Several people have called on Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr. to be stripped of his leadership post in light of the recent civil charges against him, levied by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. But the only person with the power to do that is Senate President Malcolm Smith, who appointed him to the role. (Something Senate Conference Leader John Sampson pointed out during an interview with Capital Tonight last week)

During an interview with Smith today in Niagara Falls, Liz Benjamin asked the Senate President if he would strip Espada of his title. He responded by saying, “The members in our conference, we spoke about who that appointment would be. So, obviously if members of the conference would want to change that, it’s something I’d have to respond to.” When asked if there had been any discussion among the conference, Smith said, “Members have talked about it individually, not a ground swell have come to me and said anything about it. Pedro Espada has his challenges.”

Smith goes on to take the same position Senator Sampson did when asked if the conference would support Espada in his primary challenge against Desiree Pilgrim-Hunter, saying, “As a rule, we support the incumbent Senators.”

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