ALBANY – The Senate stalemate is approaching one month old, with apparently any hope for a breakthrough dashed.  The Senate convened Sunday, as it had every day, through the holiday weekend.

The Sunday session lasted three minutes.

Officially, the senate is in a 31-31 deadlock. 

The standoff began June 8, in what amounted to a coup of sorts.  Two Democrats crossed the line and began caucusing with the Republicans, giving them brief and fleeting control of the upper chamber.  One of the two renegades then defected back to the Democrats, creating the stalemate which has endured, despite court orders, appeals from Gov. David Paterson, who has been calling the ‘extraordinary sessions’, and even Comptroller Thomas Dinapoli, who has threatened to withhold paychecks for all senators, because they aren’t doing anything.