Hot Seat

Paterson Wrote Vindication Letter for Aide

NY guv becomes further entangled in controversy.

Just when Gov. David Paterson finally seems to have escaped hot water, he dives right back in. The Times reports the New York governor allegedly helped draft a statement with the intention of having a woman involved in a domestic dispute with one of his top aides endorse it. The letter used language suggesting there had been no violence in order to clear the top aide of any stigma and was sent to the woman, Sherr-una Booker, via a mutual friend of Paterson's, but was refused. According to two sources, Booker did not sign the document, telling the friend she would not endorse "a lie." Paterson's involvement in the case, including multiple phone calls to the victim of the alleged domestic abuse, is now under criminal investigation, although the governor insists he has done nothing improper.