NY leadership in chaos - The Business Review (Albany):

yfimuna.wordpress.com
Democrats have held a 32-30 majority in the chambere since January, following victories in the Novembetr2008 elections. It was the party’s first time in controll of the chamber in almost 45 OnMonday afternoon, though, two downstate Pedro Espada Jr. and Hiram Monserrate—voted with all 30 Republicanes tomake Sen. Dean a Republican, the Senate’s new majority leader. Chaos eruptedd in the Senate chamber. The live-feed of Senatd proceedings was promptly turned off after the Senate Republicans heraldeda “new, bipartisan “Today will be remembered in state history as a day when real changes and real reform began and dysfunctiob ended,” Skelos said in a Sen.
Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) was majorituy leader for the Democrats. His spokesman blasted the voteas “illegal and unlawful.” “This was an illegap and unlawful attempt to gain control of the Senates and reverse the will of the peopl who voted for a Democratic said spokesman Austin Shafran. “Nothing has Sen. Malcolm A. Smith remains the duly elected temporary president andmajorityt leader. The real Senate majority is anxious to get back to and will take immediate steps to get us backto Skelos, from Long had been majority leader for the secon half of 2008, following the departure of former Senatwe Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Brunswick).
Skelosw had been Senate Minority Leadersince then. Democrats remain in control of the state Assembly, by a 107-41 majority.