More Paterson Revalations And The Accidental Lieutenant

Last week  in my post I said that “if Paterson as well as his State Police protection intimated a victim of domestic violence, I think impeachment needs to be used in this situation if he will not resign.”  Today we are getting more and more indication that Paterson used state resources to engage in what may well be obstruction of justice. It is important to note, as the Times does, that “the governor’s state of knowledge about the alleged assault and personal involvement in the administration’s handling of it have remained murky.” Either way though, Paterson spoke with the woman, and now at least four state employees spoke directly with her about the case, some of them under Paterson’s direct “orders.”

You can see the The New York Post’s reporting here.

The Daily News is reporting that Paterson might be a little distant from the reality of the circumstance:

In Gov. Paterson’s world, he’s the victim.

In his first comments since pulling the plug last Friday on his election bid, Paterson insisted “there is a hysteria that I’ve been a victim of.”

In reality, Paterson and the state police are under investigation for contacting a woman who accused his top aide, David Johnson, of slapping her around last Halloween.

This seems about the time that we should ask: who is Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch? Read more

Paterson Will Not Run for Reelection

After yesterday’s story that Governor Paterson intervened in a domestic violence case involving one of his aides, The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza is reporting that:

Embattled New York Gov. David Paterson (D) will not seek re-election this fall, a bow to the inevitable given his low poll numbers and a recent controversy surrounding one of his top aides.

“It’s done,” state Senator Bill Perkins told the Post’s Jason Horowitz. “The governor is not going to be running for reelection.”

The Daily News is also reporting that he will not resign, but will not run. The formal announcement is expected this afternoon.

Paterson Intervenes in Domestic Violence Case

Update: I stand by  my comment about how serious the issues are if the story’s implications are correct, but the NYTPicker does a good job of pointing out some of the questions marks left open by the story and the changes that were made between web and print editions. Hat tip to Andrew.

The New York Times is reporting that last fall a woman who had repeatedly pressed her case of domestic violence involving David Johnson, an aide to the governor, backed down after a call from Paterson.

The unidentified woman claims Johnson violently assaulted her. She went to court three times seeking protection from him. She twice complained that the State Police harassed her and that they had demanded she drop the case. Paterson then called her, or she called Paterson, depending on whose account you believe, and the day following that conversation she failed to show up for a hearing and the Court dismissed the case. Her lawyer admits the case was never mentioned directly in her phone call with the Governor, although I am not sure why that matters. The Governor offered his “assistance” or whatever in a case involving one of his closest aides; I am sure she got the message.

Just to be clear on the assault, the woman reportedly told police Johnson “choked her, stripped her of much of her clothing, smashed her against a mirrored dresser and [took] two telephones from her to prevent her from calling for help.”

Yesterday, Paterson suspended Johnson without pay and asked Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to investigate whether state police tried to “improperly influence” the woman, according to the Daily News.

This seems like the most serious charge that the Times has been able to levy against Paterson. As Chas wrote earlier, the Times ran two articles on Paterson last week, one on Johnson’s quick rise to power and the second on Paterson’s relative inability to govern. This final story, though, ties it all together in a tragic way. The aide that has risen so quickly was likely “brutally assaulting” his girlfriend, and then the Governor and his State Police intervened to intimidate the woman.

Ben Smith, of the The Politico, speculates that the case “appears likely to end the governor’s tottering political career.” If the Governor had just had his staff intervene in a domestic violence dispute then that would be enough for me to think he should resign; however, he went even beyond that, he called the woman himself to intimate her. In fact, resignation might not be enough, as the actions might constitute criminal intimidation of a witness. Paterson seems to agree with me, as the Times points out:

Mr. Paterson, who has championed the cause of battered women, [] made extended remarks on the case of Hiram Monserrate, the former state senator who was convicted of misdemeanor assault against his companion and ousted from the Legislature. Mr. Paterson said he was offended that while the woman had been granted an order of protection against Mr. Monserrate, the senator’s aides had continued to have contact with her and assist her.

“The order of protection is designed to allow for independence of the victim,” he said. “This victim apparently had no independence.”

He said the conduct of the aides warranted a criminal investigation, perhaps for witness intimidation.

