Video Updates: In a New York Minute: A ‘Coup D’Etat’ in NYS Senate: GOP takes control….

Update 2 from NYPost:

…”It’s a great day for the state of New York,” said B. Thomas Golisano, the Rochester billionaire, in a news conference with Libous, Skelos and Monserrate. Golisano, who has run unsuccessfully for governor three times, has spent millions to support candidates he feels will reform Albany to become more democratic and supportive of business.

The move was secretly in the works for more than five weeks, said a Republican with knowledge of the plan. Golisano was a major player in creating the coalition, said the Republican, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak for the GOP senators.

New York’s government is run by the near absolute control of the majority party and its top leaders. Monday’s action, if it holds, would create the first coalition in power for at least 50 years….

Courtesy of NYSSenate2009:

When Senate Democrats campaigned last fall, they promised change and reform. Unfortunately the leadership they elected broke their promises, reneged on their commitments made to 19 million New Yorkers and to every member of the Senate, and calcified Albany dysfunction instead of ending it. Today, real change and real reform begins.

A new bipartisan, coalition elected today has delivered on the promises for reform that the Senate Democrat leadership failed to keep. The new rules adopted today will create a more open, bipartisan, transparent and member-driven body that will take dramatic new steps to end Albany dysfunction.

Wow!!! Notice in the reporting the GOP  ‘seized control’..gee ya think maybe some moderate-conservative Dems got frightened about the crazy taxation plans?  Yeah I do…Pfft!

Times-Union.com:

Senate Republicans have seized control of the chamber in a leadership coup in which they got two Democrats to join their caucus, a stunning move that could change the nature of electoral politics as well as the end of this year’s legislative session.

Dean Skelos was elected majority leader after Senators Hiram Monserrate, D-Queens, and Pedro Espada, D-Bronx, voted with Republicans to change the leadership of the chamber.The defections ended Malcolm Smith’s six-month tenure as the leader of the senate.

Monserrate and Espada gave the Senate Republicans the 32 votes they need to switch leadership.

CityHallNews.com

New York State¹s experiment in one party rule ended today as Republicans seized control of the State Senate after the Democrat¹s adjourned the chamber on a procedural vote. The GOP was joined by Democratic Senators Pedro Espada (D-Bronx), Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn), and Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens).

Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. (D-Bronx) joined the Republicans in the chamber but has said he will not vote.

Responsible New York chairman Tom Golisano entered the chamber on the Republican side as the coup was taking place. Top Golisano aide Steve Pigeon has a longstanding relationship with Espada, who was voted president pro temp.