NY judge tosses Senate case back to lawmakers
ALBANY, N.Y. — A judge says he won’t rule on last week’s takeover of the New York Senate by a coalition of Republicans and dissident Democrats.
State Supreme Court Justice Thomas McNamara is dismissing the case, saying it’s improper for the court to get involved in a legislative tussle. He recommends the legislature resolve the question of who’s in charge of the chamber.
Meanwhile, Gov. David Paterson says he’ll step into the Senate session and run the chamber as he did while lieutenant governor. He says that will temporarily help Republicans and Democrats pass critical bills.
One of the two rogue Democrats who helped Republicans seize power returned to the Democratic fold Monday, putting the Senate in a 31-31 split between the Democratic conference and the uneasy coalition.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A dissident Democrat who helped Republicans seize power in the New York Senate a week ago has returned to the Democratic fold and declared that Democrats must retake the majority he cost them.
“We need to take back the Senate,” said Sen. Hiram Monserrate of Queens, insisting Democrats were united.
A seven-day stretch that began with a shocking parliamentary revolt orchestrated by a coalition of Republicans and the two rogue Democrats — Monserrate and Sen. Pedro Espada — resulted Monday in a 31-31 split between the Democratic conference and the uneasy coalition.
Republicans and Espada held a brief session, but no other Democrat showed up, denying a quorum.
Although there was no agreement on how to share power, Democratic Gov. David Paterson stepped in Monday to try to broker a deal. A state court that threatened to mandate a power-sharing structure, heartened by Paterson’s involvement, gave senators until Tuesday morning to agree on a way to share power.
But Republicans and Espada say the coalition created a week ago remains firmly in place, with Democrats unable to muster a 32-vote majority to undo the action.
Espada, of the Bronx, maintained Monday that he is majority leader, the Senate’s top position, because 32 senators voted for him during the takeover a week ago. Even though Monserrate has since rejoined Democrats, the party has only 31 votes, not enough to overcome what Espada says was last week’s legally binding vote.
Democrats claim the coalition’s parliamentary revolt was done after shocked Democrats hastily adjourned the session, making it invalid.
The 31-31 tie is possible in the 62-seat Senate because there is no lieutenant governor to break deadlocks. Paterson was lieutenant governor in 2008 when Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned in disgrace amid a prostitution investigation.
Related News
No assembly session, but Jharkhand legislators keep getting salarySeptember 18th, 2009 RANCHI - In the eight months since president's rule was imposed in Jharkhand, state legislators have been getting their basic salary and medical expenses without having to do any work. President's rule was imposed Jan 19 and since then the state assembly has been kept under suspended animation.
Fed judge in Mass. dismisses blogger Andrew Sullivan's marijuana charge but says move unjustSeptember 11th, 2009 Federal judge in Mass. drops Sullivan's pot chargeBOSTON — A reluctant federal judge in Massachusetts has dropped a marijuana possession charge against author and blogger Andrew Sullivan.
BJP legislators in Jharkhand quit, demand assembly electionsSeptember 9th, 2009 RANCHI - All 22 legislators of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jharkhand Wednesday submitted their resignations to demand immediate assembly elections in the state that has been under president's rule since Jan 19. The legislators handed their resignations to Governor K.
Jharkhand BJP legislators quit, demand early pollsSeptember 9th, 2009 RANCHI - All 22 legislators of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jharkhand Wednesday handed over their resignations to Governor K. Shankarnarayan demanding early elections in the state that has been under president's rule since Jan 19.
Seven Jharkhand legislators lose membership for defectingAugust 13th, 2009 RANCHI - Seven legislators Thursday lost membership of the Jharkhand assembly under the anti-defection law. Speaker Aalamgir Aalam finally passed his ruling in nine anti-defection cases, seven months after the hearings were completed.
Nevada Sen. Ensign says he won't support Obama's selection for US Supreme CourtAugust 4th, 2009 Nevada Sen. Ensign will vote against SotomayorWASHINGTON — Sen. John Ensign says he will oppose Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the U.S.
