Karen DeWitt

New York, NY —

The warring sides in the fight for control of the state Senate met behind closed doors with Governor David Paterson - and came out smiling. There's still no resolution to their leadership dispute, but as Karen DeWitt reports, senators don't seem to mind spending the ...

New York, NY —

New York State Senators are looking at a holiday weekend in Albany. Governor Paterson has called a special session every day through Monday.

Meanwhile, he's trying to mediate between the two sides of the Senate stalemate. Paterson met privately with both GOP and Democratic leaders yesterday, ...

New York, NY —

The divided New York State Senate remains firmly split, and Governor Paterson is making good on his promise to keep the feuding senators in the Capitol until they can get along. Karen DeWitt reports from Albany.

REPORTER: Democrats continued to claim that votes on over 100 ...

New York, NY —

State Senators adjourned special session number 10 today, without acting on any bills governor David Paterson requested and they're now prepared to spend the holiday weekend in Albany. Karen DeWitt reports.

It was another day of gridlock in the state Senate. The two feuding factions who ...

New York, NY —

On a day when a number of key laws were to expire, New York State Senators refused to consider bills at two special sessions called by the governor. At the end of the day, one faction was claiming that several bills had been approved, while ...

New York, NY —

The third time was not the charm for Governor Paterson in calling another special session of the state Senate. Lawmakers showed up, but as Karen DeWitt reports, they made no progress on any of the governor's bills.

REPORTER: The two warring sides each agreed that they ...

New York, NY —

Governor Paterson has called another special session of the state Senate today after yesterday's session ended in confusion. Karen DeWitt has more from Albany.

REPORTER: The Democrats and the Republican dominated coalition shouted over one another as each claimed that they had the right to conduct ...

New York, NY —

Governor Paterson has ordered the state senate to convene a special session at three o'clock today, as the chamber enters the third week of its leadership dispute. Karen DeWitt has more from Albany.

New York, NY —

Governor Paterson says he’s giving state senators until the close of business today to settle their differences in the leadership dispute that’s paralyzed that chamber for weeks. He says he'll order all of them to the chamber tomorrow, and present a list of bills that ...

New York, NY —

The New York State Senate remains at a standstill, with no agreement on who controls the chamber and an even split between Democrats and Republicans. But Bronx state senator Pedro Espada says his new title of president pro tem gives him an extra vote. Karen ...

New York, NY —

Despite a judge's ruling, the State Senate remains gridlocked, with the factions still evenly divided. Karen DeWitt reports from Albany.

REPORTER: A judge dismissed the complaint made by Democrats in the Senate that the Republican-dominated coup that occurred June 8 is illegal, and said senators would ...

New York, NY —

Later this morning, the dispute over who controls the New York State Senate returns to a courtroom. Democrats and Republicans failed to sort it out after a closed-door meeting last night. Karen DeWitt has more from Albany.

REPORTER: The state supreme court judge pulled into the ...

New York, NY —

In Albany, it's still unclear who's in control. Lawmakers continue to await a court decision on whether last week's Republican takeover of the senate chamber was legal. Today, Queens senator Hiram Monserrate switched his allegiance back to fellow Democrats, making an even 31 to 31 ...

New York, NY —

With senate leadership in dispute, chaos continued to reign in Albany yesterday. Reporter Karen DeWitt was outside the locked senate chamber when dissident Democrat Senator Pedro Espada spoke.

REPORTER: The 30 Republicans plus two Democrats had announced that they would reconvene at 3 PM. But 3 ...

New York, NY —

The political standoff continues at the State Capitol where New York Senate Republicans, joined by two Democrats say they're now in charge while Senate Democrats, led by Malcolm Smith, say they still control the chamber. Karen DeWitt has the latest from Albany.

REPORTER: Senator Pedro Espada, ...

New York, NY —

The chaos on the New York State Senate floor started just after three o'clock yesterday afternoon, when Senator Tom Libous introduced a motion to reorganize the leadership of the State Senate wrenching control back from Democrats who had taken a slim two-vote majority in November's ...

New York, NY —

The state Senate has introduced a comprehensive ethics reform bill. It would also require the part-time legislators to disclose more details about their other jobs. Karen DeWitt has more from Albany.

New York, NY —

A federal judge has thrown out New York's recently expanded bottle deposit law that was supposed to take effect yesterday. Karen DeWitt has more from Albany.

REPORTER: The water bottlers had complained that they did not have enough time before the June 1 start date to ...

New York, NY —

Governor Paterson says if New York lawmakers continue to reject his call for a spending cap, he’ll block additional spending himself, by vetoing any bills that he thinks cost too much money. Karen DeWitt has more.

New York, NY —

For the first time, New York's inspector general is commenting on his scathing report that found the director of the state ethics commission acted illegally in the Troopergate scandal. Inspector General Joseph Fisch told a Senate committee yesterday that the entire panel should step down. ...