Jun 27, 2009 12:02 pm US/Eastern
Gov. Paterson Takes State Senate To Court
ALBANY (CBS) ―
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Gov. David Paterson (file)
CBS
A judge is giving warring New York Senate factions until Monday to persuade him why they shouldn't be forced into a real session with all 62 senators.
Gov. David Paterson is forcing the issue. He said the factions were violating the constitution by failing to respond to his call for an extraordinary session of the Senate. Instead of meeting with all senators present, the factions are meeting separately as they refuse to agree on which side controls the Senate.
The chamber is split 31-31 between the Democratic conference and a coaliton of Republicans and one dissident Democrat.
The power dispute has stalled government for three weeks.
The state Supreme Court justice in Albany is expected to rule on the case Monday.
State senators claim they're making progress on a power-sharing deal, while Gov. David Paterson is trying to goose them along by hitting them where it hurts -- in the pork-barrel pocketbook.
But Gov. Paterson sarcastically dismissed any talk of progress.
"Now they're telling you that they're meeting, that they're very close to an agreement. No, they're very close to the weekend," Paterson said.
Paterson said the senators are derelict in their duty and promised to cut off millions of dollars in pork-barrel projects known as "member items" until the Senate gets its house in order.
Paterson ordered state officials to find a way to cut off senators' paychecks and their reimbursement for expenses.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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