NCPR News Staff: Karen DeWitt
Capitol Correspondent

The New York State Comptroller, at the urging of Governor Paterson, agreed to withhold the pay of state Senators locked in a nearly month long stalemate over control of the chamber. Karen DeWitt reports.

State Senators prepared to spend the 4th of July weekend at the Capitol. They're under orders from Governor David Paterson to settle a stalemate that's gone on for nearly a month. Correspondent Karen DeWitt looks at the roots of what led to this unprecedented stalemate.

The two warring factions in the state Senate continued making their cases Wednesday, one day after a number of key laws expired. But neither side came closer to an agreement to end the gridlock. Karen DeWitt reports.

No sign of a power sharing agreement in the state Senate. Governor Paterson says Senators would have the July 4th weekend in Albany to resolve their dispute. Karen DeWitt reports.

It was a day of one upmanship and parliamentary maneuvers between the two warring factions in the Senate. Democrats claimed a quorum and the Senate acted on several key bills, but Republicans cried foul. Karen DeWitt reports.

Governor Paterson has taken a hard line against intransigent state Senators who haven't passed any legislation since their chamber became evenly split June 8th. As Karen DeWitt reports, the Governor's tough talk may be just what he needs to regain his standing among New Yorkers.

Senators were headed toward a June 30th deadline for the expiration of several key pieces of legislation, with no end in sight to the gridlock that's plagued the Senate for more than three weeks. Governor David Paterson got some support from a state Supreme Court Judge, who ordered that all 62 Senators must be in the Senate chamber at 10 am Tuesday. Republicans have already filed an appeal. Karen DeWitt reports.

The gridlock in the state Senate started to ease yesterday. Feuding factions began talks on power sharing. And both sides united on one topic: they believe the Governor's special sessions are unconstitutional. Senators refused to consider any bills but Paterson ordered them to return today. Karen DeWitt reports.

State senators from both parties say they'll hold a joint session at 3 today. It would be the first full session since all 30 Republicans were joined by two dissident Democrats to overthrow the Democratic majority June 8. The announcement last night came after an angry Gov. David Paterson threatened to call in state troopers to bring senators to the chamber today.
After Tuesday's chaotic dueling sessions in the Senate chamber, Senators on both sides of the feud had decided not to hold a special session at all yesterday. Karen DeWitt reports.

Governor Paterson's attempts to force a meeting of the state Senate degenerated into confusion and chaos. The warring factions held dueling sessions in the Senate chamber. Senators passed numerous bills but the Governor's lawyers questioned the legality of the proceedings. Karen DeWitt reports.