Albany, NY – Assemblymembers Storm Governor’s Office

Albany, NY – The budget stalemate in Albany now has members of the Governor’s own party calling on him to step-up.

A number of Assemblymembers have staged a”sit-in” in the Capitol’s Red Room in order to make a statement about what they are calling a lack of leadership on budget talks.

A group of legislators had been joined by Dan Weiller, the spokesman for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, and walked to the second floor, where they were allowed into the Red Room by members of Governor David Paterson’s security detail. Members of the press were not allowed inside.

Several members of the New York State Assembly were said to be taking part in the statement, including RoAnn Destito, Mike Spano, Jack McEneny, Brian Kavanaugh, Gary Pretlow, Steve Englebright, Michelle Schimel, Tim Gordon, and more.

Englebright told the press that the action was intended to send a message to Governor David Paterson that it was time for him to take leadership in the now-stalled budget process.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver had allegedly not been informed of his members’ decision for the impromptu visit.

But Gov. Paterson came out a few minutes ago and spoke to the reporters outside his office.

He said he was on his way to speak to the 18 Assembly members who were camped out inside. He rejected their criticism and seemed annoyed by their actions, calling it “some kind of ploy.”

“What I find astonishing [is] they’re asking me questions that I thought they’d be directing to the Speaker,” he said, referring to the Assembly’s leader, Sheldon Silver. “So I’ll do my best to try to talk to them or relay any of their concerns back to the speaker, since they seem to have this communication problem.”

Paterson said he was on his way in to speak to them, but wanted to talk to the press first:

“I understand they’ve been blogging all of you while they were in there, so I thought I would cut out the middleman and come talk to you myself.”

When asked if the protest helped get a budget, he said: “I don’t know what helps and what doesn’t help around here, but it certainly helps to brighten up the day.”

The governor rejected the legislators’ criticism that he is not engaged:

“I’ve returned every phone call that every legislator has made to my office, absolutely have. This is some kind of a ploy. I don’t know where it is coming from or why. I have been trying to have public leaders meetings every week…If this is going to be the way they are going to act I am not going to carry their water for them anymore. We know who doesn’t want to have meetings around here.”

“The budget is at a standstill, and we have to take some form of direct action,” said a statement from Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, who was joined by Westchester Assemblymembers Sandy Galef, Gary Pretlow and Spano.

**UPDATE**
After about an hour with the governor, 27 Assembly members and the governor emerged from Gov. David Paterson’s quarters and suggested they were friends again.

Smiling and gathered together, the group allowed the governor to address the media: “We moved the ball forward considerably today,” Paterson said. However no one could say how specifically, although Paterson said it was good to meet and talk. “Unfortunately we are all going to have to make decisions that are not in our best political interest.”

“The meeting was cordial. We exchanged some ideas. It will help with the process ,” said Assemblyman John McEneny, D-Albany, who spoke for those who spent time with the governor in the unscheduled meeting. “We believe this is a positive step toward the goal we are all seeking.”

He said he intended to report to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver privately.