Politics on the Hudson

The anger over Gov. David Paterson’s handling of the special session is growing among Senate Democrats.

Three of them, Sens. Hiram Monserrate, Carl Kruger and Eric Adams, hand delivered bills the Senate Democrats passed Tuesday and urged Paterson to sign them. They argued that if Paterson thinks Tuesday’s session was legal, he should sign the bills.

“We are calling on him to put his pen where his mouth is,” said Monserrate, who led the June 8 coup and now is back with the Democrats, creating the 31-31 stalemate. He has also been indicted for slashing his girlfriend in the face.

The senators ripped Paterson for calling just the Senate into session and not the Assembly, saying not doing so is illegal and none of the bills that they pass would be legal.

That seems to be the position of the entire Senate, which is planning to go into session at 3 p.m. Senators said they don’t expect much to happen in session because they contend that they can’t pass bills unless the Assembly is also called into special session.

Sen. Pedro Espada, D-Bronx, who is the Senate president of the new majority, said there won’t be dueling sessions like there was Tuesday. He said the sides are working on a resolution.

“You will not have that to report on anymore,” Espada said of Tuesday’s chaotic session. “Those dueling (sessions), that horrific sight will not reoccur.”