With no deal in Albany to end the stalemate in the New York State Senate, Governor David Paterson put more pressure on lawmakers to work out a bipartisan deal and return to session.

Leaders from both sides met with Paterson today, as legislation piles up and the summer recess moves closer.

Democrats are refusing to report to session without their leader, State Senator Malcolm Smith, calling for it.

“The governor, we went over some options, and at this point in time, we’re just going to talk to our conference and our colleagues to see if we can work something out,” said Democratic State Senator John Sampson, the conference’s leader.

Republicans said Democrats need to accept the GOP’s majority in the chamber, and the new rules that come with the power grab.

“We’re going to show them how these rules, changes bring true power sharing and equality of resources for all members,” said Republican State Senator Dean Skelos, the GOP’s proclaimed majority leader.

The leadership deadlock resulted from a coup last Monday, when State Senators Pedro Espada Jr. and Hiram Monserrate voted to side with Republicans and oust Malcolm Smith as majority leader. Monserrate returned to the Democratic fold earlier this week after he could not find more Democrats to join the new coalition, bringing the current power balance to 31-31.

Republicans reported to the chamber for a second-straight day yesterday; without any Democrats joining them, they did not have a quorum, and were forced to adjourn.

Meanwhile, Espada says he’s being unfairly targeted by the Bronx district attorney.

Espada is being investigated by the Bronx D.A. about earmarks he’s received. The D.A. is also looking into whether Espada’s primary home is in his Bronx district.

In an interview on NY1 political program “Road to City Hall,” Smith says Espada requested $2 million in earmarks from Senate Democrats to fund two groups linked to his health clinic chain, the Soundview Healthcare Network.

“There were two organizations he had basically had formulated and was trying to put the money in that direction,” said the state senator. “Whether or not he was going to spread amongst other organization thereafter, I don’t know. I only can tell you what we received, what the secretary of the Senate received, and we made a judgment based on that.”

But Espada is firing back. He says the Bronx district attorney has subpoenaed his Senate records dating back to 1993, but he already has those records, from a lawsuit a jury threw out in 2000. Espada says the subpoenas are politically motivated, and he’s asking the state inspector general to get involved. However, the inspector general’s office says it has no jurisdiction over district attorneys.

District Attorney Robert Johnson’s office says it has no comment on the issue.

Source: NY1