Developing: Espada Flips Back To Democrats; GOP Loses Senate Control

This is a developing situation, but State Senator Pedro Espada has flipped back to the Democrats, giving them the numbers to control the State Senate.

Espada, whose defection to the Republicans was the main reason for Gov. Paterson's controversial action yesterday "naming" Richard Ravitch as lieutenant governor, revealed his startling plans to The Post.

The defection would bring a quick end to the Senate's current 31-31 vote stalemate, in which Espada has repeatedly joined with the 30 Republican members in opposition to the Democrats.

"I'm going to tell (Republican leader Sen.) Dean Skelos that I have a handshake agreement with (Democratic leader Sen.) John Sampson to become the majority leader,'' Espada revealed.

Espada, who had been designated as the Senate president by a bare majority vote during the June 8 "coup'' in which he and Sen. Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens) joined 30 Democrats to oust Democratic Majority Leader and Senate President Malcolm Smith of Queens, said that Smith would retain his "president'' title under the arrangement until the end of the year.

Smith would then be replaced by Democratic Sen. John Sampson of Brooklyn, who ousted Smith as the top Democratic leader in the wake of the "coup.''

Espada said, "Unfortunately, Dean rejected an opportunity to reach a compromise under which Republicans would have had equal access to all the resources of the Senate.''

It was never about doing what was right. It was about Espada playing politics and pushing his weight around. He wanted to play kingmaker because Malcolm Smith hurt his feelings over not supporting some of Espada's pork projects.

State taxpayers suffer as a result.

This is the clown circus in action.