Talk Bronx New York

Embattled Gov. Paterson speaks to reporters on Thursday.

ALBANY - It’s another black eye for the state police.

A Bronx woman’s claim that state troopers pressed her to abandon a domestic violence complaint against a top aide to Gov. Paterson is just the latest allegation the department is doing political dirty work.

“This is just despicable,” said state Sen. Eric Schneiderman (D-Manhattan), one of several lawmakers to express outrage over the new allegation.

“I am unaware of any law or policy in the state of New York that authorizes this sort of conduct by the state police,” Schneiderman said.

It’s not the first time the state police has been accused of flexing its muscles inappropriately.

Back in the summer 2007, in a scandal that would come to be known as Troopergate, then-Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno accused former Gov. Eliot Spitzer of using troopers to spy on him.

The ensuing investigation got so heated that a former state police inspector who once headed the governor’s personal security detail, Gary Berwick, committed suicide at his home in Orange County in May 2008.

Around that time, Paterson nominated Harry Corbitt, 62, to run the state police and clean up the department.

Now Corbitt admits that one of his troopers directly confronted Sherr-una Booker, who had filed abuse charges against Paterson aide David Johnson, even though the agency had no legal authority over the case. Read more..

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 Bronx Dems Raise Money For Senate Takeover

Bronx Democratic Chairman Jose Rivera is hosting a “Take Back the Senate” fundraiser next Friday at the Seashore Restaurant, a $400-a-head event at which both Gov. David Paterson and Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith will be “distinguished guests.”

I believe this is the first such event that Paterson will attend since his March 17 swearing in.

Given the tenuousness of the situation at the Capitol (budget deadlines, scandals etc.) the new governor has studiously avoided discussing whether he will pursue a Democratic majority in the Senate as aggressively as his predecessor, Eliot Spitzer.

The budget should be done by next Friday, but the legislative session won’t be over. Nevertheless, Paterson evidently feels it should be safe by then to attend an event that might upset the delicate balance of his relationship with Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.

Spitzer, of course, made ousting the Senate Republicans from power a priority in 2006 when he campaigned on behalf of Democratic candidates, and then continued that quest once he took office (7th and 48th SD special elections, Troopergate etc.) at the expense of his legislative and reform agendas.

When questioned on this topic, Paterson has repeatedly noted that during his tenure as minority leader he took four seats from the Republicans - three in one year (2004) - and brought the Democrats within spitting distance of taking over the chamber, while also maintaining his cordial relationship with Bruno.

SOURCE: NYDailyNews.com

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