Gov. Paterson Forced Out By Dirty Dems & Racism, Back Stabbers!

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Joins Chorus Of Demands For Gov. Paterson's Resignation


A besieged Gov. Paterson retreated into bunker-mode Tuesday, holing up in his mansion as demands he resign rained down - even from his hand-picked senator.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand lowered the boom as the exploding scandal claimed another scalp: State Police Superintendent Harry Corbitt said he'll retire at the end of Wednesday.

"I'm a cop, a good cop," Corbitt told the "Capitol Tonight" cable show last night. "For my own health, for my own sanity, it's the right thing."

The most shocking evidence of Paterson's crumbling world came from Gillibrand, a little-known upstate congresswoman before Paterson plucked her from obscurity last year to fill Hillary Clinton's vacant seat.

Gillibrand joined a chorus of others in calling on Paterson to resign if allegations he interfered with a domestic violence case against his top aide, David Johnson, prove true.

Paterson had a phone conversation with Johnson's alleged victim, Sherr-una Booker, on Feb. 7 - and the next day she didn't show up in court, prompting a judge to toss the case.

Corbitt's troopers also talked with Booker, who accused the lawmen of "harassing" her.

"Domestic violence and abuse of power have no place in our society," Gillibrand told NY1 News, "and certainly no place in our government."



The fall-out followed a day during which Paterson stayed mostly locked up in his mansion, wobbling between anger, determination and despair, insiders said, as a parade of Democratic leaders came and went.

Those who emerged pleaded that Paterson be given some time as Attorney General Andrew Cuomo investigates the mess.

"I made that point... that there shouldn't be any other shoes to drop. The sense that I got from him is that there would not be" a hopeful Democratic State Committee chair Jay Jacobs as he left.

"Let's all pipe down, sit back, let the governor get his story out," he added.

Where and when Paterson planned to tell his story remained unclear.

But a source close to him told The News that Paterson hired a lawyer, and that he was looking forward to telling his side in the coming days.

The source said Paterson would argue that Booker called him, and his intent was only to help her fend off reporters and to offer his aid - which he had given when she previously battled cancer, a source said.

"His motivation was not to involve himself in the domestic abuse case," said the source. "He believes his motivations were pure."

Paterson's reputation was in such tatters that even ex-Sen. Hiram Monserrate - ousted by colleagues for assaulting his girlfriend - expressed pity.

"My prayers are with the governor," Monserrate said.

He emerged from his private fortress around 4 p.m. and headed into a meeting at the Capitol, pausing only to say he had no plans to step down and that he'll have something to say "soon."

He is expected to convene a Cabinet meeting Wednesday at 11 a.m.

The summit comes amid reports that Paterson placed himself and numerous aides at the center of the ugly domestic violence case against Johnson, the legally blind governor's right-hand man.



By Tuesday, Paterson's staff was so fed up, they told the governor they wouldn't put out any statements on the matter - saying it should all come from his lawyers.

Cuomo, at a fund-raising event last night, said the governor's office has been "fully cooperative."

"We understand the pressures," Cuomo said.

Meanwhile, the political firestorm spread to the state's powerful National Organization for Women, which joined Gillibrand and GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio in calling for Paterson's resignation if the probe uncovers wrongdoing.

Paterson still had his defenders.

Everyone who traipsed out of the governor's mansion - a parade that included Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver; Senators Pedro Espada, Ruben Diaz Sr., and Martin Dilan; and Assembly members Jose Rivera, Peter Rivera, and Carmen Arroyo - said Paterson should hang on, for now.

"I do not feel that he should resign," Silver said.

Others insisted that with a $9 billion deficit hanging over the state and only a few weeks to come up with a budget, Paterson was quickly running out of time.

Said one top Senate official: "We can't get a budget done if he's not going to come out of his chicken coop."




Paterson's Silver lining: Embattled Gov. Gets Much Needed Endorsement From NY Assembly Speaker


Gov. Paterson got some heavyweight support Tuesday from Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who emerged from a high-stakes lunch with the embattled governor to say Paterson should keep his job.

"I do not feel he should resign," Silver told reporters as he left the Executive Mansion around 1 p.m.

Silver's defense came as Paterson's political life hung in the balance, with even some of his closest supporters calling on him to resign.

At the same time, the state's Democratic Party chair was on his way to Albany for a "realistic" chat.

Amid shocking reports suggesting Paterson personally ordered aides to contact a domestic violence victim who was pointing the finger at his right-hand man, the National Organization for Women called on Paterson to quit.

"It is inappropriate for the Governor to have any contact or to direct anyone to contact an alleged victim of violence," said NOW-NYS President Marcia Pappas, whose group has long supported Paterson.

Pappas concluded: "We at the National Organization for Women-New York State believe that, in spite of the governor's heretofore excellent record on women's issues, it is now time for the governor to step down."

At the same time, New York State Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs was on his way to Albany Tuesday in hopes of meeting with the governor.

Jacob's planned sit-down comes as new reports claimed Paterson ordered his press secretary, Marissa Shorenstein, to contact domestic violence victim Sherr-una Booker, who had accused top Paterson aide David Johnson of beating her up on Halloween night last year.

Paterson also directed another state worker, Deneane Brown, to reach out to Booker, who was already being pressured by members of Paterson's State Police detail to drop her complaint, records show.

Shorenstein never made contact, but Brown did - and she set up a Booker-Paterson phone chat on Feb. 7.

The next day, Booker failed to show up in court and her complaint against Johnson was dismissed.

"Suffice it to say, I think the report in this morning papers is damaging," Jacobs told The News Tuesday morning. "I think it's significant. I think it has to be addressed. That's why I'm looking to meet with the governor who I consider a friend."

He added: "The conversation will be very straightforward and realistic."

Jacobs stopped short of saying whether he would ask the governor to resign, but he used a similar language last week when he met with Paterson to discuss his electoral chances. It was at that meeting that Paterson decided to pull the plug on his campaign.

NOW's call for Paterson's resignation added to an already growing chorus that the politically scorched governor find the nearest exit and hand over the Capitol keys to Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch.

But if Paterson was planning to throw in the towel, he wasn't giving any clues.

One source close to the administration said the governor was digging in his heels, but cautioned, "Everything changes quickly around here, but as of right now, no."

"What's tomorrow's story going to say?" the source asked.

So far, the source said, Paterson's staff has managed to stay focused on their jobs, but he admitted that the scandal has been a distraction.

"I think they are focused on doing their jobs and just being professional about this," he said.

Ravitch gave a flat out "No" Tuesday when asked if he was making plans to become governor.

He said he had a "very pleasant" dinner with Paterson at the Executive Mansion on Monday night, but he insisted there was no talk of resignation.

"I hope very much that he does not resign and that's all I am going to say at this point," Ravitch told reporters.

Ravitch pleaded with the media to begin focusing instead on the state's budget crisis, which he said should command the person of "every responsible person" in the state.

"We have never faced anything like this before," he said of the state's yawning budget deficit, which now tops $9 billion. "We're in a perfect storm and everybody's attention should be on that."

"It's very sad that all this other stuff takes place but I don't have the time to focus on that."


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