Senate.
There was a story reported by Liz yesterday that Pigeon was already trying to land a job with the "reform Democratic conference." One thought was that Pigeon would replace Angelo Aponte, who serves as Secretary of the Senate, but according to the report, it appears more likely that Pigeon will land a job as chief counsel to Espada, a long-time friend of Pigeon's.
Back to the question I asked in the title: What this about reform and revolution or patronage and power? Clearly, it's the latter. For the Senate Republicans, all they wanted was power. But they weren't going to do it with 30 members. So they picked two corrupt individuals - one who you can't find a campaign finance filing for and has tried to funnel money to his non-existent non-profits and the other who was just indicted for assaulting his girlfriend - to be there 31st and 32nd votes.
For Golisano, this is all about power. Money is power for Golisano and while he is shouting reform from the rooftops, he felt that his investment in 2008 wasn't doing what he wanted. So he decided that he was going to switch alliances and make himself famous in the process.
Pigeon's involvement highlights just exactly why this whole coup was a farce to begin with. For Pigeon, he pushed all the buttons and got Espada and Monserrate aligned with the Republicans (keep in mind, Pigeon was once a county Democratic chair) and is now angling for a job. The news today also shows that there was motive for Pigeon.
All of this comes back to what Malcolm Smith didn't do. A lot of criticism has been thrown Smith's way, but let's put this in perspective:
- Smith didn't give in to Espada and give him the majority leader's post, which led to Espada saying he was "tremendously dismayed and disappointed" at Smith, adding that he would "suspend my support for Malcolm Smith as leader." That was in December. That was the right move. Espada didn't deserve such a high-profile spot right off the bat. But because it's all about power for Espada, because he didn't get what he wanted, he was already saying he was suspending his support.
Add the new revelations about Smith turning down Espada's requests for $2 million and you have a very angry Espada seeking to get what he wants.
- Golisano said that one of the things that motivated him was when Smith was playing on his Blackberry when Golisano met with him a couple of months ago. That seems petty to most right-thinking people, but for Golisano, that is how he is. He used that as motivation to target Smith because, in his mind, Smith wasn't paying attention.
- Pigeon's patronage picks didn't get in after Smith's disapproval, leading Pigeon to concoct a plan that would remove Smith from power and install a more favorable environment (who better than a good friend, Espada) so that he could still have this Buffalo office to plant his cronies and go after the local party leadership and so he could get a job of his own.
So if you thought this was about reform, guess again. This was about all of these characters - the Senate GOP, Golisano, Pigeon and Espada - getting their piece of the action: Patronage and power.
This isn't about New York State. This isn't about the 19 million New Yorkers these men are affecting. This is about a lust for power so strong that they are willing to disrupt government at a time when government should not be disrupted so they can get the power they long for.
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