Source: Monserrate returns to Dem ranks

State Sen. Hiram Monserrate plans to return to the Democratic fold, which would deadlock the chamber in a 31-31 tie, a source close to the senator told Newsday on Monday.

[Mandingo]

Monserrate saw that Espada and Skelos were back-slapping each other, with the white-devil Golisano orchestrating the whole thing, saw that his constituency was furious for his boneheaded move, and figured it would be more prudent to cut his losses. Did he commit political suicide? It's too early to tell, but know one thing: Espada is D-O-N-E in New York politics if this coup fails.

[jonny john]

please don't vote for bloomberg again!
he has no sense of working people and the hardship we have to endure!

he has given money to charity, yet he would rather have the fares raised on lower income people and make more people live in poverty than give any of his billions to the state to keep fares at a reasonable rate!

why should he give to the state? the same reason he would give to charities that help those in need.

why should he give to keep fares low? the same reason he would spend millions of his dollars for re-election

[What a Joke]

What a mess in Albany. Monserrate went back to the Dems because he was threatened by Al Shaprton and his cronies. It's an embarrassmen that the Rev. Al has now gained this much power in the state…

[PtJeff]

WHAT A PIG...THIS GUY SHOULD JUST CRAWL BACK INTO HIS HOLE

[Aodh]

"The source also said the reasons for Monserrate's desertion of the new majority coalition lay in dumping Malcolm Smith of St. Albans as Democratic leader in favor of John Sampson of Brooklyn."

Or maybe the answer for Monserrate's return to the fold is because he is mentally ill - a fact that he reportedly stated on his police retirement application

What a bucket of swill we have for representatives of the people! They have absolutely no concern for anyone but themselves. It is all about how they can make the best deals that will enrich themselves.

There should be term limits on how long they can serve. They become entrenched and believe the state belongs to them. Most are obnoxious, bullying and scum.

[DiscoDuck]

The answer to this problem - TERM LIMITS!

2, maybe 3 terms for Senate, and 4, maybe 6 terms for Assembly, making to total time in office for each, a maximum of 8 to 12 years.

[holbrook hal]

the judge is a whimp. Talk about shifting responsibility.Looks loke our court system is as bad as our senate. NEW YORK is going down the tubes

[KirkHere]

31-31

A tie.

Judge orders a "Do Over."

Adding the caveats of "Children behave" and make sure Hiram takes his anti psychotic medication.

I have a much bgetter idea. How about we bring back "Referendum and Recall!"

I'll settle for RECALL.

"There is no such thing as a tie in the State legislature but that is what they are setting up.

Question to the Judge. Hey your honor "Why didn't you look out for the people of this state and order a special election MUST BE HELD for a Lieutenant Governor on August 15th.

[Morons all of them]

Theatre of the ineffectual and absurd.

[Just Wondering]

Do you know who is responsible for the state Senate having 62 members in this decade (allowing for the possibility of a 31-31 tie) when it had only 61 before that?

Senator Dean Skelos, that's who.

When the state Senate had to redraw its district lines to account for population shifts, Skelos (who headed the senate's redistricting group) saw there were not enough people living upstate to support a 61-district map and all those aging upstate GOP incumbents. And this was despite allowing for the biggest allowable deviations (+/- 5%) in district populations (i.e. underpopulating upstate districts, overpopulating NYC districts).

Had a 61-district map been drawn, a new district would be created in NYC and one would be lost upstate. However, if NYC were given an extra district without eliminating an upstate district, the 62-district map would result in slightly smaller districts in terms of population size. That, along with continuing to take advantage of the 5% allowable population deviations, enabled Skelos and the GOP to retain all of its upstate GOP incumbents.

I wrote Senator Skelos about this (he is my state senator) and he did not reply. I wrote Governor Pataki and asked him to veto this plan and he did not reply. Big shocker, huh?

Ironically, a few other states which had to deal with deadlocked state legislative chambers in the 1990s added one seat after the 2000 Census to avoid them going forward. Leave it to New York to go the other way and have it bite them in the a$$!

Thanks for nothing, Senator Skelos!

[KirkHere]

What a Joke wrote:

What a mess in Albany. Monserrate went back to the Dems because he was threatened by Al Shaprton and his cronies. It's an embarrassmen that the Rev. Al has now gained this much power in the state…

Monserrate went back to the dems because they undoubtedly cut him a deal of no jail time when his case comes to trial.

