Senate Democatic Conference Leader John Sampson called the failure of the NYC OTB bailout bill “the nail in the coffin for the racing industry in the entire state of New York,” but insisted he has no regrets that he let the measure come to the floor without knowing if it had sufficient support to pass.

Gannett’s Nick Reisman asked Sampson if he was disappointed that what might be the final vote on his watch with the Democrats in the majority went down this way.

“I’m not disappointed at all,” Sampson replied. “It was brought to the floor for a vote.”

“Some of our members shunned our responsibilities to all New Yorkers, and at the end of the day, I feel very comfortable that we gave those in the New York City OTB an opportunity to be heard, votes to be counted and you’ve seen the results.”

Sampson started to single the Republicans out for blame, despite the fact that several Democrats were in Albany, but didn’t come to the chamber for the vote (Sens. Ruben Diaz Sr. and Liz Krueger), and a number of them (Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr., Sen. Kevin Parker, and Senate President Malcolm Smith) didn’t show up at all.

“There are 62 senators, New York State senators that have been elected in the state of New York,” Sampson allowed.

“You know the last time I read, there is not a Republican job or Democrat job. It is a job. This is about our responsibility, not to downstate New Yorkers or upstate New Yorkers, to all New Yorkers, the people who are out of work in the city will have an impact on resources for all of the state of New York.”

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