ALBANY - Gov. David Paterson said Friday he's withholding the pork-barrel grants senators are used to doling out, punishing them for failing for a fourth straight day to get to work as he ordered.

With evenly divided factions disputing majority control of the chamber, senators met again in two separate consecutive sessions, the first attended by most of the Democrats on one side, the second by most of the Republicans on the other. Neither passed legislation.

In the only action, the Democrats held a moment of silence for Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. The Republican-led coalition did not. Both met and adjourned within minutes.

“Today, New Yorkers went to work. They clocked in, and they didn't clock out, despite the fact that it's summer, despite the fact that it's Friday, despite the fact that tomorrow's the weekend,” Paterson said. “The New York State Senate went to work, but they clocked in and clocked right back out.”

Paterson has ordered them back for sessions Saturday and Sunday, noting some critical financial measures on bonding, taxes and mayoral control of New York City schools need to be enacted by Tuesday.

Senators have criticized Paterson for forcing them to meet, saying his method was questionable under the state constitution. Still, most of the 62 senators showed up.

Paterson said neither groups constituted a quorum.

“So, they have technically not even gone into session. We're going to court to seek redress,” the governor said.

Late Friday, a state Supreme Court justice in Albany ordered the factions to persuade him Monday why they shouldn't be forced to meet together in the extraordinary session called by Paterson.

At stake in Paterson's latest move are some $85 million in member items, the money individual senators hand out in their communities.

Historically, the majority controls virtually all that pork. Its distribution was set for a vote June 8, when the coup was launched with the help of Sen. Pedro Espada, who appeared to be facing the loss of $2 million in grants after Democratic staff questioned recipients' possible ties to Bronx health clinics founded by Espada.

“The member item process is over,” Paterson said. Reminded that the Senate had not yet authorized the grants, Paterson said, “Well, they won't now.”

Meanwhile, a state judge adjourned to Monday a lawsuit filed by the group of Republicans and one dissident Democrat - Espada - who claim they took majority control of the chamber June 8. They want the court to order full access to Senate services still controlled by an official appointed by Democrats.

Negotiations on a power-sharing deal continued on Friday.

“We are making progress,” Espada, the Bronx Democrat chosen by the coalition as its Senate president, said Friday. “We're discussing June 8 and what happened and how to create an environment in which 62 senators can come back to the chambers.”

Justice Thomas McNamara, who has refused to intervene, and lawyers for both factions said those talks were the focus now. Lawyers for the Democrats agreed to provide the Senate journal and documents covering the takeover bid. They dispute the validity of the 32-30 vote that day by the alliance of Republicans and two dissident Democrats.

The alliance included Sen. Hiram Monserrate, who has since rejoined the Democrats, creating a 31-31 deadlock.

AP-ES-06-26-09 1823EDT