Former Governor David Paterson, who took the state’s top executive post after Eliot Spitzer suddenly resigned amid a prostitution scandal, says he might not be done with politics just yet.
“I love public service. I love the people who do it,” Mr. Paterson answered this morning when asked whether he’d run for veteran Congressman Charlie Rangel’s seat if the incumbent retired. “I would listen to people.” Read More
Former Governor David Paterson’s time hosting his two-hour daily radio show has officially come to an abrupt end.
Earlier today, FishbowlNY reported a “bloodbath” of layoffs at WOR News Talk Radio, one of which was New York’s accidental governor, who surprisingly assumed office in 2008 after Governor Eliot Spitzer’s infamous hooker-induced resignation. Read More
CHARLOTTE, NC — Politicker ran into former Governor David Paterson while he was working the room inside the CNN Grill at the DNC Wednesday and we asked him about all of the drama that surrounded the New York delegation at the convention. Mr. Paterson heaped praise upon Mr. Cuomo and the delegation’s leader, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, and he had harsh words for one of their critics,bat-wielding 2010 Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino.
“Carl Paladino should take that bat and hit himself in the head with it, it would do us all a favor,” said Mr. Paterson. Read More
Harlem restaurateur Sylvia Woods was a legendary chef, but she was also a key figure in the Uptown political scene. At her funeral service at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon today, many of the high-powered regulars from Woods’ eponymous restaurant showed up to share their remembrances and pay tribute to Woods as a pioneering African-American businesswoman, an ally in the civil rights struggle and, of course, a superb chef.
“Every protest, every movement, every plan, every law started with a breakfast, or lunch or a dinner at Sylvia’s,” former Governor David Paterson explained. Read More
Ron Kim, a former staffer for two governors of New York and candidate for the State Assembly in Queens, has just been endorsed by one of his former bosses: Governor David Paterson. The endorsement is somewhat unique as Mr. Paterson doesn’t normally give them out. Indeed, after a press conference in April, he told us that his current status as a radio show host precluded him from weighing in on political races like the one between Congressman Charlie Rangel and State Senator Adriano Espaillat.
“Ron Kim represents all that is possible in this great country,” Mr. Paterson said in a release this afternoon. “After excelling as a student here in New York City, Ron went on to work at the highest levels of New York City, and New York State government. Ron’s experience in New York government puts him in a strong position to best represent his district in the Assembly. I am endorsing him today because he understands what it will take to deliver jobs and opportunities for Queens.”
Former Governor David Paterson, who comes from the same Harlem political machine as Congressman Charlie Rangel, may think Mr. Rangel will fend off State Senator Adriano Espaillat’s challenge this year, but he told The Politicker today that Mr. Espaillat will eventually make it to Washington D.C.
“Even with the huge population, we do not have a Dominican member of the House of Representatives, and one day I think Senator Espaillat will be that person,” he said when asked about the campaign after his press conference on taxi payment accessibility. “In this particular race, we’ll have to let the voters decide.” Read More
BuzzFeed recently reported on the existence of a file prepared by Governor Cuomo’s staff on Capital Tonight blogger Liz Benjamin, which generated much discussion and amusement among New York’s political reporters. While Mr. Cuomo’s staff has insisted there is nothing unusual about the report, which was created to discuss with senior executives at Capital Tonight‘s parent company, Mr. Cuomo’s predecessor, former Governor David Paterson, told The Politicker he didn’t keep such files on reporters.
“No I didn’t have any files,” Mr. Paterson said when asked about BuzzFeed’s report after his press conference on taxi accessibility earlier today. “They had them on me!” Read More
Openly gay Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, who introduced five bills to legalize same sex marriage over the past four years, is marrying his partner of more than three decades now that the state passed the marriage equality law in June.
Assemblyman O’Donnell announced his impending nuptials on former Governor David Paterson’s talk radio show yesterday. “I’m here on your radio show today to announce that I’m getting married. John and I have decided to get married, we’ve been together for 31 years and our wedding will be on January 29th at Guastavino’s on the East Side of Manhattan, which is a beautiful, beautiful locale,” said Assemblyman O’Donnell. Read More
Former New York Governor David Paterson appeared on “Real Time With Bill Maher” last night and he explained why he doesn’t think Occupy Wall Street should be easily dismissed. Read More
Gov. David Paterson made an appearance at Zuccotti Park yesterday–the highest ranking, if not the first elected official to do so, and implied that the demonstrators taking part in the Occupy Wall Street protests were better organized than legislators up in Albany
“Very well-organized,” he told amNewYork’s Marc Beja. ”And they said they balanced Read More
