ALBANY—If nothing else, David Paterson has succeeded in dividing the four amigos.
“What on God’s earth is he thinking?” Senator Pedro Espada Jr. asked reporters, saying he heard from “businesspeople in my district” that Paterson would indeed appoint a lieutenant governor this evening.
He said it would blow up ongoing negotiations. “We’re on a path to resolution, and now, gasoline on the fire,” Espada said. He vowed immediate legal action, echoing the stance of Republican Senate Leader Dean Skelos.
But his breakfast buddy, State Senator Carl Kruger, was all for it. He said he had heard “from reliable sources” that the governor will name “a Manhattan businessman.”
“We’re operating here on less than half a burner,” Kruger said. “This drastic action would help turn up the fire, and hopefully we can make soup.”
