TV Station Claims NY's Paterson Under Investigation
The report by WPIX, which did not name any sources, said a U.S. attorney was probing Paterson's motivation in awarding the contract to the Aqueduct Entertainment Group.
Former New York congressman, Rev. Floyd Flake, who remains a prominent African American political figure in the state, and whose support Paterson has actively sought in his re-election bid to the governorship, is connected to the Aqueduct consortium.
WPIX said at the bottom of their article that Paterson's office told them they were unaware of any investigation by the U.S. attorney's office.
According to a report by Bloomberg's BusinessWeek, Paterson said on Feb. 4 that a meeting he held with Flake last week was unrelated to the business consortium's selection for the gaming center contract.
Paterson said the meeting, during which he asked Flake for his political support in the governor's race, was postponed for six months while the gaming bids were considered, according to the BusinessWeek report.
"I told him I couldn't meet him at all until the process was over," BusinessWeek cited Paterson as saying.
The WPIX claim of an investigation came hours after Paterson lashed out at rumors flying around New York that an expected New York Times report was going to publicize alleged adultery and drug use by the governor, and prompt him to resign.
A defiant Paterson told reporters Tuesday afternoon that he would not be resigning, or dropping out of the governor's race.
"The only way I'm not going to be Governor next year is at the ballot box, and the only way I'll be leaving office before is in a box," Paterson said.
"I have not had any conversations about resigning, because I don't know why I would be resigning," Paterson added. "There hasn't been one shred of evidence that any of these charges being made against me are true."