Of the 99 donors listed on David Paterson’s birthday fund-raising committee, 57 did not contribute toward the governor’s re-election this reporting cycle, eight contributed to both Paterson and his rival-in-waiting Andrew Cuomo, and nine gave only to Cuomo, a review of recent campaign filings shows. “There’s no bias. Everybody gets equal attention; I support all Read More
ALBANY—David Paterson said that if the courts don't uphold the constitutionality of his appointment of Richard Ravitch as lieutenant governor, he'll introduce a bill making it legal. State Senator Joe Griffo, a Utica Republican, had this message for the governor: "He should get behind my bill!" Griffo told me by phone yesterday. He has legislation Read More
ALBANY—David Paterson's lawyers are indeed appealing a decision issued Tuesday night by William LaMarca which enjoined Richard Ravitch from acting as lieutenant governor. The 10-page memorandum the governor's lawyers filed in support of the appeal is above. This line of logic, which echoes what Paterson told me Sunday, jumped out: "Moreover, although the stalemate has Read More
ALBANY—David Paterson's lawyers are indeed appealing a decision issued Tuesday night by William LaMarca which enjoined Richard Ravitch from acting as lieutenant governor. The 10-page memorandum the governor's lawyers filed in support of the appeal is above. This line of logic, which echoes what Paterson told me Sunday, jumped out: "Moreover, although the stalemate has Read More
ALBANY—David Paterson announced he has vetoed 14 bills, claiming savings to the state of $5.7 million. Earlier this year, angry at legislators for not introducing his legislation to enact a spending cap, Paterson threatened to veto bills that spent money. Here's a list from the governor's office of his latest victims: A.1800/S.2210, which could have Read More
ALBANY—Buried in his 20-page decision enjoining Richard Ravitch from acting as lieutenant governor, Supreme Court Justice William LaMarca addressed an argument by David Paterson's attorneys that only Andrew Cuomo, as attorney general, had standing to sue over the governor's appointment of Ravitch. In LaMarca's view, at least one avenue to Cuomo's involvement is closed. Executive Read More
ALBANY—Buried in his 20-page decision enjoining Richard Ravitch from acting as lieutenant governor, Supreme Court Justice William LaMarca addressed an argument by David Paterson's attorneys that only Andrew Cuomo, as attorney general, had standing to sue over the governor's appointment of Ravitch. In LaMarca's view, at least one avenue to Cuomo's involvement is closed. Executive Read More
ALBANY—Supreme Court Justice William LaMarca issued a ruling Tuesday night that prevents Richard Ravitch from serving as lieutenant governor, at least until a higher court hears the case. "The court concludes that plaintiffs have established a likelihood of success on the merits for their claim that neither the constitution nor legislative enactment authorized the governor Read More
ALBANY—Supreme Court Justice William LaMarca issued a ruling Tuesday night that prevents Richard Ravitch from serving as lieutenant governor, at least until a higher court hears the case. "The court concludes that plaintiffs have established a likelihood of success on the merits for their claim that neither the constitution nor legislative enactment authorized the governor Read More
ALBANY--David Paterson named Richard Ravitch his lieutenant governor to solve a leadership dispute in the State Senate. But he’s hoping for a lot more. “The lieutenant governor, like a vice president, is an extension of the governor,” Mr. Paterson told the Observer. “I would think that because of his acumen on subjects and his well-tested Read More
ALBANY—The Commission on Judicial Nomination has posted a new set of criteria for selecting potential candidates, including a specific declaration of the benefits of diversity. These new rules come after a tiff earlier this year that the Commission's slate of potential candidates--from which the governor is legally obliged to select judges for the Court of Read More
ALBANY—A law professor said Andrew Cuomo had "the constitutional obligation to say something" about the appointment of Richard Ravitch as lieutenant governor, a move which is currently undergoing judicial review. "He immediately had to look at this and see if he could constitutionally defend the governor," Michael Hutter, a professor at Albany Law School, told Read More
ALBANY—David Paterson's poll numbers have climbed slightly, for the second month in a row, as voters surveyed in a poll released today perceive him as having acted appropriately during the month-long State Senate squabble. Thirty-six percent of the 623 registered voters surveyed by the Siena Research Institute have a favorable impression of Paterson, up five Read More
ALBANY—Not only have Democrats in the State Senate turned their back on Michael Bloomberg's vision of school governance legislation, they're mooning him. Senators will act on a bill—called the "Better Schools Act"—that is stridently opposed by the mayor because it dilutes his influence over the school system by eliminating his ability to appoint a majority Read More
ALBANY—Lawyers argued for over two hours in Mineola over the legality of David Paterson's appointment of Richard Ravitch as lieutenant governor, with the judge saying things would be decided "expeditiously," a lawyer involved in the case said. "It took a good two and a half hours plus," said John Ciampoli, an attorney representing Senate Republican Read More
