About that Coup in Albany

Just when things appeared to be going in the right direction for Democrats in the New York State Senate (they held a slim 32-30 majority), we get this:

ALBANY – Republicans apparently seized control of the New York State Senate on Monday, in a stunning and sudden reversal of fortunes for the Democratic Party, which controlled the chamber for barely five months.

A raucous leadership fight erupted on the floor of the Senate around 3 p.m., with two Democrats, Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens, joining the 30 Senate Republicans in a motion that would displace Democrats as the party in control.

- via the NYT.

With the switch, these two (corrupt) Democrats have given power over to the Republicans in the name of reform. Just so we're clear:

Legal trouble has plagued Mr. Espada throughout his political career. He has been fined tens of thousands of dollars over several years for flouting state law by not disclosing political contributions. In 2005, three employees of a Bronx nonprofit health care company run by Mr. Espada, the Soundview HealthCare Network, pleaded guilty to diverting $30,000 from programs for family care and AIDS treatment to one of his campaigns. Mr. Espada was never charged.

As for Mr. Monserrate?

Mr. Monserrate is facing legal troubles. On March 23, 2009, a grand jury in Queens handed up a felony assault indictment against him, charging that he stabbed his companion, Karla Giraldo, in December 2008 with a drinking glass, leaving a gash that required 20 stitches to close, prosecutors said.

He faces felony charges of second-degree assault that could lead to a seven-year prison sentence.

Both quotes from the NYT.

Perhaps these two gentlemen here are heading to the party nationally known for corruption?

Let's continue to fight to get ethical leaders into to our national, state, and city government that are principled, and won't flee to another party out of partisan spite.