ALBANY — Gov. Paterson won a major victory yesterday in his effort to force feuding state senators back to work, when a judge ruled that all 62 lawmakers must report to the chamber at the same time.
For days, the two factions vying for control of the Senate have thwarted the governor’s special-session calls by convening separately in the chamber — first Democrats, then Republicans — and leaving without conducting any business.
But, in a blistering ruling issued from the bench yesterday, Supreme Court Justice Joseph Teresi in Albany called the strategy “a fiction.”
“It’s an illusion that these elected officials are working as one elected group that is the New York state Senate,” Teresi said. “I will not be part of that fiction.”
The judge dismissed arguments by both Republicans and Democrats that it would overstep his authority to allow Paterson to dictate to the Senate how it should meet.
“Take the high road, do the right thing,” he urged the senators, or be judged “rude, inconsiderate and egotistical” by all New Yorkers.
Teresi ordered the Senate to convene at 10 a.m. today.
Paterson hailed the ruling, which could give him the power to order state troopers to escort lawmakers into the chamber if they fail to comply.
“With today’s Supreme Court decision, we confirm that at least two branches of government are working in Albany,” Paterson said.
The ruling came hours after Democrats cut off negotiations with Republicans and challenged their GOP rivals to share the podium this afternoon to pass a series of time-sensitive bills.