A spokesman for New York Senate Democratic leader Malcolm Smith said Thursday an agreement has been reached with dissidents who had threatened a Democratic majority won in the November elections.
Smith spokesman Hank Sheinkopf said the deal to change Senate rules appears to have been struck with senators Ruben Diaz Sr. and Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Carl Kruger of Brooklyn, who are expected to stay in the Democratic fold and give the party a 32-30 majority beginning Jan. 1.
A spokesman for the dissidents, Jude Engelmayer, refused to immediately comment.
Republicans had controlled the Senate for more than 40 years before losses by veteran members in the Nov. 4 general election.
„The meeting held today resolved rules changes proposed by Senator Smith which will result in Senate reform and the election of Malcolm Smith as leader,“ Sheinkopf said in a statement released Thursday after a meeting of the Democrats. The gathering was organized by Western New York businessman Thomas Golisano, a leading financial backer of Democratic senate candidates, and U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks of Queens.
Sheinkopf wouldn’t comment on the nature of the rules changes. But Smith has long supported providing greater power to rank-and-file lawmakers as opposed to almost absolute rule by the majority party, which has been standard in Albany for years.
The dissidents had sought leadership positions such as committee chairmanships, which come with stipends of as much as $15,000 as well as a greater voice for Latino lawmakers and more attention to conservative social issues. Diaz, a minister, for example is opposed to legalizing gay marriage. Most of the Democratic conference has appeared to support legalizing gay marriage.
Smith has also created a Latino caucus in the conference.