New York, NY —

The political fallout continues from the news report that Gov. David Paterson and state police had contact with a woman while she was pursuing domestic violence charges against a top aide.

Paterson's public safety chief, Denise O'Donnell, has resigned, calling such contact "unacceptable" and saying the state police superintendent previously assured her his agency was not involved.

And there have been several calls for Paterson not to run for election this year, including from one of his most ardent supporters.

State Sen. Bill Perkins holds the Harlem seat Paterson once held. He says the challenges Paterson faces "are crippling in terms of his ability to successfully, I believe, run a campaign, without the distractions of the kinds of allegations that have been recently reported."

Long Island Congressman Steve Israel says he told the governor that he "should not seek election and should announce it soon." Israel declined to say what Paterson's response was. A Paterson spokesman declined comment.

Israel was one of the top contenders to fill Hillary Clinton's former Senate seat, to which Paterson eventually appointed Kirsten Gillibrand.

A New York Times report this morning raised questions about whether Paterson's administration pressured a woman to drop a criminal complaint against close Paterson aide David Johnson.

Sonia Ossorio, the Executive director of the local chapter of the National Organization for Women, says this allegation has some serious implications.

"If its true that the government tried to dissuade a victim of abuse from pursuing protection and justice that's a reason for great concern," she says.

Paterson has suspended Johnson without pay and asked Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to investigate.

The Reverend Al Sharpton, also a longtime Paterson ally, has called a meeting of black elected officials for Saturday, a day before Paterson is scheduled to hold a Harlem campaign rally.