Governor Claims Ignorance on Carpetgate

A spokeswoman for Governor Paterson revealed that the governor only yesterday learned of the high price tag antique rugs bought for the Executive Mansion over the summer. His administration also denied all requests from the press to see the rug, that now has been revealed to be one of five purchased--for a total of just under $38,000. Assemblyman James Tedisco has already called on the governor to return the expensive carpeting. But once again the Office of General Services was defending the purchase saying, "We have to keep that mansion in the kind of condition it's in because it's a treasure to the public." And the general manager at Stark Carpeting, where the first rug was discovered to have been bought for over $20,000 defended the governor for actually being a spendthrift by not purchasing a $150,000 carpet, "They could have had the Bentley instead of the Ford."