Albany’s famous “three men in a room” approach to governing is back — and state Sen. Jeffrey Klein is the likely big loser as a result.
For the past two years, the small group of five breakaway Democrats led by Klein helped control the Senate with the Republicans — something that earned Klein a coveted spot at the negotiating table with Gov. Cuomo, Senate GOP Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.
But with the GOP having won an outright majority of the Senate, Klein is expected to be bounced from the table, where decisions are made behind outside the view of the public.
“We will invite whoever leads the Senate,” said a Cuomo administration official. “If (Klein and Skelos) are co-leader, then (Cuomo) will invite both. If there is a sole leader, he will invite that person.”
After sharing the title with Klein the past two years, Skelos last week was sworn in as the sole Senate president. He also reclaimed the majority leader title.
Klein and his four dissident Democrats will continue a coalition with the Republicans rather than rejoin the mainline Democrats. But now Klein’s Independent Democratic Conference has no formal role in setting the chamber’s agenda. Klein’s title went from co-Senate president to co-coalition leader.
Skelos said the decision is up to Cuomo.
“So it looks like Jeff’s back to the kid’s table,” said one insider.
Inviting Klein back into the room could also put pressure on Cuomo to break tradition by letting in Assembly Republican Minority Leader Brian Kolb and mainline Senate Democratic Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins — each of whom represents far more members than Klein.
“If (Klein) is invited, it should extend to all the conference leaders,” said Kolb spokesman Michael Fraser.
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Susan Del Percio, the Republican consultant hired last year as a special adviser by Cuomo is leaving the administration to her private consulting firm, sources said.
Cuomo hired her in what was seen as a smart tactical move to keep her from being hired by his GOP opponent, Westchester Executive Rob Astorino.
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Critics of Sergeants Benevolent Association President Ed Mullins say his beef with Democrat Mayor de Blasio has as much to do with politics as it does with policing.
Mullins is a registered Republican who was a delegate for 2008 GOP presidential candidate John McCain and campaigned with him in Florida.
“There’s nothing wrong with Ed Mullins being a Republican Party groupie, but let’s not pretend his hysterics aren’t part of a broader political strategy to damage de Blasio,” said one Democratic strategist.
Mullins said he has supported both Republicans and Democrats over the years and called his attackers “childish.”
State campaign finance records show Mullins’ union gave big money to both Republicans and Democrats.
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Assembly Sergeant-at-Arms Wayne Jackson, a Vietnam vet who is popular with members on both sides of the aisle, last week celebrated his 40th year working in the chamber.
