Looks like Mayor Byron Brown and Steve Pigeon are together again, again. Their on again, off again political relationship appeared to be down for the count just two months prior to the September 15 Democratic primary, in the fallout of the NYS Senate coup that stalled Albany this summer. At the time, the Buffalo News described Pigeon as “radioactive,” explaining why Brown’s campaign declined a June 25 fundraiser Pigeon was to host. The event might have raised $100,000 for the mayor’s campaign.

Now, Pigeon is on the State payroll for $150,000 as counsel to Pedro Espada (the off again, on again Democratic senator who left and rejoined the party along with Hiram Monserrate this summer), and he is also serving as Mayor Brown’s lawyer, according to this petition filed last Friday. Four people signed the affidavits reporting lines at polling places: Cindy Cooper, Omar Price, Mary Scarpine, and Cavette Chambers. Scarpine notarized Chambers’s affidavit, Chambers notarized Scarpine’s, Cooper’s, and Price’s. They all work for corporation counsel in city hall.

The petition is a follow-up to this order issued by judge John M. Curran late Tuesday night which sought to keep voters at certain polling places from being disenfranchised.

Click here to read the court papers filed on behalf of NYS Senator Malcolm A Smith against NYS Senator Pedro Espada, Jr., in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, county of Albany.

A power shift has taken place in Albany today, according to this story from the Albany Times Union. Dean Skelos is the new majority leader after Senators Hiram Monserrate, D-Queens, and Pedro Espada, D-Bronx switched their allegiance. Thus ends Malcolm Smith’s tenure as majority leader.

Meanwhile, the Web site for biweekly political paper City Hall says Sabres owner Tom Golisano “entered the chamber on the Republican side as the coup was taking place. Top Golisano aide Steve Pigeon has a longstanding relationship with Espada, who was voted president pro temp.”