Fight Brewing Over Ravitch
Monday, Jul 20, 2009 | Updated 10:20 AM EST
WNBC
Former MTA man Richard Ravitch has a long ride ahead of him.
Lawyers for Gov. David Paterson are due back in court to defend last week's appointment of Richard Ravitch as New York's lieutenant governor.
The appointment was a bid to break a leadership deadlock in the state Senate.
The move appeared to succeed. Rebel Democratic Sen. Pedro Espada dropped a month-long affiliation with Senate Republicans and returned to his party.
That ended a month-long stalemate in the statehouse. But it set off the court fight over Ravitch's appointment.
A Senate attorney contends the appointment of Ravitch is unconstitutional. Paterson's lawyer says the governor is within his rights.
A hearing is scheduled Wednesday afternoon in Nassau County, home to Republican Dean Skelos, the Senate minority leader.
