NY state Senate in "diabolical" leadership spat: Governor

By Joan Gralla

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York's legislative session may have to be extended due to a "diabolical situation" that has Democrats and Republicans both claiming to lead the state Senate, Governor David Paterson said on Wednesday.

Lawmakers were due to adjourn in less than two weeks but many issues, from gay marriage to the state's property tax relief plan, are all hanging in the balance due to the political impasse, the Democrat told Albany reporters.

Paterson urged the Senate to hold another leadership vote or get the courts to settle the matter.

The Senate Democrats said they will ask a court to stop the GOP from putting their "purported coup" into effect, which could further delay the resolution of many pending issues.

The Democrats in January named their first Senate majority leader in four decades after gaining a majority in November's elections. But on Monday, two dissident Democrats said they would conference with the Republicans and helped re-elect former Republican Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos to run the chamber.

A spokesman for Democratic Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith said the GOP coup had broken Senate rules and state law by usurping a public officer, Smith. In a statement, he said Smith vowed not to re-enter the chamber "to be governed by unlawful rules."

Smith ruled the chamber by a 32 to 30 majority until he lost two members of his conference. "We plan to file an action for a temporary injunction to enjoin the Republicans from illegitimately usurping authority from the people of New York," his spokesman added.

Senate Democrats have locked the chamber, and Paterson said he would not force the doors open because that would interfere in the "elective process."