Casual Friday For NY Senate: Judge Refuses To Resolve Dispute

A complete week of absolutely no work done in the NY Senate and the judge says "work it out amongst yourselves."

A state Supreme Court judge in Albany told both sides in the battle over the state Senate to spend the weekend looking for a resolution to the question of control of the contested chamber. If they fail, both sides will be back in court on Monday. If the politicians remain at an impasse, Justice Thomas McNamara said he would rule on the matter well before a Senate session tentatively scheduled for 3 p.m. McNamara told the attorneys -- in court and privately -- of the need to work things out away from the courtroom. "There are three coequal branches of government," the judge said from the bench. "We have our job, the Senate has their job and the governor's office has their job. The courts certainly do, on occasions that are appropriate, venture into other areas -- but there is a reluctance to do that. And it would be in everyone's best interests if the Senate over the weekend got together and with calmer heads resolved that among yourselves."

Both sides refused to say whether they'd heed the judge's advice. Like some of you, I suspect that Gov. Paterson will have to call a special emergency session once this is over. The NY Senate just fucked over their summer vacation.