ALBANY — The state Senate yesterday went from clown college to theater of the absurd.
Gov. Paterson’s efforts to break its circus-like 31-31 deadlock collapsed as bickering senators refused to acknowledge each other through dueling sessions and Democrats accused their own governor of bungling the call to action.
Paterson dubbed the whole affair — in which both sides claimed they had passed bills, although neither had a majority of votes — “a dereliction of duty” and promised to keep lawmakers in Albany until they settle their historic three-week leadership fight.
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Unexpectedly, he called for a second special session today that would include his controversial proposal to legalize gay marriage.
“What I’ve seen in the last two weeks in the Senate disgusts me,” Paterson said. “I feel they should be punished for what they’ve done. The conduct today was farcical.”
Paterson blasted claims by fellow Democrats that his failure to deliver bills to the chamber with enough time to make copies for all 62 senators prevented them from acting.
“There is really no more tolerance for these excuses, these games and these mischaracterizations of the truth,” Paterson said.
Paterson received a harsh rebuke from Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. (D-Bronx), who accused the governor of “wasting the taxpayers’ money and people’s time” by not providing the bills in time for the session.
Later, Diaz and another Democrat, Sen. Carl Kruger of Brooklyn, briefly met with Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos of Long Island — fueling speculation they might defect and break the gridlock.
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Diaz would not say what the meeting was about, only revealing that he planned something “big” today.
Last night, Democratic sources said they believed that any bills passed in special session without the Assembly sitting might be illegal. Therefore, while they may convene today to comply with the governor’s order, they might leave without acting bills.
The bitter remarks followed hours of bizarre political theatrics after negotiations broke down between the two Senate factions.
The antics began at around 12:30 p.m., when the Democrats secretly filed into the darkened Senate chamber and put Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers), on the rostrum.
The move appeared to outflank Republicans, who had called their own session at 2 p.m. to give them control of the chamber in advance of the 3 p.m. special session called by Paterson to force lawmakers into the chamber.
But Republicans strode into the chamber and proceeded to “pass” 85 pieces of legislation — many of them vital local bills — that had collected on the agenda since Democrats began their boycott following the June 8 GOP coup.
Sen. George Winner (R-Elmira) presided over the session from the Senate floor after a sergeant-at-arms, who still answers to the Democrats, blocked him from the rostrum.
Senators, staff and members of the public sat stunned — some audibly chuckling — as Winner declared each bill passed without objection.
The action became heated after Stewart-Cousins gaveled in to begin the special session and Winner attempted to simultaneously preside.
At times, several senators spoke over each other and were acknowledged and declared out of order at the same time.
“Don’t you dare tell me I’m out of order!” shouted Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson (D-Bronx) at Winner. “You’re out of order!”