N.y. Governor Patersons Halted Candidacy Clears Way For Cuomo
Paterson, 55, dropped out yesterday after published reports that he and state police officers spoke with a woman who had filed domestic abuse charges against one of his aides. He accompanied his decision, which came six days after he opened his campaign in Hempstead, New York, with a vow to serve out his term as governor through year-end.
“Cuomo is going to be our nominee, Im confident of that,” Jay Jacobs, chairman of New Yorks Democratic Party, told reporters following the news conference yesterday in midtown Manhattan at which Paterson announced his plans. “I will be endorsing Andrew Cuomo.”
Paterson, the former lieutenant governor who took office after Eliot Spitzer resigned in March 2008, ended his campaign as the state faces a deficit of $8.2 billion in its more-than $135 billion budget in the next fiscal year. Sinking public approval ratings had provoked the likely September primary challenge from Cuomo, 52, whom Paterson asked this week to probe the allegations.
“It has become increasingly clear to me in the past few days I cannot run for office and do the states business at the same time, and right now New York needs a leader who can devote full-time to this service,” Paterson said at the press conference.
Offer of Assistance
Paterson said he offered his assistance to Cuomo should he become a candidate. The attorney general said he would announce his political intentions “at the appropriate time,” in an e- mailed statement.
On Feb. 24 the New York Times reported state police officers and Paterson spoke with a former girlfriend of David Johnson, 37, whom the newspaper described as one of Patersons closest aides, after she accused Johnson of assault and sought a court-issued protective order against him. The case was dismissed after the woman didnt appear for a court hearing the day after she and Paterson spoke by phone, the Times said.
Paterson suspended Johnson without pay, the governor said in a Feb. 24 statement.
Personal Oath
He rejected allegations that he had used his position to interfere in any way.
“Im looking forward to a full investigation of actions taken by myself and my administration, but I give you this personal oath,” Paterson said. “I have never abused my office, not now, not ever, and I believe that when the facts are reviewed the truth will prevail.
“Lets see if the decision not to run stops the bleeding,” said Kenneth Sherrill, a political science professor at Hunter College in Manhattan. “My sense is that a lot of people in Albany really want to see him out of office.”
Calls for Patersons resignation appeared yesterday in the New York Post and the Daily News, the citys two largest tabloids, and from city Comptroller John Liu.
“We have a $4.1 billion budget deficit to grapple with in New York City and cannot make real progress until the state budget is resolved on time one month from now,” Liu said in an e-mailed statement. ”In order for this to happen, we need Governor Paterson to step down now.”
Sad Day
Cuomos statement described the announcement as “a sad day for the governor and his family,” and added “it is in the best interests of all New Yorkers that the state government function through this difficult time and address the pressing budgetary problems we face.”
The attorney general led Republican Rick Lazio, a former Long Island congressman who has said he intends to run for governor, 63 percent to 26 percent in a Feb. 22 poll by Loudonville, New York-based Siena Research Institute. The same poll showed Paterson trailing Lazio 39 percent to 46 percent. The poll had a 3.5 percentage point error margin.
The Reverend Al Sharpton, the Harlem-based political activist, said it would be “premature to talk about supporting Cuomo.” Speaking at a separate Manhattan news conference yesterday, he said he wanted to see the results of the attorney generals inquiry before calling for the governor to step down.