Democrat Culture of Corruption: NY State Senate Edition

For shame, Pedro, for shame. Looting all that money that was to go to the poor residents in your district? Of course this is business as usual for New York Democrats.

Embattled Bronx politico Pedro Espada Jr. looted a whopping $14 million over the past five years from a non-profit that he runs -- including giving himself a $9 million severance package, paying for family vacations to Puerto Rico and hefty bills at sushi restaurants, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office revealed today.

In a lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Cuomo claims Espada diverted charitable assets connected to the Bronx-based Soundview HealthCare Network and used the money for himself, his family and his political operation.

Cuomo said Soundview, which relies heavily on Medicaid dollars with the aim of providing healthcare to poor Bronx residents, was Espada's personal and political piggy bank.

“Taxpayer money was given to this not-for-profit to provide healthcare services to underprivileged patients, but our investigation has found the funds flowed into the pockets of Senator Espada and his supporters,” he said.

Over the past five years, Espada, who currently serves as the State Senate's Majority Leader, allegedly siphoned more than $14 million out of Soundview -- including giving himself a severance package worth an estimated $9 million which was put into a contract signed in 2005.

Last year, The Post reported that Espada used a luxury car paid for with his charity's money and allowed the use of other cars by top employees, including his daughter-in-law and a woman convicted of committing fraud for one of his campaigns.

At Soundview headquarters on White Plains Road, Espada, who collects nearly $460,000 a year in salary and benefits as the charity's CEO, was seen by a Post reporter last August getting into a 2008 Chrysler 300C sedan driven by someone who picked him up. The car is registered to the charity.

Living in the lap of luxury on the taxpayer's dime was only part of it. The Soundview Board -- packed with Espada’s family, friends, and Senate employees -- rubber stamped many of the transactions outlined in Cuomo's suit.

As a result, Cuomo is seeking to permanently remove Espada and current Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Brennan as officers of the charity, along with the organization's entire board of directors.

“Siphoning money from a charity would be egregious under any circumstances, but the fact that this was orchestrated by the State Senate Majority Leader makes it especially reprehensible," Cuomo said. "In New York, no one is above the law, and this suit should finally make that clear to Senator Espada.”

Just think how many needy children could have been fed with all that money.

Confusion Reigns in Albany; Shocking News About Coup Leader

The clowns are running the show in Albany. Only at this juncture nobody can say with any certainty which clowns.

Confusion gripped the Capitol and the Senate chamber remained dark yesterday, as Democrats feverishly scrambled to regain control after a Republican coup knocked them out of the box.

Deposed Senate leader Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) accused the Democratic mutineers of rank extortion and influence peddling.

The fast-paced, never-before-seen developments at the Capitol yesterday included:

* Senate business -- usually at a fever pitch in June -- ground to a halt yesterday while Democrats mulled legal action to delay a session scheduled for 3 p.m. today.

* Rumors swirled that a handful of other Democratic lawmakers were preparing to defect to the Republicans.

* The White House even jumped into the fray, trying to save Democratic control of the state Senate.

* More chaos loomed with the GOP threatening to hold a session in a public park near the Capitol today if Democrats failed to hand over keys to the gilded chamber.

"There is no constitutional requirement that we'll meet in that room," said Sen. Pedro Espada Jr., the Bronx Democrat who defected along with Hiram Monserrate of Queens to give the GOP a 32-30 working majority. "We'll just have to take it outside."

Meanwhile, Fred Dicker says Paterson has gotten what he's deserved.

The breathtaking coup that appears to have ousted Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith could claim what remains of Gov. Paterson's political career.

Not only is Paterson's record-high, tax-and-spend budget being blamed for pushing two Senate Democrats into the ranks of the Republicans, his claims to be a fiscally prudent government reformer are about to be put to the test in a way that could not have been imagined just a few days ago.

The new Republican/Democratic alliance that voted Monday to remove Smith is preparing to vote over the next two weeks on a range of conservative-oriented reforms, including a cap on state spending, a cap on local school property taxes, and the re-establishment of the popular STAR property tax rebates, which were abolished by Paterson's budget.

The problem for the unelected Paterson, who polls show is the most unpopular governor in the nation, is that he's proposed and supported both tax caps -- but he did so at a time when he was certain that neither would pass a Democratic-controlled Legislature.

Still, for my money the biggest shock to come out of this mess, orchestrated by Tom Golisano?

Dig this.

AMID all the chaos in Albany, the upstate billionaire at the center of the state Senate upheaval yesterday coyly confirmed he's dating tennis great Monica Seles.

Buffalo Sabres owner and upstate king-maker Thomas Golisano, 67 -- credited with convincing two rogue Democratic senators to join forces with the GOP -- has been spotted for months squiring around Seles, 35.

When asked yesterday if the two were a pair, the normally unflappable Paychex founder -- who was making the interview rounds all over the state capital -- seemed taken aback.

"Why do you want to know?" said Golisano, clearly more comfortable talking policy than romance.

Finally, the thrice-divorced Golisano told The Post's Jennifer Fermino, "Monica and I see each other."

