Staten Island's state Sen. Andrew Lanza furious over Democrats' judgeship vote

http://blog.silive.com/latest_news/2009/07/staten_islands_state_sen_andre_1/print.html

Staten Island state Sen. Andrew Lanza was reportedly very annoyed at Senate Democrats' confirmation of Court of Claims Judge Rick Dollinger without any Republicans in the chamber.

Usually calm and mild-mannered, Lanza called the vote after 3 a.m. a "fraud" and accused Democrats of "trading political favors for judgeships," the Daily News reported.

Though Dollinger was 13th on the confirmation list, the Democrats bumped him up to first spot and quickly confirmed him. Even as there were three Democrats short of a quorum, the Democratic majority said enough members of both parties had checked in earlier in the day to allow for a vote.

Lanza told the Daily News he believed Gov. David Paterson and his predecessor, Eliot Spitzer, promised Dollinger the $136,700 judgeship as a fallback plan if he agreed to challenge GOP Sen. Joe Robach, who eventually won the race. Paterson had raised money for Dollinger's campaign.