Former Governor Paterson will be joining the MTA board, filling the vacancy left by Nancy Shevell, who resigned from the board in January after marrying Paul McCartney. Since wrapping up his three-year, scandal-plagued term as Governor, Paterson has been keeping a lower profile, teaching a college class and hosting a daily talk-radio show on WOR-AM. The Daily News reports that Governor Cuomo is expected to announce the appointment today—the position is unpaid, but Paterson seems thrilled. more ›

The step-daughter of former Governor David Paterson was arrested for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend in a Manhattan apartment. The Post reports that Ashley Dennis, 23, "smash[ed] a bottle and a frying pan over her boyfriend’s head during an early morning brawl in Greenwich Village, authorities said... When cops arrived they found McGuinness, who was charged with choking Dennis, lying on the floor, semi-conscious and bleeding, officials said. " more ›

Michelle Paige Paterson, the former first lady of New York, is writing a memoir and it sounds like it could be a good 'un. The wife of Governor David Paterson—who helped kick off his curious term with his-and-her admissions of infidelities—tells Cindy Adams the book will cover it all from her first husband and divorce, to Paterson's sudden rise to power ("His first words were, 'I think I'll kill myself.' And I answered, 'Then who will be governor?'") to her return to private life. more ›

Earlier this year, former governor David Paterson announced he was joining the faculty of NYU. Now it turns out he'll be a visiting professor teaching a seminar called, "The Art of Governing," which might possibly be code for "Being Dysfunctional in Albany" or "Admitting Coke Usage, Affairs Days After Becoming Governor." more ›

This week, former Governor David Paterson learned that he won't face prosecution for lying about accepting free Yankees World Series tickets two years ago. In a letter to Paterson obtained by the News, Albany County District Attorney David Soares says it was "reasonably likely" an offense was committed, but argued that they would not be able to satisfactorily reach a criminal conviction. more ›

Last year, former Gov. David Paterson pushed a plan to levy a penny-per-ounce tax on sugary soft drinks in NY State, which was repeatedly rejected by Albany, and finally "killed" by current Gov. Andrew Cuomo. So how much money did Big Soda lobbyists spend to make sure that tax never made it into our supermarkets? more ›

All bad ideas must come to an end, and thus CNN is transforming the poorly received Parker Spitzer, the CNN 8 p.m. talk show featuring columnist Kathleen Parker and our own hooker-loving former governer Eliot Spitzer, into a show called In the Arena. Parker said in a statement, "I have decided to return to a schedule that will allow me to focus more on my syndicated newspaper column and other writings," just months after explaining why she was moving onto the CNN show! more ›

Ever since he left office a somewhat defeated, but still humorous man, we've been wondering what former Gov. David Paterson might do for an encore. Considering his abiding love for radio, we thought that might be one option. But it seems he has more collegiate aspirations: Paterson announced today that he will be "joining the faculty" at NYU. He also said he expected to reveal more about his position tonight in a presentation at the school. "I thought I was going to sit in the sun. But I've come back," he said during an appearance on WOR this morning. What might he be teaching? SNL parodies 101? more ›

Former Governor David Paterson is ready for his comeback. And not just as a ghostly e-mail signature! The longtime radio fan is set to sub-in for WOR Morning Radio host John Gambling next week on Monday and Tuesday (missing the Friday chat with Bloomberg, sigh). This won't be Paterson's first time behind the mic by any means, but it will be his first time hosting solo, as well as his first public "appearance" since leaving office. And if it goes well, who knows? Maybe CNN will hire him too. more ›

David Paterson may not be our Governor anymore, but he's still the governor of our hearts automated e-mail responses. Folks who have been e-mailing Andrew Cuomo have reportedly been getting responses that assure them that their "e-mail has been received, and will be read and shared with the appropriate members of my staff." The only problem? It is signed Governor David A. Paterson. Oops. We suspect the problem is being fixed as we type, or as soon as all the relevant department heads can coordinate a meeting and submit the proper E-Mail Adjustment Status Request forms. more ›