The May-December pair first raised eyebrows last year, when Golisano brought her to a ceremony recognizing his $10 million donation to Niagara University.

He also brought Seles to a Sabres game, where the Tennis Hall of Famer sat with him and former President Bill Clinton. And, when asked in a Forbes.com article last fall what the coolest number in his cellphone was, Golisano crowed, "Monica Seles.' "

'It's Despicable What Happened Here Today'

That's the reaction of the hapless accidental governor of New York and after two rogue Democrats switched allegiances and joining with the GOP voting bloc Monday. I must admit, it is rather distasteful.

An unprecedented revolt sparked by two renegade Democrats yesterday ousted Majority Leader Malcolm Smith and returned Republicans to power in the state Senate, rocking the Capitol and dealing a severe blow to Gov. Paterson.

Thirty Senate Republicans were joined by scandal-scarred Democrats Pedro Espada Jr. of The Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens to form a majority in the 62-member chamber.

The action came on an unexpected motion by Republican Sen. Thomas Libous of Binghamton.

Libous stunned the Senate chamber when he rose and announced a resolution naming Espada the new Senate president.

The motion also restored Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos (R-LI) to the post of majority leader.

The historic maneuver left Senate Democrats, who in January took the majority for the first time since 1965, slack-jawed and powerless.

And it stunned Paterson.

"It's despicable what happened here today," said the governor last night, bristling and occasionally slamming his open palm on a lectern as he appeared briefly before reporters.

"When do we get around to governing?"

Well, Dave, you did have the past 15 months and didn't quite accomplish much. Although as noted yesterday, the fact the GOP has to bring on two very shady Democrats in order to gain a majority reeks of desperation.

How sleazy are these two? Behold:

Meet the two Democratic turncoats who handed control of the state Senate back to the Republicans: One's been charged with slashing his girlfriend, while the other is being probed in a funding scam.

Pedro Espada Jr., who represents The Bronx but actually lives in tony Mamaroneck -- is a serial party-switcher who's implicated in state-funding shenanigans involving his nonprofit health-care company.

Hiram Monserrate of Queens was indicted for allegedly slashing his girlfriend in the face with a broken glass.

Espada has a long history of being a renegade and displaying party disloyalty. Three workers at a firm he runs, the Soundview Health Care Network, pleaded guilty in 2005 to diverting $30,000 from programs for family care and AIDS treatment to his political campaign. He was not charged.

Earlier, Espada was caught red-handed attempting to steer $745,000 in grants to his outfit.

In 1998, Espada was accused of attempting to direct $260,000 in Medicaid funds from his firm to his political campaign. He was acquitted of the charges.

Monserrate, a former city councilman and ex-cop who had a stormy relationship with the NYPD, was charged with six counts of assaulting his girlfriend, Karla Giraldo. She needed 20 stitches over her left eye.

Security cameras in his apartment complex show Monserrate dragging her out of the building on Dec. 19. The same cameras show her desperately banging on a neighbor's door seeking help during the incident, just a month after his election to the Senate.

Does the NY GOP have any standard of decency?

If you want to consider anyone a winner in this fiasco, feel free. They're all a bunch of pathetic losers who deserve each other in the entirely dysfunctional state.

GOP Seizes Control of NY State Senate

Is the New York State GOP that hard up they'll take the vote of a Democrat under indictment for felony assault and another currently under campaign finance investigation?

Apparently so.

Republicans appear to have retaken control of the state Senate this afternoon after two dissident Democrats crossed the aisle in a parliamentary coup.

"An historic change in leadership is taking place at this moment and a new bipartisan, coalition is being established that is bringing real reform to the Senate RIGHT NOW," according to a news advisory sent out by the GOP.

The Associated Press reported that two Democrats -- Hiram Monserrate of Queens and Pedro Espada, Jr. of the Bronx -- are poised to announce that they have decided to caucus with the GOP out of anger at Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith.

The flip gives Republicans a 32-30 edge in the chamber and ensures that Smith is longer the majority leader.

I have to question what the GOP is thinking here. You really want to be associated with the likes of Hiram Monserrate?

Hello?

Espada, meanwhile, at least didn't (allegedly) whack his girlfriend upside the head with a beer bottle. He's only taking heat for some financial chicanery.

Democrats, naturally, are outrageously outraged.

Democrats said they plan to take the fight to court.

In a statement sent out by Smith's office, a spokesman called the move "illegal and unlawful"

"Nothing has changed, Senator Malcolm A. Smith remains the duly elected Temporary President and Majority Leader," the spokesman added. "The real Senate Majority is anxious to get back to governing, and will take immediate steps to get us back to work."

In no small irony, today's coup looks like it was hatched by newly-minted Florida resident Tom Golisano.

Rochester-area billionaire Tom Golisano apparently helped lead today’s coup in the Senate, emerging from the chamber after the vote.

Golisano has been critical of Senate Democrats since they took control in January, even after Golisano pumped millions into the Democrats bid to win control of the chamber in November.