Updated 02/17/2010 09:17 AM
New York Times releases much-anticipated article
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NEW YORK STATE -- The New York Times has released what appears to be its long-rumored
article that could prove to be an embarrassment to Governor Paterson.
The paper reports that a senior administration official and the governor's closest confidant has a criminal past that includes alleged violence toward women.
The paper says David Johnson, 37, often seen at the governor's side, was arrested twice on felony drug charges as a teenager and again for misdemeanor assault in the 1990s. The Times said on three occasions, Johnson was involved in disputes with women, two of which led to calls to police, including one this past October. A source tells the paper Johnson punched a girlfriend outside Paterson's state Senate office in 2001.
A spokesman for Paterson said a background check on Johnson done in 2008 found no criminal record.
Paterson said the drug arrests happened a long time ago and Johnson has demonstrated that people can change and achieve success when given a second chance. He said he won't turn his back on someone for mistakes they made as a teenager.
Still, this could prove to be a headache for the governor, particularly since he has made domestic violence one of his signature causes.
"When I was a State Senator serving a district torn apart by the crack epidemic of the 1980s and early 1990s, I dedicated myself to restoring the community and providing opportunities for young people struggling to find their way. We took interns in our office who wanted to dedicate themselves to getting an education and giving back to the neighborhood. One of these interns was so successful that he became a member of my staff – working his way up from a driver to a constituent service provider, to become a key intergovernmental relations advisor and a trusted friend. David Johnson's growth as a political professional has surprised even his greatest advocates, and I am proud that he has demonstrated what someone can accomplish when given a second chance.
"The New York Times has chosen to splash his youthful offenses across the pages of its newspaper – even though the courts of our State have ordered them to be sealed. Mistakes committed during one's youth are determined by law to be kept sealed for a reason – to give a young person a second chance at a productive life. I profoundly believe in this principle of redemption and giving young people a second chance.
"The more recent allegations reported on by the Times would be extremely troubling if true – but the conclusions reached by the Times report are not supported by the facts. There is no independent evidence presented that would substantiate any claims of violence committed by David Johnson against a woman, a fact underscored by the absence of a single judicial finding that any such incident ever took place. I would caution others from making a similar rush to judgment."