ALBANY — Gov. Paterson has lost confidence in Meyer “Sandy” Frucher’s ability to run the bankrupt and embattled New York City Off-Track Betting Corp., and would “accept his resignation if offered,” The Post has learned.
“Sandy has no credibility left in Albany. He doesn’t know when to compromise, and he’s lied repeatedly to the officials he has to deal with,” said a source familiar with the situation.
“Sandy has also done something that people never thought was possible: He’s united the entire racing industry against him . . . If Sandy offered his resignation, it would be accepted.”
The stinging comments came a day after Paterson revealed that he was backing a $17 million-plus emergency loan to the state-controlled New York Racing Association to keep the struggling thoroughbred-racing industry going.
Frucher has been holding back millions of dollars in payments owed to the NYRA by the OTB, citing the agency’s ongoing bankruptcy proceedings and cash-flow woes.
The source said Frucher had been warned by aides to Paterson that his policies risked “destroying New York’s racing industry,” a charge already made by thoroughbred owners and breeders associations.