The State Senate did the right thing when they tossed out Monserrate. Domestic violence is not a trivial problem—it deserves punishment. Intimidation is the tool used to prevent women from seeking the rights they should have. If the story is true, he likely should be prosecuted. I am not sure if that will happen, but I suggest reading the Times article in full so you can see how awful the accusations are, and then ask yourself whether Paterson should really be our governor until January 1. If this article is true, if Paterson as well as his State Police protection intimated a victim of domestic violence, I think impeachment needs to be used in this situation if he will not resign. I do not want to see it have to become political like that but it seems that at worst he conspired to intimate an assaulted woman for an aide of his and at best he just intimated her himself.

Paterson Denies Rumors, Interviews With The New York Times

In the last week we’ve seen all sorts of rumors surrounding the governor, including drug use and more affairs, all coming from a forthcoming “bombshell” story that might force his resignation. The rumors around the governor seem to be dying down, and it seems appropriate to note some of the recent news in response to my earlier post. I pointed to the rumors because they were dominating much of the story here in New York, but I am glad that the profile will likely contain a lot less scandal than some papers and blogs have been suggesting.

Even the NY Post is reporting on the Governor’s fervent denials. Paterson called the rumors “callous and sleazy” and said that papers (the Post obviously included) have been “stretching the bounds of journalism.”

Paterson met with the Times reporters yesterday for an hour and half. At a press conference afterward, when Paterson asked if he was asked of the more gritty rumors said “No such questions related to any of that information was asked of me at any interview.” He continued: “The article will be written about other subjects.”

Now the story itself, rather than its contents, are becoming news. Today Lawrence Schwartz, the Governor’s Chief of staff, sent a letter to Clark Hoyt, the public editor of the Times. The Public Editor is the Times’s ombudsmen. His profileon Times site describes his job: “The public editor works outside of the reporting and editing structure of the newspaper and receives and answers questions or comments from readers and the public, principally about articles published in the paper.” Schwartz’s letter says that the Times should have denied the rumors and notes that

over the last several weeks:
the New York Times has prepared a profile of a major public figure;
misinformation about the content of that profile sparked intense, false and damaging accusations directed at the profile’s subject;
the Times was aware that the rumors were untrue;
the Times admitted as much to the subject during the article’s preparation;
the Times did nothing to correct the public record; and
when the article at last appears, it will do nothing either to justify or undo the permanent reputational damage suffered by the subject.

The letter also asks that Hoyt conduct an inquiry in to the matter. In response to the letter Times spokeswoman Diane McNulty says the newspaper isn’t responsible for what other news outlets and blogs reported. That echos what Joe Sexton, The Times’s Metropolitan Editor, said Tuesday evening: “Obviously we are not responsible for what other news organizations are reporting. It’s not coming from The Times.” That seems like a cop-out to me, they might as well have said “Well, it’s not our problem and we look forward to you all buying our paper.”

One thing is known for sure: Paterson is not resigning. At yesterday’s news conference he said: “The only way I’m not going to be governor next year is at the ballot box, and the only way I’m leaving before that is in a box.”

Paterson Proposes Increasing MTA Tax for City Businesses

In a follow up to Reggie’s post on how the State often seems to have a tails I win, heads you lose attitude toward the city, Paterson is pitching a tax increase. Crain’s reports on a proposed 59% increase in NYC’s new business payroll tax to help MTA close its latest budget shortfall. This would happen at the same time that the same taxes in the suburbs would fall by 50%. Even if one could accept that idea of raising taxes on businesses in the city, the MTA is used by a massive number of commuters, why shouldn’t they bare some of the burden of the system? The mayor said the tax would be “terrible economics, grossly unfair, and contrary to every principle of good regional development” while Wiley Norvall, a spokesman for Transportation Alternatives, said, “If we keep putting all our eggs in this recession-sensitive basket, we could easily get burned yet again.” I think it is worth it to include the Mayor’s full statement:

First the Governor proposed a state budget that slashes support for New York City but not the suburbs, and now he proposes to wallop city businesses with more taxes while lightening the load for businesses in the suburbs. The idea that the State can spare the suburbs while sacking the City is terrible economics, grossly unfair, and contrary to every principle of good regional development. We in New York City saw the MTA’s problems coming and came up with a plan that would have created a steady stream of revenue for capital programs. Now the Governor proposes to shift an extra half billion dollar burden onto New York City taxpayers, who are the economic heart of our region. I will work night and day with our City’s delegation in Albany to stop this wrongheaded proposal from moving forward.

