NY Journal News, June 27, 2009, Saturday

NY Journal News

June 27, 2009, Saturday

NY Journal News

Fifth day of special session in Senate ends with no resolution
By Joseph Spector

ALBANY - Ronald Ehrenberg, a professor at Cornell University, knew that his trip to the state Capitol today would likely be futile.

But he waited with the six other nominees to state boards in the state Senate gallery hoping that the warring senators might just decide to end their nearly three-week squabble and nominate him to the board of trustees at the state University of New York.

It didn't happen. The best he got was an apology from senators.

"It's one of great sadness," Ehrenberg responded when asked about the Senate gridlock. "I want to get to work."

Senators held another unsuccessful session today afternoon as the sides vowed to continue talks through the weekend to end the leadership standoff that has put Ehrenberg's confirmation and a host of other issues on hold.

The Senate is deadlocked 31-31 after a June 8 coup by Republicans and two Democrats overthrew the Democratic majority.

Without a majority, the sides can't establish a quorum and vote on bills. Gov. David Paterson has used his constitutional power to call special sessions of the Senate every day since Tuesday, hoping that keeping senators in Albany will get them to an agreement.

But it has yet to work. The sides Saturday separately gaveled in and out of session within minutes. Paterson has warned that critical pieces of legislation, like a low-cost energy program for businesses, will expire Tuesday without Senate action.

He called another special session for Sunday evening.

"It has now been 19 days since Senators last did the legislative work that their constituents sent them to Albany to do," Paterson said in a statement. Yesterday, he sued the Senate in an attempt to get them back to work and is planning to withhold their daily stipends.

"With everyday that goes by, they give the public another excuse why they can not do this work. They have spent more time thinking of excuses than doing the people's business," he said.

Read more about this story tomorrow in The Journal News.

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