ALBANY — Could this be Sen. Pedro Espada’s coup, part deux?
The scandal-scarred Bronx Democrat, whose historic power play paralyzed state government last summer, threatened yesterday to force a new, more devastating government shutdown on the anniversary of the coup fiasco.
Espada pledged to withhold his crucial vote from emergency spending legislation, known as a budget extender, that must pass the Legislature by 11:59 p.m. Monday to keep the wheels of government turning for another week.
“I’m giving fair notice,” said Espada.
“I will not continue to hurt the people in my district by voting for an extender with massive cuts to education and other programs. [Gov. Paterson’s] actions have been unilateral, and that’s what needs to stop.”
His warning, which follows a similar threat by Espada ally Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. (D-Bronx), raises the ante in a high-stakes budget gambit devised by Paterson to end a two-month standoff over how to close an estimated $9.2 billion budget gap.
If either Democratic lawmaker holds firm, the narrowly divided Senate could lack the votes to pass the emergency spending bills Paterson is using as a vehicle to force through huge spending cuts.
The latest bills — containing $385 million in health-care cuts — squeaked through Monday, with all 32 Democrats voting yes, and all Republicans voting no.
An angry Paterson told legislative leaders yesterday he was considering packing more budget proposals, such as cuts to education and mental-health funding and a dollar-a-pack hike on cigarette taxes, into the next batch of spending bills.
“We have to make cuts, and the fact that there are those who still don’t want to do this after two months, I think, is reprehensible,” he said.
Espada, who last year briefly joined the GOP, was given the toothless title of majority leader in a deal to bring him back into the Democratic fold.
In April, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo filed a civil suit accusing the senator of stealing $14 million from his taxpayer-subsidized health-clinic empire in The Bronx.
Espada faces at least one federal criminal probe.
Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos (R-LI), who partnered with Espada and another rogue Democrat to take over the Senate for five weeks, said that the 30 Republicans won’t support any more emergency spending bills.