Please, please, let CNN consider former governor David Paterson or wily Republican operative Roger Stone as potential co-hosts: The rumors are rampant about the fate of CNN talk show Parker|Spitzer—namely, whether co-host Kathleen Parker will be around for much longer. The Wall Street Journal and Post both reports that the conservative columnist is on her way out, though a CNN spokeswoman says, "We aren't going to engage in speculation. The show continues to improve and we think it is a good addition to our lineup, providing smart, substantive analysis on the day's news." Well, after one review said it had the "queasy whiff of sulfur" there's nowhere to go but up, right? more ›

As his last gift to the state for 2011, former Governor Paterson's budget cuts eliminated nine officials from the state's kosher law enforcement division, leaving only the director in charge of making sure grocery stores and restaurants in the state properly disclose kosher certification. Rabbi Menachem Genack of the kosher division of the Orthodox Union in Manhattan told WSJ, " It's not a religious requirement, the issue here is fraud." One former inspector said, "Now that there's no kosher enforcement it's going to be the Wild West and people will do whatever they feel like." Just stay away from the Passover Coke! more ›

As the scandal- and gaffe-plagued reign of David Paterson comes to an end, we can look ahead to a new year and a new governor. Andrew Cuomo will be sworn in tonight, and he's so eager to get down to business to be on the 11 o'clock news that he'll take the oath at 10 PM, two hours earlier than expected. more ›

Governor David Paterson is beginning to feel anxious about life without the snazzy perks of public office. Like people doing things for you! Granted, Paterson actually does need the help. The legally blind governor needs assistance in everything from climbing the stairs to reading his mail, especially since he never learned Braille. more ›

According to a report in today's Post, Governor Paterson is up Shell Bank Creek without a paddle, or a dollar to buy a paddle. Paterson has allegedly been using leftover cash from his campaign war chest to pay for his various legal expenses, and expected to use it to pay for his $62,125 Yankees fine. But it seems that he is in such dire straits, he may not even get the opportunity to do something ethically challenged this time. more ›

New York State's Commission on Public Integrity slapped Governor Paterson with a $62,125 for soliciting, accepting and receiving five complimentary tickets to Game One of the 2009 World Series for himself, two aides, his teenage son and his son's friend. The ticket mini-scandal broke last November when the Post's Fred Dicker began asking questions about how the Governor obtained the coveted tickets. After a lengthy inquiry, during which the Governor was compelled to testify, the Commission has concluded that "the Governor's testimony that he always intended to pay for the tickets was refuted by his staff, the Yankees, an independent handwriting expert and common sense." more ›

Gov. Paterson has been in office for nearly 34 tumultuous months since he took over from hooker-aficionado Eliot Spitzer in March 2008. Between the almost-scandals, the actual-scandals, and the SNL-parodies, it was in his own words, "very challenging, very difficult, very painful at times." Now that he'll be handing the gubernatorial baton off to Andrew Cuomo in January, he and the media have started the process of excavating his short term in office. And he's already given an exit interview with New York Now. more ›

Governor David Paterson is a lame duck, what with the State Legislature ignoring his requests to balance a budget, and we imagine he's just sort of going through the motions at this point; even his staff's secret internal emails turned out to be kind of meh. But on the plus side, he can spend his last weeks in office getting progressively more unhinged day-by-day. Paterson had a farewell tour interview on WFAN sports radio this afternoon, and he ended up just shooting the shit about how much it sucked to be Governor: "It's been very challenging, very difficult, very painful at times." more ›

Last night, a few hundred students and community members gathered on Rutgers' campus for a silent vigil in honor of student Tyler Clementi, who killed himself after his roommate Dharun Ravi allegedly shared webcab footage of him engaged in a sexual encounter. Though a few officials addressed the crowd, most stayed silent, holding candles and hoping that the incident will inspire students facing similar harassment to seek help. Jenny Kurtz, the leader of the school's LGBT groups, told the crowd, "Tonight begins the process of healing." more ›

