Tag Archives: NY Senate

Finally! NY State Controller Thomas DiNapoli has begun the process to withhold the pay of state Senators. “I have a responsibility to taxpayers to safeguard their interests,” DiNapoli said. “These are difficult fiscal times. The state needs leadership and action.” DiNapoli’s decision affects the pay period ending July 8. Payroll for 62 senators amounts to some $190,000, or $3,049 per …

Gov. Paterson has issued proclamations calling for the NY Senate to work every single day through this holiday weekend. Whether they’ll show up or not, who knows? Gov. David Paterson has elevated the Senate stalemate from a “conflict” to a “crisis.” The governor didn’t make much news today in his Red Room press conference, except to say that he has …

So in the latest bit of New York Senate fuckwittery, yesterday only the Senate Democrats were in the chamber, 31 of them, one short of a quorum, while the GOP caucus sulked elsewhere. Then GOP Sen. Frank Padavan cut through the room to get to the lounge where free soft drinks are available. “QUORUM!” shouted the Dems, and immediately passed …

“I am very optimistic — I probably should say I’m cautiously optimistic — but I’m very optimistic that same-sex marriage will be a reality in this state. I believe it’s absolutely doable by the end of this session. I don’t think anyone has changed their hearts on the issue of marriage at all. It’s certainly my strong position, the governor’s …

The New York Senate Democratic Conference will be holding a “Hollywood & Broadway” party tonight at NYC Hall. You know, instead of doing any actual fucking work. An instant protest has sprung up: With all the chaos that has been occurring in the Senate over the past several days and weeks, it’s important that we show our elected officials that …

Via Twitter, I’m hearing that the NY Senate adjourned today’s session five minutes after it started. Five minutes is HARDLY enough time for the Senate’s usual accusations, double-crossing, triple-crossing, secret deals, secret alliances, name calling, lock outs, and temper tantrums. What, oh what, could tomorrow possibly bring? We have NO GOVERNMENT in New York State. UPDATE: Via Unite The Fight: …

NY Daily News is reporting that Queens Democratic Sen. George Onorato may be ready to flip his vote on marriage equality to “yes.” Onorato’s Queens office has been the subject of a nightly vigil by equality activists. But the same NYDN story also expresses doubt that anything will actually happen in the state Senate today. Now the Senate Democrats are …

The New York Senate live stream is here. No word yet on when things start.

How have we missed knowing that NY Sen. Ruben Diaz has two gay brothers? New York Magazine also reports that Diaz is a huge fan of Liza Minnelli and got visibly choked up when she performed the classic paean to drag, What Makes a Man a Man?, while attending a show with “one of his closest friends,” a co-founder of …

Marriage equality is finally, after months and months of wrangling, slated to be the very first bill to be voted on in tomorrow’s special session of the NY Senate called by Gov. Paterson. But Sen. Ruben Diaz promises to do something “big” to thwart the vote from happening. Even though the Senate has so far only passed five of the …

All we need now is a couple of bears on unicycles and a lady fired from a cannon. NY Daily News reports: Power-sharing talks have broken down and Senate Democrats have locked themselves into the chamber – the first time they’ve been in since the June 8 coup – beating their GOP counterparts to the punch in an effort to …

NY Gov. David Paterson said yesterday that he will make sure there is a vote on marriage equality in the state Senate before they break for the summer. Paterson is calling for a special session tomorrow, but said that marriage equality will not be on the agenda. The development came as the governor announced plans to call the Senate to …

NOM has pledged $500,000 to the defeat of any GOP state senators in New York who support a marriage equality bill. Gay marriage is not high on the list of any voters’ priorities, but again and again we’ve seen politicians respond to political money thrown around by Tim Gill and his friends and ignore the wishes of their own constituents,” …

Alleged girlfriend slasher and NY state Sen. Hiram Monserrate has gone triple-agent and switched back to the Dem side of the aisle, leaving the Senate in a flat 31-31 tie. Gothamist recaps the last week of nonsense in Albany. Before last Monday, the Democrats held a 32-30 majority in the State Senate. But when Monserrate and Espada decided to vote …

A complete week of absolutely no work done in the NY Senate and the judge says “work it out amongst yourselves.” A state Supreme Court judge in Albany told both sides in the battle over the state Senate to spend the weekend looking for a resolution to the question of control of the contested chamber. If they fail, both sides …

And round and round and round we go. A day of legal and legislative drama concluded with ousted Democratic Majority Leader Malcolm Smith obtaining a temporary restraining order declaring him to be the chamber’s majority leader and president pro tempore. Smith’s legal relief may be short-lived: A state Supreme Court judge will hear arguments from both sides in the four-day-old …

If you’re still trying to figure what the hell has been going on in Albany this week (and who isn’t), Gay City News editor Paul Schindler has posted an excellent and very detailed breakdown of this still chaotic situation. Late yesterday, Schindler got openly gay state Sen. Thomas Duane (left, at podium) to finally comment on the widespread speculation that …

By all accounts, Monday’s NY Senate coup was orchestrated from behind the scenes by billionaire Tom Golisano, a thrice-failed NY gubernatorial candidate. Golisano has funneled millions to Democratic candidates over the years, but had become increasing annoyed when the finally-in-power Democrats in the Senate refused to jump to his commands, even announcing that he was moving to Florida rather than …

Curiouser and curiouser. The New York Times is now reporting that openly gay NY Sen. Thomas Duane may be joining the ranks of Democrats defecting to support new Majority Leader Dean Skelos. Duane is the sponsor of the Senate’s marriage equality bill. One of the senators who is believed to be considering breaking ranks with the Senate Democratic conference, Thomas …

Former NY Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno (R), who is slated to be tried in November in a massive corruption scandal, has been asked by Gov. Paterson to lobby his former fellow Senators on behalf of marriage equality. And he has said yes. THUD. Bruno used to be a ferocious foe of LGBT rights and blocked Senate votes on various …