Sotomayor says she won't say how she'd rule on right to bear arms without hearing a caseJuly 16th, 2009 Sotomayor defies Coburn on gun rights argumentWASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor bluntly told a Republican senator there was no way she would say in the setting of a congressional hearing just how she'd rule on an important constitutional question. Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma pressed Sotomayor for the second day in a row to say under what circumstances she might accept — or rule — that there is a "fundamental" right to bear arms, as opposed to an "individual," or less pervasive, right.
UPA happy to have Jharkhand poll after monsoonJuly 15th, 2009 RANCHI - Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram's statement that he would ask the Election Commission to hold elections in Jharkhand soon after the monsoon has been welcomed by his Congress party and other members of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), though independent legislators are not so happy.
Hooch tragedy: Gujarat Congress urges governor for actionJuly 15th, 2009 GANDHINAGAR - A delegation of Congress legislators led by former deputy chief minister Narhari Amin has submitted a memorandum to Gujarat Governor Nawal Kishore Sharma seeking stern action against those responsible for the hooch tragedy, which claimed 136 lives in Ahmedabad last week. The Congress legislators, who have launched a campaign against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government demanding either Chief Minister Narendra Modi's removal or the President's rule following the tragedy, said in the memorandum Tuesday that the party urges the governor to intervene since the opposition members have not been allowed to raise the issue in the assembly.
Leahy says Sotomayor will be 'justice for all Americans,' is 'outstanding' nomineeJuly 13th, 2009 Leahy says Sotomayor follows rule of lawWASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says Sonia Sotomayor will be a Supreme Court justice who's "committed to the law" and "not to ideology."
Describing Sotomayor as an "outstanding" nominee at the start of her Senate confirmation hearing Monday, Sen. Patrick Leahy denounced what he described as efforts to distort Sotomayor's record and views.
Impeached federal judge from Texas resigns ahead of Senate trialJune 25th, 2009 Impeached federal judge resignsWASHINGTON — A federal judge from Texas who was impeached by the House has resigned ahead of his Senate trial. U.S. District Judge Sam Kent turned over a letter of his resignation to a Senate official who was serving a subpoena on the judge at the Massachusetts prison where he is serving a 33-month prison sentence.
Meghalaya speaker suspends five MLAs ahead of floor testMarch 17th, 2009 SHILLONG - The spectre of President's rule loomed large over Meghalaya after assembly Speaker Bindo Lanong near midnight Monday issued 'interim suspension' orders on five legislators for withdrawing support to the ruling Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) government ahead of Tuesday's trial of strength in the house. 'The five legislators - former ministers Advisor Pariong and Paul Lyngdoh, deputy speaker Sanbar Shullai, and two independent MLAs Ismail Marak and Limison Sangma - have been barred from entering the house until further orders,' the speaker said in a ruling late Monday.
Left, JMM to help save Orissa governmentMarch 9th, 2009 BHUBANESWAR - Members of the Left parties and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) are among those who have said they will extend support to Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik when he goes to prove majority in the assembly Wednesday. 'There will be absolutely no problem to prove a majority.
32 legislators suspended from Chhattisgarh assemblyFebruary 2nd, 2009 RAIPUR - Thirty-two legislators of Chhattisgarh's opposition Congress party were suspended for a day from the state assembly Tuesday after they trooped towards the speaker's podium. Speaker Dharamlal Kaushik suspended the legislators as they marched towards his chair, demanding that either a house panel or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe the Jan 8 killing of 17 tribals allegedly by the police in Dantewada district.
Congress may deny poll tickets to lazy Haryana lawmakersJanuary 3rd, 2009 ROHTAK - Congress legislators in Haryana who do not devote adequate time to their constituencies and people could be denied the party ticket in the next assembly elections, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said Sunday. 'The party ticket is given by the high command.
Loading ...