Paterson Denies Any Wrongdoing
New York, NY —
Even as he faces mounting questions about his conduct, Gov. David Paterson insists he's done nothing wrong--and that he can continue to govern New York.
"I at all times upheld the oath of my office, and never, at any point, attempted to influence or coerce anyone to do anything that they didn't want to do," Paterson told reporters Wednesday during a break in his leaders meeting in Albany.
The governor says he won't provide details until after he's spoken to Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's investigators. They're looking into allegations that the governor and state police contacted a woman who made a domestic violence claim against one of his close aides.
"The last thing I want to do is to offend the attorney general's office and the investigators," Paterson said, "the reason being that I feel that when the facts are displayed and the truth comes out, that I'll be vindicated."The governor also says he'll challenge a decision from the State Commission on Public Integrity, which says Paterson violated ethics laws by accepting free tickets to a Yankees World Series game.
