Dissident Dem Promises End to Senate Stalemate

The dissident Democrat who helped engineer a coup that paralyzed the New York state Senate promised Saturday that a deal will be reached in the next 48 hours to resolve the turmoil.

Sen. Pedro Espada of the Bronx told a Latino group in Albany that any resolution must include power sharing in the fractured Senate. Gov. David Paterson appointed mediators for the two-week-old dispute and selected a judge to preside over a special session if the Senate doesn't resolve the leadership conflict.
    
"What we're putting together is something that will ... create a bipartisan government where 62 senators can co-chair committees,'' Espada said before the League of United Latin American Citizens. "Each of them could bring votes onto the floor. In other words, the end of this absolute power.''
    
The gridlock started June 8 when Espada and Queens Democratic Sen. Hiram Monserrate joined Republicans to form a majority coalition that claimed to have taken power from the Democrats.
 
Monserrate has since rejoined Democrats, creating a 31-31 stalemate.
    
Paterson selected former Democratic Lt. Gov. Stan Lundine and former Republican state Sen. John Dunne -- both well respected by both parties -- to act as mediators. Senate leaders would have to accept that help.
    
"It is clear that outside intervention is the only way to resolve this stalemate and finish important business,'' Paterson said in a statement.
    
Espada said he would always be loyal to the coalition's Republican members, but recommended a system that could eliminate the concept of a minority -- as long as the Senate split remains 31-31. That could minimize the role of Long Island Republican Sen. Dean Skelos, whom the coalition voted majority leader in the parliamentary move that made Espada Senate president.
    
"The question is, can we get beyond 'majority,' 'minority' labels, and can we grow above this kind of disproportionality that has rendered us so dysfunctional?'' Espada said.
    
Senate Democratic and Republican leaders are expected to meet throughout the weekend, although not even a clear framework of a power sharing deal appeared to be set.
    
Republican spokesman John McArdle said the leaders would continue talking in hopes of resolving the gridlock.
    
Paterson selected former Democratic Lieutenant Gov. Stan Lundine and former Republican state Sen. John Dunne -- both well respected in both parties -- to act as mediators. Senate leaders would have to accept that help.
    
"It is clear that outside intervention is the only way to resolve this stalemate and finish important business,'' Paterson said in a statement.
    
The Democratic governor also said Chief Judge Jonathan Lippmann will preside over a tentatively set special session to pass critical bills that have been delayed.
    
After meeting with the Rev. Al Sharpton in New York City on Saturday, Democratic Senate leaders Malcolm Smith and John Sampson said they would back a deal that would temporarily give leadership of the Senate to a bipartisan committee. Espada planned to meet with them before Monday.
    
The Democrats said they want the special session sought by Paterson to be bipartisan, which would enable them to vote on urgent bills -- a short-term solution to the Senate impasse that would bypass the political deadlock.
    
"We're prepared to go back to session,'' Smith said, adding that the Democratic conference wants an approach where legislators would take turns running the voting in a rotating system.