Albany has had its share of problems recently. Here comes another one…

June 9 (Bloomberg) — Republicans reclaimed control of the New York state Senate with help from two Democrats, who rebelled against a $131.8 billion budget they said was negotiated in secret.

Pedro Espada from the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate from Queens sided with 30 Republicans on key votes to change the Senate’s leadership. Democrats immediately challenged the claim and described the action as illegal. Governor David Paterson called it “despicable.”

The GOP got 2 Democrats (and one Independent) to join with them on a vote to give the Republicans control of the Senate. The balance of power is now 32-30.

The Democrats reacted by… throwing a temper tantrum:

During the coup, Democrats fled the chamber, turned out the lights, and cut off the Internet feed of chamber proceedings, leaving Republicans and their two Democratic friends to take the vote in the dark.

There are only two weeks left in the legislative session, so this throws a real wrench into things. But not in the mind of the Democrats. According to them, they are still in power.

“Let’s just be real clear. The Senate Democrats are still in the majority. Senator Malcolm Smith is still the majority leader,” Smith said.

Governor David Patterson (who, you’ll remember, replaced Client No. 9 Eliot Spitzer several months ago) chimes in:

“I should be standing here talking to you about the issues that the people need Albany to address. Once again Albany’s dysfunction has raised its ugly head,” Paterson said. “I came here today to stand up for everyone in this state who still believes in a democracy — that there are perimeters in which we govern, that Albany can be more than the dysfunctional wreck it has become over the years. And I don’t care if the only one standing, but someone has got to stand up and say that this is wrong.

Dysfunction, indeed. Say, Mr. Patterson… didn’t you have to preemptively clear some skeletons out of your closet when you ascended to the governorship? Thanks for the lecture anyway.