SPRINGFIELD - Gov. Rod Blagojevich continued a lengthy summer conflict among top Illinois Democrats by suing House Speaker Michael Madigan over the governor's power to force lawmakers to convene in Springfield.

Blagojevich has asked legal confirmation of his constitutional authority to tell House and Senate lawmakers that they have to meet.

The move comes as many lawmakers ignored similar calls by Blagojevich during the state budget impasse this year that pushed past its May deadline and into the summer months.

Some weekend days, fewer than half the General Assembly's lawmakers would show to session in Springfield, despite Blagojevich's official proclamations that they do so. The suit uses Aug. 12 as an example, when just six of the House's 118 members were present.

The lawsuit, which was filed last week without fanfare, claims Madigan was "eradicating the governor's constitutional and statutory powers" by making light of his proclamations.

"The governor possesses the constitutional and statutory authority to call lawmakers in to special session and it is imperative that this authority is preserved and honored," Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said Monday.

Blagojevich and Madigan, both Chicago Democrats, often clashed over state budget matters this summer.

Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, has aligned himself with Blagojevich and is not named in the lawsuit, despite sometimes spotty attendance from senators.

Last week, Blagojevich dealt Madigan and other House Democrats a blow by cutting millions of dollars worth of their pet projects from the state budget, all while leaving House Republicans' projects alone.

Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said Monday that they'll file a motion to dismiss the lawsuit soon. He called it a "farce."

"There's no real basis for it," Brown said.

Rank-and-file lawmakers from both parties reported being surprised to hear of the lawsuit, saying they'd never heard of anything like it.

State Rep. Mike Boland, D-East Moline, said the move continues to put state leaders at odds and stalls any real progress.

"It's just unnecessary," he said. "We've got to get away from this."

State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, agreed.

"Turning to the courts is, I believe, not working together and compromising," he said.

Rausch said lawmakers still have work to do, even though they left Springfield earlier this month after approving a budget. She said Blagojevich wants a judge to clarify his authority in case he wants to call future special sessions.

Brown said lawmakers could reconvene in Springfield sometime in the near future to tackle issues with the mass transportation system in the Chicago area, as well as voting on legislation Blagojevich has vetoed.