Cuomo Declines To Take Case
Gov. David Paterson has hired a team of private attorneys to handle his legal case over his appointment of a lieutenant governor after Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the state’s top lawyer, refused to take the case, Paterson’s lawyers said.
Stanford Law Professor Kathleen Sullivan, who is Paterson’s lead counsel, said Cuomo was asked to represent Paterson but declined after Cuomo earlier this week said Paterson doesn’t have the legal authority to make the appointment.
So it will cost taxpayers for Paterson to hire outside counsel. Reporters asked about the cost, but there was no immediate figures.
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if cuomo turns out to be incorrect, he will be viewed
as taking a legal position solely to enhance his
chance to be governor..ie for poltical not legal reasons
and that will undermine his credibility
Is he so worried that Ravitch, or some lesser hack appointed to that ceremonial position, will become so wildly popular as to carry Paterson along on his coattails for the Democratic nomination? Unlikely. As has been said before on this forum, if this action were palpably legal, it would have been accomplished long, long ago. That it will be challenged in the courts is proper in that it is the only way to clarify the issue so legal precedent can be set for future administrations and the legality or limits of political finagling.