Worse Weeks Ahead? Paterson Faces Legal Minefield

Speculation rampant over potential obstruction charges

Believe it. The next few weeks could be the most dangerous yet for scandal-plagued Gov. David Paterson, legal experts say.

There has been a whirlwind of speculation that either Paterson, his staff or state police officials could face charges of obstructing justice over their handling of a domestic violence case involving one of the governor's aides.

But ultimately, the greater legal hazard to Paterson and members of his team may be the temptation to be less than truthful with investigators from the state attorney general's office now inquiring about the matter.

"That is the number one concern,'' said former Albany County prosecutor Paul DerOhannesian.

"The attorney general is interviewing people under oath,'' he said. If subjects of the inquiry lie about anything, even minor details, they could face a perjury charge, he said.

Veteran Bronx defense attorney Murray Richman said if he were advising the governor in the case, he would tell him to invoke the Fifth Amendment and not answer any questions.

"They are going to get someone in a lie, and it's going to come back and bite someone,'' he predicted Friday.

Paterson has maintained he has done nothing wrong and said he will cooperate with the inquiry, which he claims will clear his name in the scandals threatening his administration.

Meanwhile, the increasingly isolated governor has no intention of stepping down.

"I don't have any plans to resign," he said at an impromptu Q&A on the sidewalk in front of his midtown offices yesterday. "I am working on the business of the people of New York state, the most urgent of which is a budget, that's deficit ... at a certain point I will cooperate with the investigations and will be clearing my name."

Paterson says he'll speak with the attorney general's office and the Public Integrity Commission to present his side of the story. He hasn't commented on the abrupt resignation of Communications Director Peter Kauffmann, who became the latest high-profile member of Paterson's rapidly shrinking administration to step aside.

Paterson advisers disagree over what the impact will be of Thursday night's meeting in Harlem, where prominent black leaders met to discuss their stance on the governor's future. After the meeting, Rev. Al Sharpton expressed a tentative vote of confidence by the group of mostly black leaders at Sylvia's restaurant -- and the governor's administration grasped at the lifeline.

Determined to silence rumors of an impending resignation, Paterson's staff have already plotted out busy public schedules for him next week, including a Town Hall meeting on Monday in Brooklyn -- ostensibly, to discuss the budget.

Despite the public facade, however, some believe the Harlem group and others have intentionally supported Paterson so that he could appear to be making a decision to step down on his own. 

"The one thing you don't want to do with this guy is back him up against a wall," said one powerful Paterson adviser.  "The fact that this group felt it was necessary to come together for another meeting at Sylvia's sent David the message and he understands how tenuous this is."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us