By Karen DeWitt
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wrvo/local-wrvo-889629.mp3
Albany, NY – Governor David Paterson was back to state business on Monday as he
tried to ignore two scandals and calls for his resignation. The
governor held a number of official events, including a town hall
meeting and a forum promoting the soda tax, but the controversies
continued to overshadow other topics.
Governor Paterson held a town hall meeting in Brooklyn on the state
budget, then attended a forum in Albany to promote his proposed tax
on sugared soft drinks.
"It's a win because taxing this product will drive down consumption,"
said Paterson, who maintains drinking soda leads to childhood
obesity, diabetes and other diseases.
At each event, Paterson was pursued by a throng of media, seeking
comment on two controversies that the governor is facing. One
involves an alleged cover up of a domestic violence incident
concerning a top aid. In the other, a state ethics panel charges that
Paterson illegally took free tickets to a Yankees World Series game,
then lied about it. Paterson has hired a private criminal defense
lawyer, and he says he can't talk about the incidents because there
are on going probes.
"If one witness starts speaking publicly, then all the other
witnesses hear it," said Paterson. "Which taints the investigation."
The governor's refusal so far to tell his side of the story in both
incidents has annoyed other top state Democrats, including Assembly
Speaker Sheldon Silver, who continues to say that Paterson must clear
the air.
"I haven't change my mind," said Silver. "The issues have to be
addressed, and I think he should be addressing them".
The Speaker says that despite an atmosphere of uncertainty that has
all but paralyzed the Capitol in recent days, he believes he can work
with the governor and pass a budget by the April 1 deadline.
Governor Paterson also met with New York City Archbishop Timothy
Dolan, and other Catholic bishops from around the state. Dolan says
he told him the bishops assured him of "our prayer in a very
difficult moment". Dolan says the governor thanked him.
"He said your prayers and your solidarity are highly appreciated,"
Dolan said.
The archbishop said that despite the distractions, the governor
seemed intently focused on the budget during their meeting, which
lasted over an hour.
Paterson's determination to keep his job, for now, is supported by
most New Yorkers asked in a Siena College poll. Siena's Steve
Greenberg says while the governor's job performance ratings are the
lowest ever, just 19% think he's doing a good job, 55% want to see
Paterson finish out the remaining 10 months of his term.
"I think there's bit of the devil you know versus the devil you don't
know," said Greenberg.
If Paterson did resign, Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch would
become governor. Most of the public has never heard of Ravitch.
Though he's is well known and respected in political circles for his
work on the 1970's fiscal crisis, and his tenure as Chair of the MTA.
Governor Paterson is not the only New York politician facing negative
attention. Two members of Congress, Charlie Rangel and Eric Massa
have been embroiled in scandals. Massa resigned Monday. The Siena
poll found that the cumulative scandals have led 54% of state
residents to say that they are embarrassed to call themselves New
Yorkers.