Paterson Bombshellgategate: Gov Denies Luv, Times Still Mum

With speculation about the contents of a forthcoming New York Times "bombshell" report on Governor Paterson reaching a fever pitch, Paterson personally addressed the salacious rumors in an interview with the Associated Press yesterday, reiterating that he hasn't been involved sexually with another woman since he was separated from his wife a decade ago, and hasn't done drugs since his early 20s. "For the last couple of weeks I have been the subject of what, even by Albany standards, has been a spate of outrageous rumors about me," Paterson said. "There is an accountability that should exist in the media. How do I get my reputation back? Because I don't believe I have done anything to deserve this kind of bashing." (Yesterday, a source close to Paterson told Daily Intel that the Times's story "is PG-13, not XXX.")

The Times is expected to publish their story as soon as tomorrow, following an interview with Paterson today. Rumors about the unrevealed dirt range from "drug-fueled swinger parties at the Governor's mansion" to "He's not really blind." Yesterday Paterson called the gossip "callous and sleazy," and "acknowledged that the allegations played to stereotypes about black men." (They also play to the stereotypes of past New York Governors, and Paterson himself, who has admitted to drug use and sexual infidelity.)

In a thinly-veiled insinuation, Paterson seemed to point the finger at his presumptive election rival Andrew Cuomo, remarking that the rumors are "certainly serving others' interest and not mine." But according to the Post, several sources interviewed by Times reporters believe the paper has been speaking to the jilted ex-lover of Paterson staffer and confidant David Johnson. The Post also spreads a rumor that Paterson was late arriving at the scene of last February's Buffalo plane crash because he was "preoccupied with a local lady friend."

Meanwhile, the Post's Fred Dicker opines that "by sitting on their supposed blockbuster of a story for nearly two weeks, the Times' scribes have created a paralytic frenzy in state government the likes of which have never been seen before. Perhaps they're bucking for the first Pulitzer Prize ever awarded for buzz." (It's okay to be jealous, Dicker). In return, Paterson blasted the Post for their item about a State Trooper catching him embracing a woman in a utility closet in the Executive Mansion, insisting the room in which he was reportedly caught doesn't even exist. Post Editor in Chief Col Allan stood by the story and asked, "Does the governor's mansion not have a single closet?"

It was also revealed yesterday that 10 members of Paterson's security detail were transferred out of the unit; a source in the State Police tells the Daily News, "My feeling is they are trying to plug the leaks." And another source tells the Post, "They're trying to smoke out the leaker. What they don't realize it's almost everybody on the detail because everyone's sick of his behavior." State Police Superintendent Harry Corbitt says the transfer was routine and that, to his knowledge, no one on the Governor's security detail has witnessed anything illegal or improper.

Never one to miss an opening, Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio caught the buzz wave by penning an open letter to Times Executive Editor Bill Keller, demanding the paper "confirm or print it. If you do not, then you have a moral obligation to stop the drama and the psychological warfare on Governor Paterson. Unfortunately, these rumors about the Governor are a sad reflection of Albany politics." Heh, yeah like that one time State Sen. Kevin Parker called Paterson a "coke-snorting, staff-banging governor."

Finally, Paterson was at the Times headquarters yesterday to meet with the editorial board about his plans to run for Governor, which he says he will formally announce within a couple weeks. Asked about his personal relationship with Cuomo, whom he's known for years, Paterson quipped, "We went on a rafting trip with our families a few years ago. That was when I guess I missed my chance."

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

By John Del Signore in News on February 9, 2010 9:17 AM

Comments [rss]

Spirit of 76

Paterson's secret? He's actually Daredevil. What better way to hide your secret identity than to act like a totally incompetent nincompoop? Unless it's not an act...

JenChungsBaby

The secret is that he really is descended from a long line of naked mole rats.

henryhamilton

The Times has not published any story. Have they commented at all? They are not on the hook for anything. Everyone else has been running wild with speculation. All of it from vague sources. The story about a story that never was a story. I'm no fan of the Times, but its not them. It's you, and you, and you, and everybody like you.

potsmoker

the post is a rag, they are running on gossip for the scandal. nytimes prob realized that all the gossip about sex parties or whatever lame tame G rated stuff that adults do behind closed doors flopped when they prob realized that his wife is down with the program. so no scandal.

Mr. Shankly

Once, just once, I'd like to see one of these guys sack up and admit to hitting it.

