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Some Optimism On Marriage Equality Despite New York Senate’s Chaos

The Human Rights Campaign has organizers on the ground in New York trying to salvage the marriage equality bill that has been making its way through the Senate’s committee process. The HRC issued a statement that they do not believe that these defections had anything to do with same-sex marriage, and neither of these men are staunchly opposed to marriage equality. Senator Espada is currently under investigation for corruption in regards to a medical business that he was running up until recently. Senator Monserrate is currently under investigation for slashing his partner, Karla Giraldo, in the face with a broken wine glass. If he is convicted, he will be automatically expelled from the Senate.

Shortly after this parliamentary coup occurred, Senator Espada was installed as the Senate President which makes him the acting Lt. Governor of New York. According to NY1, Espada is in favor of the marriage equality bill, but Monserrate is undecided.

The courts have been asked to rule on the legality of this parliamentary coup since it occurred after adjournment and not before. The other problem is that neither Espada nor Monserrate have changed parties. Instead, they are still Democrats, but voted with the Republicans to replace Malcolm Smith with Dean Skelos. Senator Skelos has stated that he intends to vote against marriage equality in New York, but that he will demand that the Republicans in the Senate vote with him. What is unclear is whether or not Skelos, as Majority Leader in the Senate, would be willing to even let the bill come to the floor.

According to HRC Field Director Marty Rouse, this puts the New York legislature completely in flux. Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell appears to be optimistic that this bill will pass. Most polls show that New Yorkers are in support of marriage equality currently. These polls show a great deal of support in Upstate New York, which is typically more conservative than the area around New York City.

How this plays out will depend a lot on the courts. What this may end up doing is just disrupting the New York legislature and ultimately revert control back to the Democrats who will undoubtably end up putting both Espada and Monseratte on the lowest level committees available to them.

http://wcbstv.com/local/senate.gop.albany.2.1037014.html

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2009/06/assemblyman_daniel_odonnell_i.html