The new and former Senate majority leader Dean Skelos, (R long Island) has stated that he would vote against marriage equality legislation should it ever be voted on by the full Senate.

The Democratic Senate press office offered a statement:

"This was an illegal and unlawful attempt to gain control of the Senate and reverse the will of the people who voted for a Democratic Majority. Nothing has changed, Senator Malcolm A. Smith remains the duly elected Temporary President and Majority Leader. The real Senate Majority is anxious to get back to governing, and will take immediate steps to get us back to work."

Hunter College Political Science Prof. Kenneth Sherrill offers a brief analysis of today's apparent by Republicans takeover.

"More than anything else, this reflects the inability of the Democrats to form a cohesive majority in the Senate, something that is almost impossible when you only have a one vote edge. Everyone has a veto when you need everyone’s vote to forge a majority."

"Given that the state will continue to face budgetary shortfalls, this will likely add to the paralysis in Albany. Negotiating with a divided legislature over budget cuts and/or tax increases will be sheer hell for Governor Paterson, and for everyone else."

The Republican deal with the two renegade democrats seems to have been crafted with the help of Florida resident and Buffalo Sabres owner Thomas Golisano. The two cross-over Senators two Democrats, Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens are both currently fighting felony charges. Epada currently owes $60,000 in fines to New York City’s Campaign Finance Board, dating to his 2001 run for Bronx borough president. He has appealed the fines in state court.

In addition, state elections officials in Albany say that Mr. Espada did not register his 2008 campaign for Senate; and he could face more than $6,000 in fines. It is not the first time he has run afoul of the State Board of Elections: His 2000 Senate campaign was fined for failing to submit finance reports.

The state attorney general’s office is investigating a health care agency, Soundview HealthCare Network, that Mr. Espada ran until recently.

Monserrate was arrested on December 19, 2008 and accused of slashing Karla Giraldo in the face with a broken drinking glass during an argument in his Jackson Heights apartment. He was arraigned the same day and pled not guilty to the charges of second-degree assault, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. If Monserrate is convicted, state law requires that he be expelled from the Senate.

The result of the Republican crafted "deal" puts Senator Dean Skelos back in the Senate majority leaders seat with Pedro Espada Jr. as President pro Tem of the New York State Senate.

The deal does not seemed to have anything to do with the push for a vote on marriage equality legistlation as anti-gay Senator Ruben Diaz Sr did not vote to support the leadership change. —Tim Moran