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 ›

The case against David "DJ" Johnson—former Governor Paterson's longtime aide until a domestic abuse cover-up scandal nearly forced his boss out of office—ended today when DJ pleaded guilty to second-degree harassment. In court he explained to the judge that he and ex-girlfriend Sherr-una Booker had "got into an argument ... it got loud. We were both upset and I shoved her with the intent to harm her. I realize my conduct was inappropriate and I deeply regret my actions." more ›

At a Christmas meal for the needy at the Rev. Al Sharpton's Harlem headquarters, Gov. Paterson further discussed his controversial decision to commute the sentence of John White, the Long Island man who was convicted of killing a teenager in a racially-charged 2006 incident. Paterson was widely criticized for not talking with the parents of victim Daniel Cicciaro Jr. before announcing his decision. When he did finally speak to them after the fact, he said he "heard the pain" in mother Joanne Cicciaro's voice: "At times, I must say, in spite of her anger, in spite of her passion, in spite of her absolute gall at hearing what I had done, she and her husband, Mike, were very, very gracious," Paterson said. more ›

Governor Paterson's decision to commute the prison sentence for a man who killed a teenager in a racially-charged confrontation gets worked over once more as the Post reports that the governor's panel of legal advisers apparently told him not to commute John White. But Paterson responded to the Post's story today by saying, "There’s no official panel. There are people in the office who had different types of opinions, many of whom did not see the entire case, and we had varying opinions on what to do with this situation from giving a pardon to doing absolutely nothing about it." He added, "“First of all it’s not a pardon - do we have that straight? Do you think you can get that on paper that it was not a pardon?” more ›

Yesterday, Gov. Paterson commuted the sentence of John White, the Long Island man who was convicted of killing a teenager in a racially-charged 2006 incident, saying he wanted to "ameliorate the profound suffering that occurred as a result of this tragic event." But maybe he should have spoken to the parents of victim Daniel Cicciaro Jr. before announcing his decision. "In retrospect, I would have sought the family's input," Paterson said today, after speaking with the Cicciaro family for nearly an hour about the situation. 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 ›

While on Don Imus' radio show, Governor Paterson said he had no idea that Eliot Spitzer liked hookers. According to the Daily News, the outgoing governor then brought up an incident where Spitzer "actually admonished an aide who commented about an attractive woman who walked by during a march." Paterson said, "If anything, I found him to be very professional, particularly when he worked with other women. I think he's really that kind of person who can kind of separate his kind of social life from professional. He has a real professional standard in that way and I think he still does." more ›

Nearly nine months after going on unpaid leave in the midst of a scandal that nearly toppled the Paterson administration, David Johnson, the Governor's longtime aide, was quietly terminated last month. He's currently unemployed and facing criminal prosecution in the Bronx on charges of misdemeanor assault related to the alleged beating of then-girlfriend Sherr-una Booker on Halloween 2009. Johnson’s lawyer, Oscar Michelen, insists the timing of the termination has no significance, and that it was just part of Paterson's end-of-term housekeeping. Johnson is currently unemployed, but City Room notes that despite all the negative publicity, he probably isn't sweating it too much, because "job offers began coming over the transom within days of his suspension, including one from a Pennsylvania lobbyist." [City Room] more ›

Governor Paterson, who has just a few more weeks until he leaves, was on the radio this morning and he discussed his successor, Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo, "He's doing all the right things. He's saying all the right things. But I don't think one person can change the way government works right now." He added, "Before everybody starts blaming him the way they blame me, I want everybody to stop before this governor comes into office and assess what is actually the capacity." more ›

Mayor Bloomberg is dancing on the grave of OTB! Back in 2008, he refused to allow the city to keep supporting OTB, and the shutdown threat was real until Governor Paterson agreed to have the state take over. Yesterday, the mayor said of the now-shutdown betting operation, "OTB did make money, but they demanded 120% of it go to support the racing industry. It's not the city's obligation, thank you very much." The Daily News explains, "The closure put more than 1,000 people out of work and forced the state to assume $100million in OTB debt - and $504 million in pension and benefits for OTB workers." more ›

Pork! According to a published report, lame duck Governor David Paterson is blowing the state's money on New Jersey. Or actually, giving $5 million to the New York/New Jersey Super Bowl XLVIII Host Committee. The $16.7 million in total spending was also approved by State budget director Robert Megna on November 30th, but everyone is still angry because of the $315 million (or $1 billion) budget gap etc. Elizabeth Lynam of the nonpartisan Citizens Budget Commission said the Governor "has lost the moral high ground by spending this money on member items." more ›

As recently as this week, Mayor Bloomberg has repeatedly denied that he has any interest in running for President in 2012. Considering that most people don't really want him to run, maybe he's got the right idea. And yet...things keep making us question his true intentions. And that thing today is Gov. Paterson, who discussed Bloomberg's presidential ambitions on the radio: "He is watching and positioning just in case, so he would have that option...If the situation presented itself, he's been a risk-taker and a very successful entrepreneur and an elected official - I think he would take the shot." more ›

