New York scandal threatens Gov. David Paterson's election bid

New York Gov. David Paterson, already facing low poll numbers, now is dealing with reports that state police may have interfered with a domestic-violence investigation involving an aide. The state cabinet official who oversees the state police resigned Thursday.

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“He scores points for having the courage to raise budget issues,” says Mr. Zogby.

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But Paterson’s 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 – even lower than Mr. Spitzer’s rating after the scandal became public. 

Despite the low ratings, he has soldiered on.  

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’s office said the US attorney’s office had subpoenaed records from the New York State lottery, which was involved in the decision to award the contract. 

Paterson’s 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.

“What did he do besides comfort this woman and keep a jerk on his staff and make a phone call?” asks Zogby.

But state police officers, who did not have any jurisdiction in the case, went to the woman’s apartment to speak with her, an action the woman is reported to have interpreted as harassment.  

Paterson has asked State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who is expected to run against him in the Democratic primary, to investigate. 

“It basically puts Cuomo in the mix in a political way he has been avoiding,” says Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Poll in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. “If Cuomo finds something, the governor will say, ‘What did you expect?’ But if [Cuomo] finds no wrong, [Paterson] can say ‘I’m clean.’ ” 

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.

“It would throw us into a constitutional mess at the same time we are in a fiscal and political mess,” he says. “This is a serious crisis here.”