Politics on the Hudson

Gov. David Paterson sought today to try to restore some normalcy to this administration, holding a town hall meeting in Brooklyn on the budget and speaking to supporters in Albany on his proposal to tax sugary drinks.

Then he answered questions from reporters near his second floor offices, saying he would like to speak more openly about the investigation into his alleged involvement in a domestic-violence case involving aide David Johnson.

But he said he can’t because the investigation is ongoing.

“I think that people are thinking politically when this is an investigation that I called for and I thought I called for the fairest investigation possible,” he said. “Most prosecutors or any investigators will tell you if one witness starts speaking publicly, then all the other witnesses here that and it taints the investigation automatically.”

Paterson said he has faith in Attorney General Andrew Cuomo conducting the investigation, even as Cuomo plans to run for governor—something Paterson last month decided not to do.

“We did not want the State Police to conduct the investigation. We went to Attorney General Cuomo. He weighed the situation and chose to take the case, and I think that as he has done for the last three and half years, he will put the public interest in front of any other agendas,” Paterson said.

He was also asked whether he took issue with Cuomo meeting Friday with Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch. He said he didn’t.

“I’m fine with that,” Paterson said. “I’ll leave to the two of them what the meeting was about, but I know what the meeting was about.”

|  Email This