New York scandal threatens Gov. David Paterson's election bid
| New York
The political problems of New York Gov. David Paterson are intensifying.
Governor Paterson, already facing extremely low poll numbers, now is contending with reports that an aide may have been involved in a domestic violence incident and that the state police interfered with the investigation.鈥�
The new reports have increased calls for Paterson to either drop out of the race 鈥� which he officially entered Feb. 12 鈥� or resign. So far, he鈥檚 still in the race and running the state.
On Thursday, one of his cabinet officials, who supervised the state police, resigned after reports state police officers contacted the woman who made the complaint.
鈥淭he behavior alleged here is the antithesis of what many of us have spent our entire careers working to build, a legal system that protects victims of domestic violence and brings offenders to justice,鈥� Denise O鈥橠onnell, deputy secretary for public safety, wrote in her resignation letter. Ms. O'Donnell said that she was misled about events by the superintendent of state police.
Fallout from the scandal doesn鈥檛 seem likely to end with her resignation.
鈥淭here was a part of me not too long ago saying, 'Don鈥檛 count him out,' 鈥� says John Zogby, founder of Zogby International, a political polling firm in Utica, N.Y. 鈥淏ut now, it鈥檚 hard to see how he gets out of his position gracefully.鈥濃��
Paterson is far from the only big state governor in trouble, points out Larry Sabato, a professor of political science at the University of Virginia.
鈥淏ig state governors are in trouble everywhere,鈥� says Mr. Sabato, pointing to Florida鈥檚 Charlie Crist, California鈥檚 Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michigan鈥檚 Jennifer Granholm, and Illinois鈥檚 Pat Quinn. 鈥淲ith the economy the way it is, it鈥檚 a terrible time to be the governor of a big state.鈥濃��
The dismal economy has certainly hurt Paterson, who inherited the governor鈥檚 position after Eliot Spitzer resigned three years ago after he became embroiled in a call-girl scandal.
The state is running a large budget deficit, forcing Paterson to ask for spending cuts in an election year.
鈥淗e scores points for having the courage to raise budget issues,鈥� says Mr. Zogby.
But Paterson鈥檚 problems go well beyond the state budget. There have been reports that President Obama has asked Paterson not to run for office. At one point, a poll by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion showed him with a 17 percent approval rating 鈥� even lower than Mr. Spitzer鈥檚 rating after the scandal became public.鈥�
Despite the low ratings, he has soldiered on. 鈥�
Questions arose two weeks ago after he awarded a contract for gambling to a former congressman, the Rev. Floyd Flake, whose support he needs in the democratic primary. Soon afterward, the governor鈥檚 office said the US attorney鈥檚 office had subpoenaed records from the New York State lottery, which was involved in the decision to award the contract.鈥�
Paterson鈥檚 latest problem began last fall, when a top aide, David Johnson, was accused of domestic violence by a woman he had lived with for four years. According to a New York Times account, the governor had a short conversation with the woman.
鈥淲hat did he do besides comfort this woman and keep a jerk on his staff and make a phone call?鈥� asks Zogby.
But state police officers, who did not have any jurisdiction in the case, went to the woman鈥檚 apartment to speak with her, an action the woman is reported to have interpreted as harassment. 鈥�
Paterson has asked State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who is expected to run against him in the Democratic primary, to investigate.鈥�
鈥淚t basically puts Cuomo in the mix in a political way he has been avoiding,鈥� says Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Poll in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 鈥淚f Cuomo finds something, the governor will say, 鈥榃hat did you expect?鈥� But if [Cuomo] finds no wrong, [Paterson] can say 鈥業鈥檓 clean.鈥� 鈥濃��
Zogby thinks the state has little choice but to keep Paterson in office, at least through the election. The lieutenant governor, Richard Ravitch, was appointed by Paterson. His appointment as governor would likely be challenged, says Zogby.
鈥淚t would throw us into a constitutional mess at the same time we are in a fiscal and political mess,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his is a serious crisis here.鈥�
