Embattled State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. angrily fired back at State Democratic leaders who formally requested that he be ousted from the party, saying he had the backing of nearly 10,000 registered Democrats.

Espada, who is running for re-election in the 33rd District this fall, was responding to a letter sent from the State Democratic Committee asking the Bronx County Democrats to oust Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada, Jr. from the party.

The letter listed a number of complaints against Espada, including his history of campaign finance violations, rumors that he doesn’t live in his Bronx district and his role in last summer’s Senate coup.

It puts Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, the chairman of the Bronx Democratic Committee, on the hot seat. If the Committee decides to act on the formal request, written by Edgar Santana, a native Bronxite who is the deputy to the state Democratic Party’s executive director, Charlie King, Dinowitz would preside over any quasi-trial proceedings and then make a final ruling on whether Espada should remain in the party. 

“Ultimately, it’s Dinowitz’s decision,” said Assemblyman Carl Heastie, the chairman of the Bronx committee’s executive board (which makes him the borough’s party boss).
Dinowitz is not taking the decision lightly.

“I haven’t made any decisions as to what we should do,” Dinowitz said, a week after he received the letter. “I will note that all the accusations made against Espada in the letter also apply to a number of other elected officials — in terms of possible residency issues, or being under investigation, or being under indictment.” (Espada has not been indicted.)

On Monday, Espada held a press conference outside the Bronx Board of Elections Office, on the Grand Concourse. He was armed with a backpack of papers — what he said were the signatures of 10,000 supporters in his district. (Senate candidates who want to get on the ballot for the September primary are required to collect the signatures of 1,000 unique Democratic voters, and have them filed by July 15.)

“I am supported by 10,000 Democrats,” an impassioned Espada told the crowd, holding up his stack of petitions and alleging a racist agenda. “The attacks against me are attacks against the community I represent, the Latinos and the African-Americans.” (Santana, who wrote the letter, is Latino.)

Espada lashed out at Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (who filed a civil lawsuit against him back in April for alleged misuse of funds involving his non-profit health clinic), saying the attacks against him are racially motivated and the result of anti-immigrant sentiments.

“We know too well about discrimination,” Espada said. “If you’re brown, if you’re an immigrant, you’re not supposed to have power.”

Even if Espada is “convicted” and ousted from the party, Dinowitz said it will take time and Espada will be able to appeal any decision that is made in Bronx Supreme Court — a process that could last well beyond the Sept. 14 primary, meaning he’ll most likely remain on the ballot as a Democrat when it counts the most.

It’s not the first time the party’s attempted to give Espada the boot — in 2002, they also tried to oust Espada after he stood with then-Majority Leader (and Republican) Joe Bruno and declared that he was a Republican. The party ruled Espada out, Dinowitz said, but he appealed and ultimately retained his Democratic affiliation.

The best way for Espada’s critics to get him out of the Senate is to show up at the polls in the primary election this fall, Dinowitz said.

“We may or may not decide to move ahead with this hearing,” he said. “But even if we do, that process may take longer than some people might like.”