Skelos gets assist from renegade Democrats

The latest schism among state Senate Democrats promises Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) a bit more breathing room in his second turn as a Capitol power broker.

Skelos arrived in Albany last week with a minimal 32-30 GOP majority. Promptly, four Democrats, calling themselves the Independent Democratic Conference, broke openly with their party's conference leader, John Sampson of Brooklyn.

Albany watchers are eager to learn this week what committee and staff plums Skelos might grant members of this "third conference," consisting of Jeffrey Klein of the Bronx, Diane Savino of Staten Island, David Valesky of Syracuse and David Carlucci of Rockland County.

"It gives the Republicans some flexibility to let certain of their members off the hook on unpopular votes," contended an ally of the group. Depending on the issue, "off-the-hook" beneficiaries could include rookies Jack Martins (R-Mineola), Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) and Mark Grisanti (R-Buffalo), some said.

Bay Shore native Richard Azzopardi is spokesman for the independent conference. Until Dec. 31 he was chief of staff to Sen. Craig Johnson, the Nassau Democrat who lost to Martins. Johnson, also alienated from the Democratic conference leaders, said Friday that he "absolutely" would have supported the revolt.

"We will work to bring integrity back to this house," Klein said Wednesday. A Senate Democratic insider shot back: "Their activity has everything to do with petty personal advancement."

The last "gang of four" began rocking the Senate boat two years ago when Democrats arrived with a 32-30 edge. Sens. Pedro Espada, Hiram Monserrate, Ruben Diaz Sr. and Carl Kruger dallied with the minority GOP and leveraged themselves positions and staff. The first two - who later collaborated with Skelos in the chaotic, abortive 2009 Senate "coup" - are gone from office.

On Friday, Skelos loyalists coyly sought to downplay the new caucus' potential impact. "We've got our 32 Republicans," one said, "and these guys make no bones about it - they don't like their leadership in the Democratic conference."

From Long Island, meanwhile, key committee chairmanships are expected to include John Flanagan (R-East Northport) on education and Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City) on health.

EMERGENCY DETOUR: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has declined so far to try to freeze local employees' wages statewide through a legislative finding of "fiscal emergency," as the New York Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials urged him to do. So, the conference will take it up in the legislative houses, executive director Peter Baynes said Friday.