New York taxpayers are on the hook for $1 million to a law firm that represented Gov. David Paterson in his fight to appoint a lieutenant governor.
Paterson spokesman Peter Kauffmann says the fee for top constitutional attorney Kathleen Sullivan's firm was "a necessary aspect" in clarifying the line of succession to the governor and resolving this summer's chaos in the Senate, where the lieutenant governor normally presides.
Sullivan argued at the Court of Appeals that state law allowed the governor to fill vacancies, including Paterson's July 8 appointment of Richard Ravitch. The court agreed 4-3.
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo normally defends state officials, but the suit was brought by Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos.
The governor had tapped Ravitch for the post on July 8th to break up a Senate leadership logjam during the Republican coup that stalled the legislature.
Senate Republicans had said Paterson's appointment of Ravitch was unconstitutional. Lawyers for the Democratic governor argued that state law allowed Paterson to fill the post until the next election.
