Opinion

One more down

One more big fish down.

One even bigger fish to go.

Harry Corbitt, Gov. Paterson’s hand-picked State Police superintendent, quit last night, following key Paterson aide David Johnson out the door.

Paterson, alas, was still hanging in.

Corbitt should have quit last week, after admitting that one of his officers contacted a woman allegedly assaulted by Johnson.

He told The New York Times such contact was “typical,” and that the trooper in question — the head of the governor’s personal security detail — only wanted to talk about the woman’s “options,” including counseling.

It was all nonsense — and it rendered Corbitt unfit to command the State Police.

He won’t be missed.

But what of Paterson?

He spent most of yesterday sequestered in the Executive Mansion in Albany, closeted with Democratic Party leader Jay Jacobs and legislative bosses Sheldon Silver and John Sampson — this after news broke that he’d personally directed two staffers to contact the woman in question, Sherr-una Booker.

Where does that put Paterson when it comes to Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s investigation of the whole mess? We suspect it’s not in a happy place.

Meanwhile, the governor appears not to have spent a single moment yesterday considering the $9 billion state budget gap he must somehow eradicate before the April 1 start of the new fiscal year.

There’s not a soul who suspects Paterson can get that job done.

Not in the 28 days remaining before the deadline.

Not ever.

What better reason is there for Paterson to step down? We can’t think of one.

But others had some thoughts yesterday.

“It is inappropriate for the governor to have any contact or to direct anyone to contact an alleged victim of violence,” Marcia Pappas, president of the National Organization of Women’s New York chapter, said. “It is now time for the governor to step down.”

State Sen. Craig Johnson (D-LI) compared the scandal to Watergate: “This time it is the crime AND the cover-up,” he Twittered.

After meeting with Paterson, Jacobs dutifully said the governor deserved more time. Earlier, however, he candidly wondered out loud: “Are there any other stories coming?”

What New Yorker today isn’t asking that same question?

Meanwhile, that leaves no one of authority ready to address the enormous fiscal wobbliness of state government.

Not Silver, whose sole goal is to please the Assembly members who allow him to remain speaker — and who, in turn, care only about limiting budget cuts.

Not Sampson — who heads a fractious Senate caucus and is incapable of forging controversial agreements on anything.

And surely not Paterson.

Not while two separate probes explore whether he and/or members of his staff committed crimes.

Even before this scandal, Paterson was demonstrably unable to govern.

Now it grows worse by the day.

Yesterday, Harry Corbitt showed the way. Paterson needs to follow him out the door without delay.