http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/06/23/2009-06-23_capitol_gone_crazy_albany_democrats_lock_themselves_in_senate_chamber.html

I can’t resist copying stuff from the link….
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Albany dysfunction hit an amazing new low Tuesday as warring senators held dueling sessions in the same room at the same time – and still managed to accomplish nothing.

Earlier in the day, Democrats locked themselves in the Senate chamber and then blocked Republicans from climbing the rostrum. The GOP responded by calling the session to order from the floor.

When Democrats refused to participate, the Republicans declared every bill passed 62-0.

Things got even weirder when it became time to start a special session called by Gov. Paterson to deal with serious issues like mayoral control over the schools and authorization for the city to hike its sales tax.

In a bizarre scene even by Albany standards, two senators claimed to be the chamber’s presiding officer and two claimed to be controlling floor operations.

Each side conducted business over the other one, claiming to the party in charge. In the end, the Democrats recessed until later in the day so the bills Paterson sent could be copied.

The Republicans adjourned altogether – saying they won’t return unless Paterson calls another special session. “To call it a circus is an insult to the circus,” said longtime government reform advocate Blair Horner, of New York Public Interest Research Group.

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Paterson – who ordered the special session in an attempt to break the stalemate that has made the legislature a laughingstock – fumed about the circus atmosphere. “It’s a dereliction of duty…They’ve got to get back to doing the people’s business,” Paterson told reporters.
Paterson said the Senate would not go home until it votes on key issues.
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