At least one Brooklyn Democratic source from the state senate railed at the new deal reported in today’s Daily News between the senate’s breakaway Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) and Senate Republicans that now control the legislative body.
Under the reported deal the IDC will maintain its status as a caucus with the funding and staff that come with it and members will also get committee chairmanships.
However, the conference will no longer have a formal say on what bills can come to the floor for a vote, and almost all their sharing of power with the GOP will be usurped now that IDC Chair Sen. Jeffrey Klein will no longer be the majority leader so-chair, which is now firmly in the hands of Sen. Dean Skelos.
“Jeff Klein is lucky to still keep the office he’s got over the last two years,” said the Democratic source. “It’s a great location with several big conference rooms.”
The source noted that with seven new GOP lawmakers there is the expectation that the majority party will force several mainstream Democratic lawmakers to move to smaller offices.
The only Brooklyn Democratic breakaway senator in the IDC is Sen. Diane Savino, who’s district also includes parts of Staten Island.