In case you forgot, two tornadoes blasted through Brooklyn and Queens in September, pulling up trees, wrecking sidewalks and killing one woman. Now, Governor David Paterson asked President Barack Obama to issue a major disaster declaration and provide FEMA assistance to cover everything from debris removal, repairs and disaster housing. FEMA officials have toured the parts of city, but are still determining if they are disaster areas. Perhaps they need to take a look at this photo of an uprooted tree pulling up the sidewalk. more ›

Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal hosted a morning breakfast forum between Gov. Paterson and his two predecessors, former Gov.'s Eliot Spitzer and George Pataki. It was a meeting that rivaled the Yalta Conference—not for historical significance, but certainly for posture and barbs. The three once and present leaders of the Empire State were friendly with one another, discussing political decisions, regrets, and Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, whom they all had comments for. Some highlights of the forum: more ›

Perhaps realizing that his chance at being Governor hasn't worked out quite as he wanted, Governor Paterson says he is ready to switch careers to CNN talk show host if—Spitzer messes up. He joked with Don Imus this morning, “If anything goes wrong, they know I have to take his place." But when Imus suggested he'd be great for the job, he said he believes he "hasn't done enough" to warrant his own talk show. The public at least needs to know your socks-during-sex stance before you're allowed a regular spot on national television. more ›

Yesterday, a Buffalo judge sided with New York State and refused to block the state from collecting taxes on cigarettes sold on Indian reservations, despite outrage from local tribes who claim the taxes are an attack on their sovereignty. Governor Paterson had previously said the taxation, which is to go into effect tomorrow, would most likely be met with "violence and death." Oh wait, scratch that, because now he says everything is going to be fine—as long as they don't go on tribal land. more ›

Rest well, residents of the #1 and/or #7 city for bed bugs, because Governor Paterson just signed a law that will help protect you from the critters. Or it just may make you want to move out altogether. The governor just signed New York State Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal's "Bedbug Disclosure Act" into law. Rosenthal said in a statement, “Nothing is more horrifying than signing a lease after a lengthy apartment search only to discover that your new apartment is bedbug-infested. By requiring landlords to disclose infestations before the lease is signed, people will have a means of guarding themselves against exposure to this plague." more ›

With Bloomberg already besieged by protests and angry letters calling for an apology over his offensive "cowboys and Indians" statement, Governor Paterson says he is worried about possible "violence and death" over the state's plan to collect taxes on cigarettes sold on Indian reservations. Paterson said, "There will be quite an uprising and protest to this, but I am going to maintain this policy...The state police tell us over and over again that there could be violence and death as a result of some of the measures we're taking." more ›

Not satisfied with the no apology they received from Mayor Bloomberg over his insensitive "cowboys and Indians" statement, members of a number of Indian Nations gathered on the steps of City Hall to chant for "leadership." Onondaga leader Oren Lyons explained to the Times-Union, "What's wrong with a Jewish man egging on a black man to shoot an Indian?...I had a lot of respect for that man and what he's done in New York City, but now...His people went through a holocaust and they have a museum in Washington, D.C., to show the pictures. We don't have a museum to show the holocaust; they wouldn't show the pictures." more ›

Perhaps in hopes of increasing the state's revenue a bit more, Bloomberg says Paterson needs to "cowboy up" when it comes to cigarette taxes, and fight Indian reservations who continue to sell smokes tax-free. Though one Indian chief previously said enforcement would be considered an act of war, Bloomberg ignored the threat (and political correctness) on his radio show, saying, “I said to David Paterson, I said, ‘You know, get yourself a cowboy hat and a shotgun. If there’s ever a great video it’s you standing in the middle of the New York State Thruway saying you know read my lips, the law of the land is this and we're going to enforce the law.'" The statement didn't sit too well with some tribes. more ›

Governor Paterson's decision to sign a bill outlawing the NYPD's electronic database of everyone they stop and frisk may have its roots in his own personal history of run-ins with the po-po. During an interview on the Steve Harvey show on WBLS, Paterson revealed that he was stopped three times by the police on Long Island when he was younger. "Two times, I'll tell you, I hadn't done anything wrong, but I certainly felt like I had when they left," Paterson said. Well, given Paterson's history of drug use, it's no surprise he felt a little guilty. more ›