Ranzenhofer now part of Senate majority as two Democrats switch sides

Posted by Howard Owens on June 9, 2009 - 11:49am
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Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer says, "majority rules," and for the first time in his short legislative career, he's now in the majority.

Ranzenhofer spoke with WBTA's Dan Fischer today about the shift in power in the state Senate and said the decision by two Democrats to support changes in the Senate leadership and rule changes ends five months of his frustration with government being operated in secret.

"Up until yesterday there were 32 members who wanted to take the state in one direction," Ranzenhofer said. "As of yesterday there are 32 members who now want to take the state in another direction."

Listen to full interview.

Posted by Peter O'Brien on June 9, 2009 - 12:08pm
Now you can work on the Star Program, Mike. Good luck though.
Posted by Daniel Jones on June 9, 2009 - 2:45pm
Ummm, just incase anyone hadn't noticed, they made the motion after the chamber was adjourned.
Posted by John Roach on June 9, 2009 - 3:41pm
Dan,
Did they have a majority vote to adjurn, or did Smith just say they were? It seems 32 members, a majority, did not adjourn.
Posted by James Renfrew on June 9, 2009 - 9:39pm
That the rationale for the coup d'etat is "reform" leaves me feeling skeptical at best ... this is the same crew that held the Senate majority for 40 years and did nothing when they had the chance.

Now take a look at the new President of the Senate, Pedro Espada, and check out all of the outstanding investigations centered on his use of member items to line his own pockets, er, hospitals and non-profits controlled by him. And he still hasn't filed any campaign finance statements from November. This is the guy the Republican side has flipped to pursue reform! Yeah, OK, the Democrats didn't bounce him out either, but they at least didn't put him in charge of the Senate! What appears to have flipped Senator Espada was the unwillingess of the Democratic Senate majority to give him $2 million more in member items. Now the Governor can't step outside of the state because it would leave this guy in charge! Nice coalition.
Posted by Lorie Longhany on June 10, 2009 - 4:28am
And now lets take a good look at Hiram Monserrate.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/01/16/2009-01-16_prosecuto...
If these two are the fellows the republicans are building their coalition around they can have them.

Reform you can believe in? I think not.

I can't wait for the primary to unseat these guys. I love a good campaign road trip.
Posted by Bea McManis on June 10, 2009 - 5:48am
40 years of sitting in the majority and doing nothing...what reform do they plan now?
Neither of these two should have been on any ticket. I find it ironic that they chose to go with the GOP at about the time they are both under investigation. Birds of a feather...I guess.
Posted by Timothy Paine on June 10, 2009 - 6:11am
Bea, I find the forty years and doing nothing the most ironic part of your statement. They weren't doing nothing. Obviously they did something or they wouldn't be under investigation.
Posted by Bea McManis on June 10, 2009 - 6:39am
Posted by Timothy Paine on June 10, 2009 - 7:11am
Bea, I find the forty years and doing nothing the most ironic part of your statement. They weren't doing nothing. Obviously they did something or they wouldn't be under investigation.

no, no, Tim.
The GOP, in 40 years did nothing about reform. Now it is a burning issue.

The two that defected are both under investigation. Neither should have been on EITHER ticket, but they were.

Two different statements, got garbled over my first cup of coffee.
Posted by John Roach on June 10, 2009 - 7:04am
Bea,
To be fair, neither party did anything in the last 40 years to reform anything.
Posted by Howard Owens on June 10, 2009 - 7:14am
What's the opposite of reform?
Posted by Timothy Paine on June 10, 2009 - 7:18am
Touche! Howard. And I stand by what I said. They did enough to get themselves investigated.