Paterson, Wife Tell Press "No Marriage is Perfect"

During his first full day as Governor, David Paterson and his wife Michelle held a press conference discussing their infidelities, with Paterson explaining, "I didn't want it hanging over my head. I didn't want to be compromised." Honest? Yes. Bizarre? that too!

Following up on their joint interview in today's Daily News, Paterson admitted to having many affairs, but apparently only after learning wife Michelle had been unfaithful. Paterson said, "The fact is for my own action, I was angry, I was jealous and I exercised poor judgment. One day I realized it and I just decided I would go to counseling." More to the point, Paterson just wanted to get this bit of gossip out of the way:

“I betrayed a commitment to my wife several years ago. And I do not feel I’ve betrayed my commitment to the citizens of New York State. I haven’t broken any laws. I don’t think I’ve violated my oath of office. I saw this as a private matter. But both of us committed acts of infidelity.”

The affair occurred while he was a State Senator; at least one of the women he was involved with worked in state government. Paterson also admitted he called one girlfriend's employer, urging the employer to keep her on while she recovered. And Paterson emphatically denied using any taxpayer funds for his affairs.

Now, though, the Governor said, "We’re very much in love with each other now. I was in love with Michelle even when I knew the marriage was in grave danger.” Michelle Paige Paterson said, "We dealt with it as a family. A marriage has peaks and valleys ... No marriage is perfect."

Assembly Leader Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno seem eager for the news media to accept the news as is; Silver said, "If anything it's a testament to him saying, stop your searches -- it's not an uncommon occurence in people's lives when marriages are failing," while Bruno said, "I think his personal life is his personal life."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on March 18, 2008 5:42 PM

Comments [rss]

Guest

"do you remember when the gothamist poster babyh**ler said that at least blind people don't screw around on their wives?"

You called him an idiot and yet you can't even type out his entire name. That is really sad.

pdgrrl

I agree--this really isn't news, but if he didn't make this gossipy husband/wife stuff public now, you know it would come out at some ridiculously inopportune time, like when he's signing off on some controversial legislation. Cheers to them--I'm looking forward to Gov. Paterson. But quite frankly, given all the sighs of relief and big lovefests that have been happening since Spitzergate, Gov. Paterson probably could been the perpetrator of today's other story--about the murdered Bronx guy found in the trunk of a car--and Albany would still be all smiles and talking about his great speech.

jaycjay

While it's only March, so far this is the runaway winner for the title Non-Story Of The Year.

asg749d

Does anyone know why she had an affair? Has it been published before? Just curious...

Elderta

Did he say he spent $80,000 on hookers, used illegal wire transfers and didn't use a condom? No? Then it's all good.

babyhitler

yeah but we have to hold the people in office to a higher standard. That's the platform they run on and that's the life they should lead. I never heard anybody running for office that marriage is MEH. Politicians are basically douchebags who speak well.

cucarachita

Every couple I've ever thought was totally monogamous always turned out to have had patches with infidelities at one point or another. There's no such thing as a perfectly monogamous couple. Not in the long term, anyway. Might be easy for a few years, but go ahead and try to keep it up for 30 years, you stubborn, insane people.