Party Legislators Agree To Back Corbin
BY MONTE R. YOUNG AND CELESTE HADRICK
STAFF WRITERS
January 4, 2006
The embattled presiding officer of the Nassau legislature, who had been expected to be ousted from office yesterday, bought herself some time when a state judge effectively blocked the vote temporarily and threw the already-contentious process into chaos.
Lawyers for Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury) won an injunction from State Supreme Court Judge Roy Mahon barring the legislature from certifying any lawmaker as minority leader, except her.
The lawyers made the request as part of a backdoor maneuver by Jacobs to deem herself unaffiliated with any party, paving the way for her to become minority leader. Hearing news of the ruling, Republicans balked at their plan to elect Democrat Legis. Roger Corbin (D-Westbury) presiding officer, with the help of Lisanne Altmann (D-Great Neck), over the wishes of Democratic Party leaders.
"This should have been a historic day," said Corbin, who accused Jacobs of creating a "circus."
Jacobs says she is doing the will of the people.
"The reason I did it was to protect us as a party and protect the people's wishes," Jacobs said. "They voted us in as the majority."
At stake is the power and prestige that comes with the presiding officer's job, along with a $2.2-million budget. For Corbin, it would make him the first African-American to head the 10-year-old legislature. He is expected to appoint Altmann his deputy.
The fight may also have political ramifications for Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi's possible gubernatorial ambitions, as it potentially casts doubt on his ability to control his party, which controls the legislature 10-9. Suozzi, however, downplayed the dissension.
"This happens every few years because different members have different personal and political agendas. It is all aggravated by the interference of the Republican Party in what should be an internal Democratic Party matter," he said.
In yesterday's developments:
Jacobs attempted to drop her 48-year registration as a Democrat to become unaffiliated with any political party, believing that she could unseat current minority leader Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa). The second-highest vote-getter not in the same party as the presiding officer automatically becomes the minority leader.
Jacobs said she took this tactic -- as well as going to court -- to protect the remaining eight members of her Democratic caucus who would be left with nothing if the Republican-led coalition chose both presiding officer and the minority leader.
After receiving Mahon's decision, Republicans, along with Democrats Corbin and Altmann, refused to attend the legislative meeting and said they would not vote on the leadership until Jacobs' party affiliation is cleared. Their lawyers maintain she is still a Democrat.
What happens next could be decided as early as today. The judge will be asked to decide whether Jacobs' party affiliation switch qualifies her to become the minority leader if the remaining Democrats support her.
Lawyers Fred Brewington and John Ryan, representing Corbin and GOP lawmakers, are expected to argue today that state law clearly states that a change in party enrollment does not become effective until after the next general election, meaning Jacobs remains a Democrat until then.
But Steven Schlesinger, representing Jacobs, says otherwise.
"It is unconstitutional to say she must stay a member of a party one day longer than she wants to," Schlesinger said.
Schmitt had been expected to vote for himself, thereby keeping his minority leader spot as the only person to get a vote who is not of the same party as the presiding officer. He said he, too, was protecting the will of the voters. He said Democrats are so divided that he could end up with the most votes, making him the presiding officer.
"That would be obscene," Schmitt said. "That is not what the people of this county intended when they elected 10 Democrats. ... The Democrats should be in charge."
Posted Friday, January 6, 2006
PBA In The News
Editorials
