Senate session never happened
Story Created:
Jun 10, 2009 at 3:42 PM EST
Story Updated:
Jun 10, 2009 at 5:07 PM EST
ALBANY, N.Y. (WKTV) - It may be difficult for state legislators to debate all those bills waiting to be signed into law by the end of the legislative session in less than two weeks....because they can't seem to find a place--or a way--to hold session.
The session scheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday never happened. Senate democrats locked the doors, refusing to enter and be governed by what they call unlawful rules.
Senator Pedro Espada, one of two democrat senators who touched off Monday's mid-session coup by aligning with senate republicans, claimed to have a key to the chamber. If he did, he never used it; the session never happened.
Now, the session is scheduled for tomorrow. In the meantime, republican coalition leaders say they're courting ten more democrats they're hoping will join them. Democratic Majority Leader Malcom Smith, who stands to lose that title if this coup holds, says democrats will seek an action for a temporary injunction trying to keep senate republicans from succeeding at what some call an illegal power grab.
Governor David Paterson says he's reluctant to intervene, and is pleading with the lawmakers to act like adults.
"I'm not going to interfere in what goes on in the legislative branch; I'm not going to go knock down the doors of the senate and open them up; if I open them up, it would be interfering with the process. They have to work this out, they were elected by the people; they have to work this out."
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