Monserrate FEARS prison not failing to get re-elected.

e know he is done in politics so my prediction is look for him to commit suicide in the future like Donald Manes did.

[TPS]

Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the assuption that all votes will be 31 to 31. Can not one of these elected idiots vote other than party line? This is not politics it is tribal warfare. NY governemnt would be the laughing stock of the world were it not for the Iranian election!

[Spirit of 1776]

One thing is for sure...

Obama/Chicago/Style/Community Organizer/Politics has come to Albany...LOL

Greedy, incompetents, and fools, ready to sell their souls to the highest bidder!!!

[What a Joke]

KirkHere wrote:

<quoted text>
Monserrate went back to the dems because they undoubtedly cut him a deal of no jail time when his case comes to trial.
Monserrate FEARS prison not failing to get re-elected.
e know he is done in politics so my prediction is look for him to commit suicide in the future like Donald Manes did.

That could be one reason no doubt. All I know is that after several threats of protest as in example in article below the guy now changes his tune.. It's a disgrace that dirty NYC politicians have now taken complete control over this state. Time for Long Island to succeed for this tyranny.

http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/long...

[Pol Watcher]

Just Wondering wrote:

Do you know who is responsible for the state Senate having 62 members in this decade (allowing for the possibility of a 31-31 tie) when it had only 61 before that?
Senator Dean Skelos, that's who.
When the state Senate had to redraw its district lines to account for population shifts, Skelos (who headed the senate's redistricting group) saw there were not enough people living upstate to support a 61-district map and all those aging upstate GOP incumbents. And this was despite allowing for the biggest allowable deviations (+/- 5%) in district populations (i.e. underpopulating upstate districts, overpopulating NYC districts).
Had a 61-district map been drawn, a new district would be created in NYC and one would be lost upstate. However, if NYC were given an extra district without eliminating an upstate district, the 62-district map would result in slightly smaller districts in terms of population size. That, along with continuing to take advantage of the 5% allowable population deviations, enabled Skelos and the GOP to retain all of its upstate GOP incumbents.
I wrote Senator Skelos about this (he is my state senator) and he did not reply. I wrote Governor Pataki and asked him to veto this plan and he did not reply. Big shocker, huh?
Ironically, a few other states which had to deal with deadlocked state legislative chambers in the 1990s added one seat after the 2000 Census to avoid them going forward. Leave it to New York to go the other way and have it bite them in the ****!
Thanks for nothing, Senator Skelos!

You hit the proverbial nail on the head.

Not only did Skelos create the opportunity for deadlock by virtue of his poor redistricting skills, he sold his soul (I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt) in order to restore himself to the office of Majority Leader of the Senate and all the benefits that come with the position.

And in order to achieve his personal goal - because when you're Dean Skelos it's all about YOU - he got into bed with two of the most unseemly people in Albany, and that's saying something.

And Dean didn't hesitate to latch on to the deep pocket that was only too accessible to help him achieve his goal. Tom Golisano is another embarrassment, so he and Dean are perfect together.

So now Dean is in left field without a glove, hoping someone will talk to him. Maybe the Dems will take a page from Dean's play book and pick off one or two Repubs to make their majority? That would leave Dean and his sidekicks Libous and Winner where they belong... on the outside looking in.

Good work, Dean.

[KirkHere]

"Sampson named de facto leader of Senate"

No Newsday Sampson has been named the leader of the democrats in the Senate.

It is still a 31-31 tie which gives us no leader but rasther deadlock with no Lieutensnt Governot in office tobreak a tie vote.

[Southbound]

Somehow I get the sense that all of this is leading to the Republicans running Bill Cosby for president in 2010.

[KirkHere]

""I'm coming home," Monserrate told the Daily News, the paper reported Monday."

Hopefully in the future home has an Attica address.

17 million New Yorkers want to see your ex cop "azz" in state prison where it belongs.

[LMAO]

Last week he was a turncoat, today he is a "brother". Whatever.

[Back Up the Truck]

TPS wrote:

Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the assuption that all votes will be 31 to 31. Can not one of these elected idiots vote other than party line? This is not politics it is tribal warfare. NY governemnt would be the laughing stock of the world were it not for the Iranian election!

Well, there would be one - Espada!