NY gov: I revealed affairs over fear of rogue state police...

[Cooley Hurd]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2008/05/ny_gov_i_revealed_affairs_over.php

MICHAEL GORMLEY
AP News

May 02, 2008 19:17 EST

Gov. David Paterson said Friday that he revealed his past marital affairs once he took office in part because he had heard that a rogue group of state police was investigating politicians.

Paterson said that he had no proof, but that "over 10" lawmakers from both parties statewide told him about traffic stops and leaks by police to news organizations about brushes with the law.

"I don't know that that's actually the case. These are things that are said to me," the Democrat told reporters after his initial comments on a radio show earlier in the day.

"That was also on my mind when I made my own personal revelations," Paterson told WFAN-AM sports radio in Manhattan. "There was obviously an element in the police force and it wasn't Republican or Democrat, it was just out-of-control people who had power that were clearly monitoring a lot of the elected officials, and I was kind of afraid of leaks of inaccurate information about something, and that was another thing that pushed me to speak."

and...

But on Friday, Paterson said he also knew about the supposed rogue troopers. Paterson has requested an investigation by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo on whether state police were keeping tabs on elected officials.

"He found enough unusual circumstances to look into it," Paterson said.

State police spokesman Lt. Glenn Miner said Friday state police would cooperate fully.

[Cooley Hurd]

1. Kick - this is frightening that elements of the NYSP are doing this!

[ThomWV]

2. God dam those police, how dare they investigate criminal activity.

If they have reason to believe that politicians are breaking laws would we want them to stick their heads in the sand because politicians are above the law?

[fasttense]

3. I didn't know marital affairs were now illegal? n/t

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Well, at least we know Gov. Paterson

won't be involved in any traffic stops where he is the driver. But from what he said, it seems that there are cops out there really trying to find stuff with which to blackmail politicians. At least that's my take.