The Republican leader of New York’s state Senate has survived a largely symbolic effort by Democratic lawmakers to oust him from his position after his arrest on federal corruption charges.

Democratic lawmakers walked out of the Senate in protest Wednesday after Republicans refused to allow the vote to remove Dean Skelos as Senate majority leader.

The veteran Long Island lawmaker faces charges he traded his influence for more than $200,000 in payments from a real estate firm and an environmental technology business to his son, Adam, who is also charged in the case. Skelos and his son say they are innocent.

Senate Republicans have so far kept Skelos on as their leader, though that support appears to be wavering.

Democrats will likely try to oust him again next week.

(AP)