NJ Governor Chris Christie has a farewell message for outgoing NY Governor David Paterson. Okay, it's more of a F-U: Discussing how he will not allow the Tappan Zee Bridge to be added to the Port Authority, Christie said, "I can't make this any clearer to New York than this: stop screwing with us. You're not going to come and pick our pockets. New Jersey is not going to permit it anymore." more ›

Now that Rep. Charles Rangel has been censured by the House for ethics violations, the question is whether he'll keep the Harlem Congressional seat he's held since 1970. The Daily News' Gatecrasher reports that apparently lame duck Governor David Paterson's name has been bandied about as a possible replacement: Even in spite of Paterson's baggage, a "Washington Insider says 'speculation around David has become hotter' over the last few weeks." 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 ›

Yesterday, Governor Paterson, in the waning days of his term, called a special session of the State Legislature, in hopes of getting them to balance the budget. But since actually balancing the budget would require lawmakers to make $315 million in spending cuts, they did nothing. Which is about par for the course when the very same lawmakers needed four freaking months to pass a budget. more ›

Governor Paterson announced today that he'll be laying off 898 state workers by the end of 2010, in order to reduce the state's work force and save $250 million (the state plans to decrease the work force overall by 2,000). And Paterson laid the blame on unions, for not accepting pay lags or furloughs, "I'm not proud of that, but that is significant progress in trying to make sure there is a shared sacrifice in the deficit reduction and in an attempt to keep our budget balanced. I know that I'll get blamed, and I'll accept it, but the people in the leadership of the public employee unions know that they escorted me here." more ›

To paraphrase Captain Renault, were shocked, shocked to find that secret Albany wheeling dealing was going on in the failed AEG Aqueduct deal. Earlier this year, Governor Paterson picked Aqueduct Entertainment Group to install slot machines at the Queens Aqueduct, but AEG's selection was controversial, not only because the group was politically connected but also because its bid sucked. Now, according to the Daily News, the State Inspector General has issued a report, finding "a bidding process rife with inside dealing, secret lobbying and more than $100,000 in campaign donations from the bidders." more ›

Yesterday, federal, state and city officials broke ground on the Moynihan Station, the long-discussed project to redevelop Penn Station at the Farley Post Office on Eighth Avenue. After years of obstacles, it was more of a "symbolic gesture," welcoming federal money being used for the project (the feds are kicking in $83 million for phase one, which has an estimated total of $276 million). more ›

Remember the alleged domestic abuse cover-up scandal that foiled Governor Paterson's election bid? (If not, here's a refresher.) Although the Governor was cleared of any wrongdoing, the aide at the center of the story is still in trouble with the law; he's charged with assault, menacing, harassment and criminal mischief, all misdemeanors. Yesterday a judge extended an order of protection against the aide, David Johnson, hasn't spoken to the press since the Times first broke the story of his alleged assault of ex-girlfriend Sherr-Una Booker on Halloween last year. But he was seen leaving court "looking calm." Just once we'd like to see the 6-foot-7 Johnson snap and shove a photographer! more ›

Being a lame duck seems to suit Governor Paterson just fine; since he announced he wouldn't be running for re-election, Paterson has had a chance to allow his inner Groucho to run wild, whether he's poking fun at himself or appointing himself to the US Senate. The laugh fest continued yesterday at Rev. Al Sharpton's birthday party: he said that Sharpton was "doing for justice what Tiger Woods did for cocktail waitresses." Sharpton liked the flattery, but wasn't sure how Tiger would feel about it: "Don't worry governor, I got your back if Tiger comes to Harlem looking for you." more ›

Mayor Bloomberg didn't mince words on Friday when he discussed the Tea Party during a radio appearance, saying it was "not a political movement," and devoid of substance. But at least one prominent NY politician not named Carl Paladino disagrees with him: Gov. Paterson, who said some favorable words about the Tea Party over the weekend. more ›

Governor David Paterson was one of the many cameos on the 36th season premiere of Saturday Night Live. Former cast member Amy Poehler was the (terrific) host and her monologue included appearances from the four new cast members, Justin Timberlake, Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon. You can click through for more videos of segments, but, as we expected, the highlight for us was the meeting of the Governor Paterson played by Fred Armisen—who joked he felt "a little neglected" since he wasn't running for governor, "I haven't felt this left out since Avatar"—and the real Governor Paterson, who mocked SNL and Albany, "Working in Albany is just like watching Saturday Night Live. There are a lot of characters. It’s funny for ten minutes, and then you just want it to be over." Also, "You have poked so much fun at me for being governor, that I forgot that I was black." more ›

Saturday Night Live is opening its 36th season with alum Amy Poehler and too-hot-for-Sesame Street Katy Perry. But for us, as much as we love Poehler (Knope is dope!), the real reason to watch is because Governor Paterson will be appearing on a show that has relentlessly mocked his apparent incompetence, his drug use, his extramarital flings, his blindness, problems in his administration and much, much more. During his first appearance as Paterson, Fred Armisen said, "I'm a blind man who loves cocaine who was suddenly appointed governor of New York. My life is an actual plot from a Richard Pryor movie." more ›