The Republican multibillionaire that orchestraded the coup for power in Albany
By ANDREW GREINER
NBCNewYork.com
updated 1:19 p.m. ET, Sat., July 11, 2009
The billionaire behind the Albany meltdown, Tom Golisano, has no regrets about his behind-the-scenes butcher job on the New York Senate. In fact, he’d do it again. "You bet I would," Golisano told The New York Daily News. Golisano, who owns the Buffalo Sabres, engineered the coup that saw Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens buck their party and join a coalition of Republicans that tipped the scales in favor of the NY GOP. The billionaire began plotting the coup after an April meeting with then-Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith because Golisano watched him play with his phone the whole time. Neither Espada nor Monserrate changed party affiliation, but their defection led to a month long stalemate in the Senate. Espada has since rejoined the Democratic coalition and assumed the role of majority leader. Mosserate returned to the Dems three weeks ago. But the failed coup doesn’t bother Golisano, who is moving to Florida. "[Espada] has never said he is going to be a Republican," Golisano said. "All he said was he wants the change.
NBCNewYork.com
updated 1:19 p.m. ET, Sat., July 11, 2009
The billionaire behind the Albany meltdown, Tom Golisano, has no regrets about his behind-the-scenes butcher job on the New York Senate. In fact, he’d do it again. "You bet I would," Golisano told The New York Daily News. Golisano, who owns the Buffalo Sabres, engineered the coup that saw Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens buck their party and join a coalition of Republicans that tipped the scales in favor of the NY GOP. The billionaire began plotting the coup after an April meeting with then-Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith because Golisano watched him play with his phone the whole time. Neither Espada nor Monserrate changed party affiliation, but their defection led to a month long stalemate in the Senate. Espada has since rejoined the Democratic coalition and assumed the role of majority leader. Mosserate returned to the Dems three weeks ago. But the failed coup doesn’t bother Golisano, who is moving to Florida. "[Espada] has never said he is going to be a Republican," Golisano said. "All he said was he wants the change.
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