What was beginning to seem like an on-going soap opera drama, quickly came to an end today. Hiram Monserrate dropped out of a group opposed to Malcolm Smith becoming Majority Leader, but Espada, Kruger and Diaz held out for an entire month. Today it is being reported that the three sat down with Smith and everything is copasetic. Hmmm....
From The Daily Politics:
The leadership battle that has frozen the Senate since Election Day is over, and the three renegade senators known as the Gang of Three have all pledged to support Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith for majority leader in exchange for an agreement that will result in what Sen. Carl Kruger called "significant and historic reform" of how the chamber operates.
He refused to provide any additional information, saying that a press release will be forthcoming from Smith's office.
I called Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., and he confirmed: "It's over. It's a done deal. We agreed."
But what about gay marriage - Diaz's signature issue and the one thing he said he absolutely wouldn't abide coming to the floor?
The senator refused to tell me anything about what kind of deal Smith struck on that (recall that Diaz said he wanted a written pledge that whoever he supported for leader would not bring a bill legalizing same-sex marriage). The only thing he would say was: "I'm comfortable that everything's going to be OK."
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