Citizen Action of New York News

With Republicans now claiming the majority power in the state Senate, hundreds at the Capitol protested that and other issues – even denouncing one of the defecting senators from right outside his office. As our Steve Ference reports, all of this has some big implications for legislation that hangs in the balance.

ALBANY, N.Y. — Citizen Action of NY Executive Director Karen Scharff said, “This is a lack of democracy.”

At first, more than 100 people silently protested the new Republican Senate majority.

But the crowd outside one of the Senate defector’s offices rushed his door when they saw billionaire Tom Golisano go in – the man credited with orchestrating the power shift.

Scharff said, “People came from all parts of the state because they are outraged to see the people’s agenda is being blocked in favor of the billionaire’s agenda.”

The activists are frustrated the Democratic agenda may now be thwarted by Republicans willing to insert their goals and block Democrats who had all the control.

Assemblyman Jack McEneny (D) of Albany said, “The same-sex marriage bill – I would say its future now in the Senate may be less than it was previously.”

Assemblyman McEneny said the Assembly passed 700 pieces of legislation, while the Senate has passed 120, meaning that agenda was far from complete, even with only days left in the session.

Scharff said, “Affordable housing, rent control, affordable health insurance premiums, affordable prescription drug prices, public funding of the election system so billionaires don’t control the system anymore.”

But outside the Capitol, hundreds protesting gay marriage had quite a different take.

“What God has done is dropped a huge boulder in the path of the same sex-marriage bill yesterday, when the Senate coup took place,” said Rev. Duane Motley, executive director of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms.

Senator Martin Golden (R) of Brooklyn said, “This is one of the issues, the taxes are another issue. And we have to stop some of the spending. The spending is out of control.”

So while folks here assume the Senate will be more conservative, they’re not taking anything for granted as so much here remains in flux.

Motley said, “It’s never safe for me to leave here, until I see the last legislator’s tail lights leave the garage.”

People on all sides will be watching closely waiting to see to what extent the coup’s sound and fury signifies true legislative change.

Scharff said, “I’d like to see what they’ll get done, because right now the business of New York has been put to a halt.”