Both sides of Senate coup protest at Capitol
Fox 23 News
Albany, NY
As the politicians were in court and meeting the media on Monday, civilians upset about what’s been happening, or rather not happening, at the Capitol were making their voices heard.
In the midst of all the chaos over who will run the leadership of the Senate, protestors from both sides showed up to say the Senate’s not for sale, and others to say that the reform of Pedro Espada and others is very real.
Several dozen protestors organized by Citizen Action and other advocate groups began protesting rather silently, but then chanted down the hall toward where senate republicans were meeting — complaining that a billionaire’s big bucks had bought the power of the senate and taken it away from the people’s duly-elected representatives.
Marc Greenberg/Anti-coup protestor: “People that we elected should serve those who elected them, not those who paid for their campaigns and Pedro Espada apparently is happier to serve those who foot the bill for those who pay for his campaign, and not even disclose who pays for his campaign than to serve the people who elected him.”
Moments later, a group of counter protestors from Pedro Espada’s district in The Bronx faced off with the anti-coup protestors, saying that Pedro Espada had taken steps toward reform that senators who had been office for decades had neglected to take up.
Sigfredo Gonzalez/Pro-Espada protestor: “He has joined, we have joined parties together so that business can take place in the state of New York, Republicans and Democrats working together, to make issues take place so we can pass our budget, so the only ones prolonging this is the other side.”
So as these protests continue, the work of the Senate continues to be stalled, which could prompt further protests from taxpayers upset that the work of the people is not getting done.