Gov. David Paterson speaks during a news conference at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y., on Monday, Jan. 11, 2010. (AP Photo/Mike Groll) (Credit: Mike Groll)
Gov. David Paterson met privately with key Democratic leaders about his re-election plans as questions swirl around the state capitol about a variety of unproven accusations involving the Democratic governor’s personal conduct.
Paterson campaign spokesman Richard Fife said the weekend meetings and calls had nothing to do with the accusations but were “routine re-election campaign calls.”
“The governor started making calls two weeks ago to step up his campaign effort and get ready to officially announce his re-election campaign,” Fife said. “The calls were — and are — going well … And then look what happens — a coordinated effort to stop him and spread rumors.”
A Democrat close to the situation, though, said the meetings included discussions about whether Paterson would resign or announce he will not run because of the unsubstantiated claims in the whisper campaign surrounding the governor’s behavior. The Democrat spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
One recent New York Post article about the accusations drew a denial by Paterson’s spokeswoman and a strong rebuke by the superintendent of state police.
“Perpetrating lies about the governor, his family and troopers who diligently perform their duties is a disservice to the citizens of New York,” said state police Superintendent Harry J. Corbitt, a career trooper appointed to the top post by Paterson.
A spokesman for the governor sharply criticized the crescendo of questions, rumors and accusations.
“This is a new low even by the standards of Planet Albany,” said Paterson spokesman Peter Kauffmann late Sunday. “The circus of the past week entirely fabricated out of thin air and innuendo is an embarrassment for all who have played a role in fueling it.”
“I’ve never seen the rumor of a story becoming the story as this one has,” said Doug Muzzio, politics professor at New York City’s Baruch College.
Paterson became governor 23 months ago when Eliot Spitzer resigned amid a prostitution scandal. Paterson had been forced to confront allegations of sexual affairs and drug use since the day he rose to office on March 17, 2008. He held an extraordinary news conference detailing past affairs that he and his wife were involved in during an 18-month period when it appeared their marriage would end. He also recounted drug use from his youth.
He said he made the admissions so he couldn’t be compromised as governor and to avoid further fracturing a government rocked by Spitzer’s resignation.
Paterson already had plenty of conflict among his fellow Democrats. A week ago he vetoed an ethics bill adopted by the Democrat-controlled Legislature that was widely seen as essential this election year. Paterson says he wants a tougher bill.
He also has refused to abandon his campaign for a full term, even as the far more popular and better-funded Andrew Cuomo, the attorney general, waits in the wings.
I don’t think accidental New York Governor David Paterson is stupid, but he frequently demonstrates shockingly poor judgment. And he’s a terrible communicator (except, oddly, on sports talk radio). But this week, his muddled attempts to be a peacemaker in the hysterical mosque controversy finally became flat-out nuts.
It started two weeks ago, when Paterson joined the chorus of people declaring that the Park51 Islamic community center proposed for lower Manhattan be moved. He even said the state would help them find and buy a new location, further away from the World Trade Center site (not necessarily out of “sensitivity,” but more in order to make the angry people shut up — a noble, completely misguided goal). The only problem with this plan is that it made no sense and was probably unconstitutional.
Then Paterson said he was going to meet with the Park51 organizers, in order to convince them to support his weird and bad plan. This wasn’t really true. (Although Paterson did meet with Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who really has nothing to do with anything.) Still, Paterson insisted that everyone was on board, and at this point he was citing Rudy Giuliani, which is a probable sign that he’s just losing it.
Also losing it, in a more serious sense, was Michael Enright, a film student, fixated on the Afghanistan war, who, in an apparent racist, drunken rage, viciously slashed a Muslim cab driver in Manhattan on Tuesday night. Was the crime related to a general uptick in anti-Muslim sentiment, across the nation, localized in New York? It’s impossible to tell. But Paterson thought this statement was appropriate:
“The potential for this kind of violence is one of the reasons why I have called publicly for a respectful and unifying conversation about the Park51 project. I continue to offer my assistance for an open dialogue that I believe will help to bring New Yorkers together.
The implication is that Muslims have it coming — that they can expect more slashings, as long as they refuse to meet with Paterson to plan a different way forward. (Paterson then attempted to educate Americans on different kinds of Muslims.)
I think David Paterson means well. But he’s sounding completely nuts.
Are you going to Representative Charlie Rangel’s birthday gala tonight? More importantly, are prominent New York Democrats?
