Lawmakers of Governor David Paterson: Stay in Office
Get The Job Done And Carry Out Executive Duties

By Tony Best

Remain in office, get the job done as New York State’s chief executive and ignore any hysterical calls to resign.

That, in essence, is the advice which some federal, state and local government lawmakers and community leaders are offering to embattled Governor David Paterson who is facing unrelenting calls from many sections of the New York media to step down and hand over his duties to an un-elected lieutenant-Governor, Richard Ravitch.

As the demands rise in the face of allegations that Paterson may have inappropriately interfered in a domestic violence case involving a top aide, David Johnson and his girlfriend, U.S. Congressman Gregory Meeks, a Democrat of Queens and a former Albany lawmakers, has urged Paterson to remain in the executive mansion and carry out his duties as the state’s constitution requires.

“He is the Governor and should function in that office,” Meeks told the Carib News. “The state is facing a serious budget deficit of $8 billion and I have not seen any evidence which would indicate that he must step down. Governor Paterson has already announced that he dropping his re-election campaign and he should therefore concentrate on the issues before him.

He must stay and deal with the pressing crisis in the state. When we had a meeting on Saturday, it was unanimous that David (Paterson) should stay in office. I think that in the end he can get the job done and do it well.”

The meeting Meeks had in mind was a session in Harlem attended by several leaders, including elected officials. The Congressman termed the fiscal crisis as “unprecedented” and contended that Paterson was well-placed to grapple with it.

“It took a while for him to learn the situation and the budget process and he is the best person right now in Albany to sit down with the Senate and the Assembly to fashion an agreement,” Meek added. “With his decision not to seek-re-election, no one can claim that he is making decisions based on politics. He is in a position to make decisions utilizing his experience for the benefit of the state as a whole. He can help push forward the state in the right way.”

New York State Senator Kevin Parker agreed.

“He is the Governor and I don’t think he should give in to calls for his resignation,” the Brooklyn Democrat said. “He was elected as Lieutenant Governor and he moved up as Governor when the office became vacant. There isn’t any evidence to indicate that he has done anything inappropriate or illegal. He hasn’t be indicated, tried or convicted of any crime and we have a system of law which requires us to view anyone, including a Governor as innocent until proven guilty. Until that time comes, he should stay. He has made a decision to drop his re-election campaign and I respect that. Now he should be left to do his job.”

Parker was adamant that Paterson should remain deeply involved in trying to work out an agreement with the legislature to close the budget gap as required by law and, therefore, should ignore the calls for him to back and hand the negotiations over to Ravitch.

“He is the Governor and it would be inappropriate for him to hand over this responsibility to anyone,” added Parker.

“He should do what he has always done and that is to negotiate the budget.”

Assemblyman Nick Perry, an assistant speaker of the legislature shares that view.

“The calls for him to step down are premature and therefore shouldn’t be heeded,” Perry argued. “Finding a solution to the budget deficit is crucial and I don’t believe he can or should pass the responsibility to anyone to negotiate with the Senate and the Assembly. I don’t think he can pass the responsibility to anyone else in any appropriate way because ultimately he is the one who has to sign off on it the day when we enact the budget.

He is the ultimate authority. Certainly during the process the Governor may designate individuals with certain expertise in certain areas to deal with those sections of the budget that require expert knowledge so we can come up with a conclusion in the best interest of our state and the communities we serve. It is not unusual or unprecedented for others to be involved in certain areas of the negotiations on the budget.

“While the Governor isn’t required to sit at the table all of the time, the fact is he remains the final authority,” Perry added. “His judgment as to where, when and who handles certain areas that’s his choice. But it would be premature for him to accede to calls for resignation or to hand over the entire process to anyone. At the end of the day, no matter what, the Governor is going to have to be at the table.”

New York City councilmember Charles Barron who attended Saturday’s Harlem meeting described the session as “passionate” and insisted it was all about “communities and our people.”

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