Senate Dems Move Ahead With Plan To Remove Espada
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After a year of turmoil, the State Democratic Party is formally moving to kick State Senate Majority leader Pedro Espada Junior out.
State party officials have sent a request to the Bronx Democrat Party saying the controversial senator has not acted in line with their principles.
They cite a laundry list of reasons including repeated campaign finance violations, Espada Jr's alleged flouting of residency rules and his involvement in last year's coup, where he briefly left the party's caucus before returning to the Democratic fold as part of a deal in which he was made majority leader.
This is not the first time the party has looked to boot Espada Jr. as they also tried in 2002.
Bronx Democratic Committee chairman Jeffrey Dinowitz says it is still unclear what the next step will be.
"There are certain allegations in the letter which I think can't be disputed. The question is how to address those. Is the best way through a hearing to try to oust Espada from the party or is the best way to do it by beating him in the primary?" Dinowitz said.
Espada Jr. is also the target of several investigations and a civil lawsuit by the State Attorney General's office.
NY1 has reached out to the majority leader for comment.