Gov. David Paterson ends election campaign but won’t resign
ALBANY — Gov. David Paterson on Friday ended his bid for election to a full, four-year term in November, but he still faced questions about whether he could lead the state amid a scandal threatening to upend his administration.
Paterson’s announcement was a remarkably quick turn of events for a Democratic governor who just last week toured the state and defiantly declared his candidacy, blasting critics who doubted his viability.
But Paterson and his administration have since faced questions over alleged roles in trying to quash a domestic-abuse case involving his top aide, David Johnson.
Paterson downplayed the scandal as the reason for his decision and vowed he would be vindicated. The investigation is being conducted by the man who will now likely be the Democratic candidate for governor: Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
“Today I am announcing that I am ending my campaign for governor of the state of New York,” Paterson said. “It has become increasingly clear to me in the last few days that I cannot run for office and try to manage the state’s business at the same time.”
The governor, who has suffered from record-low approval ratings, said at a news conference in Manhattan that the latest scandal was but one of many reasons for his decision.
“It hasn’t been the latest distraction; it has been an accumulation of obstacles that has obfuscated me from bringing my message to the public,” he said, with wife Michelle at his side.
He stressed that he has no plans to resign, after spending weeks beating back rumors about his personal life and whether he would stay in office.
“There are 308 days left in my term. I will serve every one of them fighting for the people of the state of New York,” he said.
Leadership questioned
Paterson, 55, the state’s first African-American governor and first legally blind chief executive, succeeded Eliot Spitzer as governor in March 2008 after Spitzer resigned amid revelations that he had solicited prostitutes. Paterson was elected lieutenant governor in 2006. But while Paterson on Friday rid himself of the rigors of a potentially divisive campaign against Cuomo — who is expected to announce his intentions in late March or early April — he was still facing calls from political leaders that he either resign or hand over important duties to Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch.
Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, a fellow Democrat, urged Paterson to let Ravitch, whom Paterson appointed last summer, handle this year’s budget negotiations. The state faces an $8.2 billion budget gap in the 2010-11 fiscal year, which starts April 1, and faces major cuts to programs and services.
“The governor has made a wise choice to end his election campaign,” DiNapoli said in a statement. “Now he needs to make another wise choice and designate Lieutenant Governor Ravitch to negotiate the budget with the Legislature.”
Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, Otsego County, said Paterson should hand over the day-to-day operations of state government during the investigation to Ravitch.
“We need stable leadership in Albany and clearly Gov. Paterson is unable to provide it,” Seward said.
While Paterson admitted that politics was getting in the way of governing, he gave no indication that he would abdicate any of his duties.
He said he made tough choices on the state’s fiscal condition and he hoped to be remembered as a governor who “fought the good fight, that I did what was hard and I put the people first.”
Paterson vowed that he would be exonerated in the domestic-abuse case. Cuomo’s office is investigating reports that Paterson spoke to Johnson’s girlfriend a day before she dropped a domestic-violence case earlier this month against the aide and that Paterson’s State Police detail improperly intervened in the case.
Paterson has suspended Johnson without pay.
“I am looking forward to a full investigation of actions taken by myself and my administration. But I give you this personal oath,” Paterson said, raising his right hand, “I have never abused my office, not now, not ever. And I believe that when the facts are reviewed, the truth will prevail.”
Some lawmakers continued to doubt whether Paterson can stay in office.
“I think it’s time for him to step down. His record of performance has not matched the rhetoric of his two State of the State addresses,” said Assemblyman Joel Miller, R-Poughkeepsie.
And Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio said Paterson’s decision illustrates the troubles in Albany:
“This is another sad chapter in New York state government. It’s dysfunctional, it’s broken and it doesn’t work.”
Some support
But other lawmakers were more supportive, saying Paterson has talked bluntly about the state’s fiscal woes.
“These are tough times in New York and he had to make some tough decisions, and he was willing to make those tough decisions,” said Assemblyman David Gantt, D-Rochester, who attended Paterson’s campaign kickoff last weekend in Rochester.
Some said Paterson would have the burden of a campaign fight off his shoulders and should be able to focus on governing, not politics.
“What it does, it allows those of us who have really been deeply concerned about the impact this is having on our ability to do this job, we can now breathe and do exactly that,” said Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson, D-Mount Vernon, Westchester County.
Includes reporting by Gannett Albany staff writers Cara Matthews and Jon Campbell, and Democrat and Chronicle staff writers David Andreatta and Jill Terreri.
