ALBANY - As lawmakers and the governor continue to disagree on ethics reform and the Senate prepares to discipline one of its own, the governor is fighting for his political life amid rumors of a pending news story that could be damaging.

The Assembly did an override this afternoon of the governor's veto of an ethics-reform bill. It was unclear whether the Senate would be able to follow suit because Republicans have said they would oppose an override even though they voted for the bill originally. Two-thirds of the chamber - or 42 members - would have to vote yes for an override to succeed.

Paterson vetoed the ethics legislation last week, saying it didn't do enough to turn around Albany. The governor had proposed his own ethics-reform bill to reduce political campaign contributions allowed and create an independent committee to oversee the legislative and executive branches, but the Democrat-led Senate and Assembly passed their own version.

The governor over the weekend proposed a "compromise" bill to step up enforcement of campaign-finance laws, change oversight over the legislative and executive branches, and reduce the maximum amount of political donations allowed, he said.

"Last month, I introduced the most significant and sweeping ethics reform package in decades," he said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the Legislature acted on its own bill - a bill that did not go far enough to address the underlying issues that have caused the public to lose their faith in government."

The governor said "numerous attempts" at negotiating with the Legislature had been "met with resistance."

The governor's bill includes suggestions made by the Senate Republican majority, he said.

Lawmakers' bill would create three boards - one to oversee the Legislature, one for the executive branch and one for lobbying activities. The Legislative Ethics Commission and the state Commission on Public Integrity would be scrapped.

The governor has pushed for having one independent board to oversee lobbying laws and the Legislature.

Marissa Shorenstein, a Paterson spokeswoman, said the secretary to the governor has asked for a meeting on the ethics bill with senior staff for Paterson and the majority and minority parties in the Legislature at 5:30 p.m. The governor's office has not yet received a response, she said.

Meanwhile, the governor's office continued to deny rumors today that Paterson could be forced to resign as a result of rumored scandals that could be a part of a story the New York Times is working on.

"Rumors of resignation and scandal are just that -- rumors. The governor has not engaged in any inappropriate or illegal behavior and suggestions to the contrary are entirely false and deeply irresponsible," Shorenstein said.

"This is a new low even by the standards of Planet Albany. Governor Paterson is the governor today, he will be the governor tomorrow and he will win reelection this fall," she said.

Also today, Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr. announced legislation today that would require immediate expulsion for any lawmaker convicted of certain "egregious" Class A misdemeanors. They include third-degree assault; sexual misconduct; second-degree sexual abuse; fifth-degree arson; second-degree aggravated harassment involving physical contact; endangering the welfare of a child; and endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person.

The first question asked of Espada was whether it would apply to Sen. Hiram Monserrate, D-Queens, who was convicted of misdemeanor assault on his girlfriend. The answer was no.

Senators are considering a vote to expel or censure Monserrate and are expected to act tomorrow.

Monserrate, who was not convicted on felony charges, has said he would fight a vote by the Senate to expel him. The assault on his girlfriend took place in December 2008 - after he was elected as a freshman senator but before he took the oath of office.

Espada, a member of an informal Senate group the "amigos" with Monserrate and others, said he does not plan to vote for expulsion. He said he had not seen a resolution to censure his colleague, and he would have to see how one was worded before deciding how to act.