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Gov. David Paterson Pulls Plug On Election Bid, But Won't Resign
A beleaguered Gov. Paterson has pulled the plug on his election bid, a source close to the governor said Friday.
He will announce the decision later Friday.
Paterson been under fire for contacting a woman who accused one of his top aides of domestic violence.
The source said the governor has agreed not to seek election, but he will not resign, opting to serve out the remainder of his term.
The decision clears the way for Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who is the favorite of many Democrats, to seek the nomination unimpeded.
Cuomo's office is investigating whether Paterson and the state police improperly contacted the woman, Sherr-una Booker, who made the allegations against his aide, David Johnson.
A day after speaking briefly with Paterson, Booker failed to show up for a court hearing against Johnson - and the matter was dropped.
Mayor Bloomberg Friday described Paterson's situation as "very sad."
And he added: "It's not good for the state to have the state government that isn't functioning as well as we need it to function in these very tough economic times."
Gov. Paterson's Aide Resigns Amid Domestic Violence Controversy
A top aide to Gov. Paterson abruptly quit Thursday over the mushrooming scandal involving the governor and State Police.
As she resigned, Public Safety Deputy Secretary Denise O'Donnell ripped the handling of a domestic violence allegation against Paterson aide David Johnson.
Paterson aides admit the governor spoke to Johnson's accuser a day before she was to appear in court earlier this month - and a member of the governor's police detail also met with the woman.
"These actions are unacceptable regardless of their intent," O'Donnell said in a statement.
"It is particularly distressing that this could happen in an administration that prides itself on its record of combating domestic violence."
O'Donnell charged that State Police Superintendent Harry Corbitt informed her in January that a senior administration staff member had been involved months earlier in a domestic incident.
Corbitt said there had been no arrest and that it was being handled by the NYPD - and O'Donnell said she asked if State Police were playing a role.
She said Corbitt assured her his agency was not involved and she only learned the truth after reports emerged Wednesday night.
"For these reasons, I am resigning" effective Thursday, she said.
A Paterson spokesman did not say whether the governor also knew about the Johnson incident in January.
State Police had no comment.
Johnson, whose ex-girlfriend has accused him of brutally assaulting her on Halloween, was suspended without pay pending an investigation by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
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Sources: NY Post, NY Daily News, Google Maps
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