"Yes, I slept with those women, as well as others who haven't been outed yet. I loved every minute of it and so did they. I'm wealthy, powerful, and charismatic and that's why you've made me your (elected official/celebrity). As such, I draw loads of poon and any one of you would do the same in my position. Thank you, and good day. "

hotstepper

then vote for Bulworth.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

Rumor: Paterson has a "slush fund" and it's bigger than Quinn's and Bloomberg's.

cleanupnynow

Gotta love the headline in the Daily News referring to Paterson as “Captain Chaos”.

If one really wants to see chaos, just check out the “The Democratic Conference Organizational and Structural Report” detailing the workings of Paterson’s managerial style while he was Senate Minority leader. This report is a true testament to this clowns ability to manage or more precisely mismanage an office.

This scathing report indicated that Paterson’s Senate Minority office, headed by the supremely incompetent Michael Jones Bey, was completely dysfunctional. Mr. Jones Bey a childhood friend of Paterson, who is now incredulously Director of Empire State Development Corporation Office of Women and Minority Business Development, was reported to be more interested in partying and boozing up with staff than working.

If you want to get a glimpse of the chaos that occurred in Paterson’s Senate Minority office while Paterson was Minority Leader just hit on the link below.

http://www.politico.com/static/PPM110_demreportfinal.html

David Paterson has always been more interested in going to clubs, giving jobs to girlfriends (Lila Kirton, Gabrielle Turner, Indira Noel) and incompetents (Michael Jones Bey, Khari Edwards, Charles O’Byrne) than he is in governing New York State.

Hopefully the next Governor will get these unqualified hacks whom are in positions out of their skill set, off the public payroll. Paterson and his people simply do not deserve to live off the public.

In the end we must not only blame David Paterson. We must also lay blame to our beloved former love Guv Eliot Spitzer for failing to do his due diligence and putting David Paterson on the Democratic ticket.

ides_of_march

This is getting boring.

Mr. Shankly

See what happens when you push ethics reform? That'll learn ya.

GalBklyn

Interesting - a week or so after Patterson introduces ethic reform - someone digs up "information" and gets the NY media to swarm like vultures. Whether it's true or not - it's irrelvant unless it is illegal. I wish the media spent as much time digging up the "activities" of Pataki, Silver, Bruno & Guiliani or any of the other dirty politicians. More likely then not - those issues would be illegal and counter to the public good (see Bruno). This - all it appears to be is an attempt to embarrass Patterson and get him to step down.

It wouldn't surprise me if Cuomo is behind it.

Wza

Yep, I was thinking the same thing.

Matter of fact, I think I posted that yesterday, well, not in so much detail as you, but yeh.

Angelheaded Hipster

Yesterday Paterson called the gossip "callous and sleazy," and "acknowledged that the allegations played to stereotypes about black men." (They also play to the stereotypes of past New York Governors, and Paterson himself, who has admitted to drug use and sexual infidelity.)

NICE

hotstepper

i had sex with that woman.

JenChungsBaby

This is having a worse effect on the Times' reputation than on Paterson's. The Times is setting itself up for some major shoulder shrugging if this story isn't really the bombshell everyone is expecting. Meanwhile, everyone already knows that Paterson is a philandering and incompetent hack.

Rocknrope

Agreed. By not saying a single thing about the nature of the story for so long, the Times is guilty of stirring up this frenzy. If the frenzy is unwarranted and the story is indeed PG-13, it will then have the exact opposite effect: Paterson will look almost sympathetic, and the "Paper of Record" will once again look foolish.

NannyState

Exactly. It's put up or shut up time for the nasty tabloid rag.

Wza

Agreed.

Gothampc

The Times no longer has a reputation. They continually looked the other way on major news stories (John Edwards love child) and have slanted the news to their personal ideology. They've lost many readers. In addition, they're once again trying to put online news behind a "pay for service" screen. This didn't work for them in the past and it's not going to now. The Times is doing this story because they want a bailout from the Obama administration. Otherwise the paper will die.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

good point. NO bailout for NY Times, Let some more Illegal Mexicans rescue them.

doc of nyc

from the headlines above, clearly the Post and the NY Daily News r desparate for readers, and even more emotionalists who will hate everything black, or green, or whatever the media tells em to get over their sorry lives.

doc of nyc

you may have a point, Obama and the rest of the NY federal level power structure want Patterson out for sure.

The Times (and it appears the Gothamist) are both profiteering and slanting in the latter's case the swell of negativity directed at Patterson.

The common goal of all this & all involved is, of course, to topple Patterson, blame all the state's long-standing woes on him (the Black Gov) and make Cuomo the winner riding in with a white hat, shining armour, and lots of "muscle" to "clean up the mess & corruption" - kinda like he's pretending (unless you're the banks on Wall St who contributed his $6.2M warchest) to be doing right now as AG.

Does it smell? Hmmmm....