Skelos proposes a coalition government with the “Gang of Three”
The political crisis over who will be in charge of the State Senate remains unresolved. Republican Leader Dean Skelos has taken it to the next step by offering the rebel “gang of three” several major concessions.
Under his proposal, Skelos would remain the President Pro-Tempore of the Senate and acting Lieutenant Governor. Pedro Espada would become the Majority Leader and Carl Kruger would become Chairman of the Finance Committee. Ruben Diaz would almost certainly get a leadership position, as well.
The Skelos plan would still leave him and the Republicans in charge of the Senate - something Gov. Paterson and the other Democrats are expected to vigorously oppose.
Even if the plan falls through, the rebels still hold the decisive votes for either side.
Until now, the three have raised a hodgepodge of reasons for their vehement opposition to Smith.
For all his flaws, Skelos is still a great politician. Senator Malcolm Smith now has to offer even bigger concessions. It looks increasingly likely that there are only two possible outcomes: a Republican/Gang of Three coalition, or a Democratic majority with someone other than Smith as majority leader. I hope I’m wrong, and I probably am wrong if Jim Alesi does decide to switch to the Democrats.
Either way, I’m willing to bet that a lot of senior Republicans are going to retire or even resign in the middle of the term, coalition government notwithstanding. And some of the Gang of Three Democrats will lose in primaries and be replaced by real Democrats. In the end, Republicans may be able to cling to power this time. But in two years, the game is over.
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This seems like a major mess if it were to come true.
I thought I heard something about Paterson burying the hatchet with one of the gang.
If not this could effectively submarine Paterson’s governorship. It might not be over in two years.