For the first time since Monday's change in power in the state Senate, Governor Andrew Cuomo sat down with the leaders of the state legislature, as efforts are being made to pick up the pieces in a capitol that's been rocked by repeated corruption scandals. Zack Fink filed the following report.
In less than six months, half of the leaders who make up the so-called four men in a room during closed-door negotiations in Albany have been replaced.
Sheldon Silver stepped down as Assembly Speaker earlier this year, and Dean Skelos stepped down Monday from running the State Senate. Both are facing federal corruption charges.
Now, the new leadership team is trying to salvage what remains of the legislative session which ends in June.
"There has been nothing final. No agreements. No anything. It was just a good first talk. We welcomed John to the family and we’ll see what happens,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie of the Bronx.
One of the big issues that needs to be tackled before the end of the year is mayoral control of New York City schools which expires next month. Skelos had threatened not to renew it at all. Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan says he is open to an extension.
"No, I think Senator Skelos was very clear about certain things. I've obviously, having chaired the education committee, had a number of conversations on mayoral control, perhaps in a slightly different context,” said Flanagan.
Since the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference began its relationship with Senate Republicans in 2013, the group's leader, state Sen. Jeff Klein, has been part of leaders meetings with the governor. Flanagan says he expects that relationship to continue.
"Well, as the senior member in the room now, it was I think a very refreshing meeting. We talked about the different issues that are very important to each and every one of us and our ability to move forward as a state,” said Klein.
The four leaders declined to offer specifics about what was discussed, mirroring what often happened after closed door meetings with the previous leadership team.
"We'll go back to our respective conferences and try to map out. There was nothing about what's connected, this is going to happen for that. None of that happened,” said Heastie.
Meantime, Governor Cuomo's girlfriend Sandra Lee says she's postponing her breast cancer surgery.
The celebrity chef was supposed to undergo a double mastectomy Thursday but she decided to move it to next week due to an upper respiratory infection.
Lee went public with her breast cancer diagnosis earlier in the week.
The governor plans to take some personal time to be with Lee after her procedure.