By WBFO News
Albany, NY – Published reports indicate Governor David Paterson did in fact have a role in pressuring a woman to downplay an alleged domestic violence incident involving one of his top aides. Paterson earlier said he had no knowledge of such attempts. According to reports in the Buffalo News and New York Times,, Paterson asked two state officials, including his press secretary to reach out to the woman. The aide, David Johnson, was suspended last week.
On Monday, Paterson said he still has the authority to govern and that's what he'll do. At a forum in Manhattan, Paterson repeated that he plans to serve the last 300 or so days of his term.
"I'm the governor," he told a panel at the New York Observer Breakfast Series event in Manhattan. "That's why you invited me."
When asked whether his resignation was off the table, Paterson said, "I would think it's off the table. I don't even know why it's on the table. I have the authority to govern."
Paterson said there are plenty of governors who have accomplished a lot in their last year in office. He said abandoning his campaign frees him to govern and address a deficit of more than $8 billion in the upcoming state budget.