OUR VIEW: Paterson owes full accounting in aide’s abuse

Editorials

March 3, 2010

Anonymous The Tonawanda News Wed Mar 03, 2010, 01:47 AM EST

Calls for Gov. David Paterson to resign are premature, but considering Paterson’s less-than-full accounting for his role in the scandal that chased him from the campaign, they’re hardly unexpected.

For weeks, rumors swirled about a blockbuster story that would surely force Paterson into a position like that of his predecessor Eliot Spitzer, who resigned after being caught in a prostitution sting.

To date, no hard proof has been proffered that Paterson has committed a crime. There is smoke, but so far no smoking gun in the case of a domestic dispute involving Paterson’s close aide and friend David Johnson.

Press accounts, primarily reporting by the New York Times, have brought to light a disturbing Halloween night incident between Johnson and his girlfriend. The woman, according to court records, accused Johnson of choking her and throwing her against a mirrored dresser. He took two phones away from her when she tried to call for help. A second woman witnessed the assault, according to Times reporters.

The woman sought to press charges against Johnson and, according to those same court records, she was harassed and threatened multiple times by members of the governor’s state police detail if she persisted. Eventually, she stopped pursuing the criminal complaint.

It remains unclear what if any knowledge Paterson had of the state police’s role or of the incident itself. The governor has said he believed the incident to have been heated, but not violent. He acknowledged speaking personally with the woman in question, offering his support as a friend.

To date, no one has proven the governor wrong. That’s not to say he hasn’t acted improperly, but at present he’s guilty of mishandling a sensitive situation involving a close friend. There exists no proof as yet that he ordered state officials to cover up that friend’s domestic abuse.

If Paterson is to serve out the remainder of his term with any sort of capability as an effective executive, he needs to offer a full and complete public accounting of what he knew, when he knew it and what he did about it. He should cooperate fully with an investigation by the state attorney general’s office (an investigation Paterson asked by convened). He should pledge to fire anyone who acted improperly and follow through on that promise when all the facts have been brought to light.

At least, that’s what a person who has nothing to hide should do.

Text Only

Editorials

OUR VIEW: Time is up for SPCA board
This is no time for subtleties or polite requests.

February 7, 2012
OUR VIEW: Now who’s waging class warfare?
It was absurd for Republicans to cast President Obama’s call for a slightly higher income tax rate on the wealthiest Americans as class warfare.

February 3, 2012
OUR VIEW: SPCA off to good start
We were pleased to see members of the SPCA of Niagara’s board of directors take swift action and fire Executive Director John Faso on Monday.

February 1, 2012
Progress on marina, new funds, laudable
City leaders deserve praise — praise we’re pleased to deliver after years of criticism — for finally cementing a plan for redeveloping the city marina on River Road, a property that has sadly fallen into disrepair following to years of false-starts and faltering leadership.

January 27, 2012
OUR VIEW: In address, Obama focused on the practical
We were pleased to see President Obama mark a return to focusing the government on simple, achievable goals to help create jobs and bolster the nation’s economy.

January 26, 2012
OUR VIEW: Romney’s wealth shines spotlight on tax equity
Though it may not prove politically expedient for Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, his decision to release his 2010 and anticipated 2011 tax returns will have at least one benefit, even if it wasn’t intended:

January 24, 2012
OUR VIEW: Cuomo pension plan makes sense
Cuomo proposed adding a 401(k) tier to the state’s pension plan. We’ll forgive workers in the private sector where plans of this nature are the accepted norm if they wonder why this would even be controversial.

January 18, 2012
OUR VIEW: Cuomo's plans are praiseworthy
In the annual state of the state address, Gov. Andrew Cuomo was long on big promises that will be a boon to New York’s government, business and education infrastructure. But as every New Yorker — particularly ones in this neck of the woods — knows, talk is cheap.

January 7, 2012
OUR VIEW: Do something about the SPCA
Although the dust still has to settle around the horrific complaints by a former employee of the Niagara County SPCA and others, we were discouraged to learn that the animal shelter is still struggling with a lack of leadership.

January 5, 2012
OUR VIEW: Time Warner skating on thin ice
In a high stakes game of chicken between cable network MSG and the region’s largest cable TV provider Time Warner Cable, the only people losing right now are hockey fans the region over.

January 3, 2012
More Editorials Headlines

Editorials

Search Results

OUR VIEW: Paterson owes full accounting in aide’s abuse

Site Map

Contact Us