When Governor Paterson wanted to keep the free-Yankee-tickets story from becoming a big scandal, he lied under oath about it, according to the Public Integrity Commission, and in doing so, made it a big scandal. When he didn’t want trouble for himself and his top aide, David Johnson, over Johnson’s alleged assault of his girlfriend, Paterson, according to the famous Times bombshell, spoke directly to Sherr-una Booker (who then failed to show up to court the next day), and in doing so, got himself in big trouble. Both times, his cover-up backfired on him by making the situation he sought to mitigate even worse for himself. But this morning, we learned just how bad at cover-ups Paterson really is.
In a radio interview, Paterson revealed that he was the one who told the Times about his phone call to Booker. “I don’t want to go into it, but the person who informed others that there was such a conversation was me,” Paterson said.
“That’s all I’m going to say about it. It’s not my surmise. It’s an actual fact. But the individual who first made it clear that there had been a conversation was myself.”
There’s obviously more to this story, and we’re sure we’ll find everything out in time, although maybe not until Judith Kaye’s investigation is completed. But seriously, rule No. 1 of cover-ups has to be “Don’t tell the media about your cover-up.”
Paterson: I Am My Own Leaker » [Daily Politics/NYDN]