Rangel’s birthday party is always a well-attended party, but most years the longtime congressman is not facing multiple ethics charges. Rangel’s campaign sent out a memo claiming that Senator Chuck Schumer and would-be Governor Andrew Cuomo will both be speaking at the gala at the Plaza Hotel. But neither Cuomo nor Schumer have confirmed their attendence.
It actually sounds like a pretty kick-ass party:
Rep. Joe Crowley is to introduce the “master of ceremonies” Gov. David Paterson, who briefly wavered about sticking to his agreement to participate, but apparently is back on board. Other speakers include: Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Mayor Bloomberg, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
Paterson is, according to this memo, to acknowledge the presence of former NYC Mayor David Dinkins and his father, ex-state Secretary of State Basil Paterson. And then Rangel speaks. Dionne Warwick will take the stage after the congressman, and then do a “Happy Birthday” duet with Chuck Jackson.
Attendees supposedly also include Representatives Jerry Nadler, Anthony Weiner, Yvette Clark, Jose Serrano, Greg Meeks, and Chaka Fattah.
New York Gov. David Paterson listens to a speaker during a legislative leaders budget meeting at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y., on Wednesday, June 16, 2010. Paterson has given lawmakers a June 28 deadline to complete the state budget, which was due on April 1. (AP Photo/Mike Groll) (Credit: Mike Groll)
A plan floated today by New York Gov. David Paterson to provide state property at an alternative site to the organizers of the “ground zero mosque” could violate the constitutional prohibition against the establishment of religion, two legal experts tell Salon.
Paterson said today that he does not have a problem with the plan to build an Islamic center called Cordoba House near ground zero, but because of the outcry against it he made this offer: “if the sponsors were looking for property anywhere at a distance that would be such that it would accommodate a better feeling among the people who are frustrated, I would look into trying to provide them with the state property they would need.”
But, said Boston University School of Law professor Jay Wexler, if Paterson is proposing donating state land for a mosque or selling the land at a discount, the plan could be successfully challenged in court. “They’re really giving government aid to religion — the aid is the break betwen fair market value and whatever they’re selling it for. That’s almost like they’re giving a bunch of money to mosque,” said Wexler, author of a book on church-state legal battles.
In an interview with Salon, Paterson spokesman Morgan Hook acknowledged there are potential constitutional issues. “There are church and state issues here. Obviously there are very large concerns about how involved the state can be. We’re looking into that,” Hook said.
Hook emphasized that the governor was aiming to alleviate tensions by “offering to mediate a conversation between the planners and those who are against the project.” He said the governor’s office has not identified a plot that it has in mind and that in any case the governor was not proposing donating state land for free.
But Paterson’s comments raised the hackles of advocates of separation of church and state.
Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, told Salon there is case law barring use of government funds to house an entity that, like Cordoba House, is going to be used even in part for religious purposes.
“I think the governor should really back off this idea,” said Lynn. “When a private group wants to build a center that contains a mosque on their own private property they have a right to do that.”
Even a plan to sell state land at fair market value to the mosque organizers could be vulnerable to challenge.
“You start saying well the bidding is open and closed with this one group, that would raise problems,” said Lynn. “You cannot cut special deals with religious groups without raising constituional red flags.”
Wexler, the law professor, said that in the case of a sale, the state would probably argue “they’re taking an action that does not have a purpose to promote religion. The purpose is to avoid offense, or to diffuse this whole thing.”
Of course, we may never find out — no one has taken up Paterson on his idea yet.
New York Gov. David Paterson says he was the first to reveal to the media a conversation he had with the woman at the center of a domestic violence scandal involving a top aide.
Paterson told WOR Radio on Thursday that he was the first to say he had a conversation with Sherr-una Booker. She is a former girlfriend of David Johnson, an aide now on leave from the executive office.
Booker later failed to show for a hearing in the case against Johnson, resulting in its dismissal. Paterson says he didn’t urge her to drop the complaint.
Paterson didn’t say which media outlet he spoke with.
The New York Times first reported on the abuse report and the conversation. It posted a story on its Web site Thursday disputing Paterson’s comments.
A group that promotes accountability in government and had supported New York Gov. David Paterson is now calling for his resignation.
Common Cause Executive Director Susan Lerner said Friday that Paterson is unable to fully focus on the state’s fiscal crisis because he’s ensnared in two scandals that threaten his job.
Lerner says that Paterson deserves due process but that the state budget and deficit require full attention.
Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is investigating whether Paterson illegally contacted a woman who had accused a top aide of domestic violence. The state’s ethics commission has charged Paterson with violating a gift ban.
A Paterson spokesman says the governor is working on budget issues despite the scandals. He met with legislative leaders this week.
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