State Senate Still Twists And Turns Without Progress

It's been 23 days since the coup that upturned the State Senate and where are we? Oh, yeah, nothing's happening, except the Democrats and Republicans are still fighting. The Democrats still claim that State Senator Frank Padavan's saunter through the chambers means he should be counted towards a quorum during their (Democrats-only) session, while the Queens Republican insists, "My only motive was to get in the lounge and get a Coke or cup of coffee. I was not in there when the session began. To say otherwise is totally untrue." Padavan told Newsday that he had "a Coke, a V-8 and a tuna fish sandwich." Hilariously, Padavan's affidavit states that he was looking for a coffee, but the Post says, "He later told reporters he'd actually gone to get a Coke, but didn't want to say that because he would be seen to be endorsing a product." Yeah, isn't Pepsi in Purchase?

But the Democrats are holding firm: The Times-Union reports that 10 Senate Democrats and staffers have signed affidavits claiming that Padavan was at the session. Senator Diane Savino (D-Staten Island) was especially firm in her belief, "I think it was on purpose. Padavan had to know what he was doing. They teach this to us on the first day -- as soon as the journal clerk sees you, you are marked present. Those are rookie mistakes."

The NY Times examines why the Republicans seized the moment to take power in the Senate:

Senate Republicans know the state’s voters, demographically speaking, are moving away from them. The electorate is growing more diverse in New York City and its suburbs, a trend that is likely to favor the Democrats, while the upstate region, a Republican base, has suffered a population drain. At the same time, the Republican caucus is all white and almost entirely male, with half its members 62 or older.

Republicans privately acknowledge that they face an uphill battle in regaining control of the Senate in the election next year. They are claiming that they should lead the Senate for the next year and a half. But they are also trying to take steps now — during what may turn out to be a fleeting moment of power — to undo the worst of what life in the minority party means in Albany.

The Democrats and Republican may meet to discuss power-sharing—but the Democrats won't attend any Republican-proposed meeting.