Skelos: The IDC-GOP Coalition Remains In Place
JAN 13TH - 12:43 PM
Posted by Nick Reisman
Even though Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein was largely stripped of the power and title he held for the last two years, Republican Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos insisted in an interview there would be little change in how the chamber functions.
“As we go through the legislative session, you’re going to see it’s going to be very similar to the way it was for the last four years,” Skelos said.
The Senate last week adopted rules that made Skelos, a Long Island Republican, the majority leader once again as well as temporary president of the chamber.
Under the old coalition arrangement, Klein, a Bronx Democrat and IDC leader, was co-president and could veto legislation that came to the floor for a vote.
Now, Klein and the IDC are in “consultation” with the Senate Republicans on bills, but have no say over which measures come to the floor for a vote.
Skelos said the new arrangement, which comes as the Republicans have a full majority in the Senate, will work well. Klein remains a leader in the coalition, he added.
“I think it’s going to work very well,” Skelos said. “I think right now everyone is saying it’s gone — well, it’s not gone. Jeff Klein and I are coalition leaders — co-coalition leaders. We’re going to work together very closely. We just felt that since Senate Republicans did win a majority, there should be one temporary president and majority leader.”
The Senate on Tuesday was in session briefly — less than five minutes. Nevertheless, IDC Sen. David Valesky, a central New York Democrat, was the session’s presiding officer.
The theory among observers at the Capitol is that the Republican conference needs to keep the IDC close, given their thin majority. Should any members leave the Senate for whatever reason, the IDC could play a key role in keeping the Republicans in power.