New York Times May Have Paterson Expose In the Works, Resignation Possible

We try to avoid speculation here on the goMYD blog, but the news media rumor mill is going into overdrive about another possible scandal for the NY gov office – although details are non-existent or contradictory at this point.  Gov Paterson’s office is denying any wrongdoing and is meeting with Dem party leaders to assure them that a rumor is just a rumor.  If not, can NY survive another scandal?

To stay on top of the story, it seems worth it to reproduce a portion of the link filled article from the Huffington Post:

The Daily News‘ Elizabeth Benjamin says it’s “far worse than his acknowledged extramarital affair with a former state employee.”

New York Magazine, who just ran a lengthy profile on the governor, couldn’t get a peep out of the Times, but writes that they hear the paper is “coming up with something big about the Paterson administration.”

Many believe the scandal is linked to a story that appeared in the New York Post this past weekend that further detailed Paterson’s recent decision to ban state troopers from the Governor’s Mansion.

According to the Post, a trooper accidentally caught the governor in a somewhat-compromising position:

The trooper opened the door and the first thing he saw was the governor and a woman inside and the two of them snuggling together, embracing. There was nothing more than that, snuggling, and they had their clothes on.

The AP reported today that Paterson met privately with democratic leaders this weekend and

A Democrat close to the situation [] said the meetings included discussions about whether Paterson would resign or announce he will not run. The Democrat spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

The Business Insider added:

We spoke with a member of Governor Paterson’s communications team who denies that the governor is planning to resign. The official confirmed that a New York Times story is in the works but says it will not run Monday.

No matter what the the story is, I am certain it will be an interesting week in New York politics. We are going to post a short profile of Lt. Gov Ravitch soon, just in case he gets a promotion.

Remember NY4ME? Summer’s Over, It’s Time To Take Action

A vote on marriage equality in the NY State Senate could come up as early as this week. Write a letter or call your State Senator to support marriage equality in NY now:

I <3 Gail Collins

Gail Collins wants to be Lieutenant Gov. I think she’d be an excellent candidate.

I am totally up for an exciting new challenge, but preferably one that does not involve mouthing “Wild Thing” while attempting to ballroom dance. And it would have to be something that would not force me to quit my current job, which I really like. So lieutenant governor would be perfect. Nothing ever gets done in Albany, and I could just sit in my shiny leather chair and work on my laptop all day.

New York has lost an uncommon number of elected officials over the last few years. So they’re probably starting to run out of people to plug up the holes. And I have good qualities that set me apart from many other possible contenders. For instance, I am not currently under indictment. And I have been very active in New York politics, in the sense that I have voted in all the elections, including that one for public advocate the other week in which only about 10 people took part.

The Bailywick: Naptime.

NYT: Paterson to Announce LG Appointment

That theoretical idea Citizens Union put out there the other day on breaking the senate deadlock?  According to the Times‘ Jeremy Peters, not so theoretical anymore:

Gov. David A. Paterson will name Richard Ravitch, a former chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, as lieutenant governor in a televised speech he has scheduled for late Wednesday afternoon, according to an administration official.

This is certain to end up in court, as there’s disagreement on whether the law actually allows Governor Paterson to do this.  Anyway you slice it though, it’s definitely a big move, and it shows that the governor, like the Senate Dems, really does want to end this insane drama.

Reactions:

“It would guarantee a line of succession should something happen to the governor, and it would give the Senate a presiding officer to help get it out of the quagmire it’s been in for the last month,” [Assemblyman Michael] Gianaris said.

But State Senator Diane J. Savino, a Democrat from Staten Island, said a lieutenant governor could only resolve part of the gridlock the Senate is now trying to overcome.

“It won’t change the fact that we won’t have a quorum to do business, and we’ll still be split in half on everything,” she said.

We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it…?

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