Hometown News: Capital Chaos

Capital Chaos continues, as a matter of fact, it might be getting worse. Hiram Monserrate of Queens, one of the two Democrats who decided last week to vote with the Republicans in the State Senate is apparently returning to the Democratic caucus. Just yesterday, Brooklyn Senator Pedro Espada, the other renegade Democrat who joined the GOP caucus, said he and Monserrate were staying put, but Monserrate has reportedly bowed to intense lobbying by the Reverend Al Sharpton. A move back by Monserrate would throw the chaotic chamber into a 31-31 tie.

On Friday, Senate Democrats settled on Brooklyn's John Sampson to replace Malcolm Smith as leader of their conference, but to keep Smith as the majority leader. That apparently paved the way for Monserrate to move back. Smith tried to downplay the chaos while marching at the Puerto Rican Day Parade on Sunday. A judge in Albany says he will rule on who controls the state Senate, if the two sides can't work it out by this afternoon.