Metro

Dave told state workers to call aide’s ‘beaten’ gal pal

In an explosive development that puts Gov. Paterson at the center of an alleged cover-up, the governor instructed two female state workers to contact the woman involved in a domestic-violence case against his closest aide — even enlisting one of them to ask the victim to downplay it, sources told The Post last night.

Paterson instructed his press secretary, Marissa Shorenstein — who met with probers from Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s office yesterday — to phone Sherr-una Booker just as the media was preparing to unleash a damning piece on Booker’s ex, troubled longtime Paterson pal David Johnson, one source said.

The source said it appeared that Paterson wanted to minimize the violent nature of the incident.

The stunning revelation is the first apparent evidence that Paterson tried to influence the case against his friend, Johnson.

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Booker had told cops that Johnson choked her and slammed her into a mirror because he was furious over her sexy Halloween costume.

Shorenstein called Booker but was unable to reach her, and a Paterson administration source insisted that the press secretary wasn’t aware of the extent of Johnson’s alleged vicious attack on Booker when she tried to reach her.

Shorenstein had phoned Booker at Paterson’s behest believing that the woman might issue a statement on behalf of the governor as he was getting slammed by scandal, the Paterson source said.

Meanwhile, Paterson — in his quest for damage control — even personally pressed a second state worker to get involved in the case, the source said.

The governor asked the worker, Deneane Brown, to reach out to Booker, whom she knows, and have her call him so they could talk, according to the source.

Brown, who works for the Division of Housing and Community Renewal, called Booker several times before finally reaching her Feb. 7.

Booker then turned around and called Paterson that same day — the day before she was to appear in court in her domestic-violence case against Johnson.

The next day, Feb. 8, Booker failed to appear in court — and her bid to seek a protection order against Johnson was dismissed.

A spokesman for Paterson, Peter Kauffmann, last night said the governor would have no comment “because of the ongoing investigation.” Paterson has said he only called Booker to offer his support.

State troopers from Paterson’s security detail also are known to have contacted Booker after the incident in what she described as an effort to harass her and intimidate her into dropping the case against Johnson.

The developments came as the state attorney general’s office yesterday widened its probe into an alleged domestic-violence incident, grilling the head of the State Police and the deputy who allowed members of the force to contact Booker, sources said.

Investigators quizzed State Police Superintendent Harry Corbitt about what happened after Booker called cops to complain that Johnson had assaulted her, said a source familiar with the probe.

They also questioned First Deputy Superintendent Pedro Perez, the state trooper who allegedly gave permission for the head of Paterson’s security detail, Maj. Charles Day, to reach out to Booker after she filed charges, a source said.

Meanwhile, city Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that the two NYPD officers who initially handled Booker’s complaint were questioned by the attorney general’s office.

Additional reporting by Brendan Scott and Sally Goldenberg

fredric.dicker@nypost.com