ALBANY — Outraged fellow Democrats called on Gov. Paterson to step aside for the good of the party yesterday as they reeled from the latest and most devastating scandal to embroil the administration.
A chorus of Democratic leaders told The Post that Paterson shouldn’t wait for an investigation to drop his election plans this year. At least one Democrat, Rep. Nita Lowey (D-Westchester), admitted the governor might be too damaged to serve out the remainder of his term.
“Aside from the allegations, the political reality is the governor cannot be an effective candidate or official for New York,” Lowey said. Such concern was echoed by Rep. Steve Israel (D-LI), a friend of Paterson who was the first prominent Democrat to call for the governor to ditch his campaign.
“It’s become apparent that he should not seek election, and should announce it soon,” Israel said. “Sometimes, friends have to speak unpleasant truths.”
Reports that members of the governor’s security detail — and, perhaps, Paterson himself — had pressured a woman to drop a domestic-violence case against a top gubernatorial aide were described as “horrific” by the normally reserved Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.
“The allegation that individuals who have sworn to protect the public and uphold the law were utilized to deter a victim of domestic violence from seeking an order of protection is deeply disturbing,” Silver said.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who was appointed by Paterson last year, called the reports “troubling.”
“There is no place in our society for domestic violence or abuse of power,” she said. Several prominent black leaders also offered a Paterson a grim prognosis.
“The campaign is not going to be viable, and it would be better for him not to go forward,” said state Sen. Bill Perkins (D-Manhattan). “It would be better for him, for us, his constituents. As a governor, he needs to recognize the potential crippling impact this is going to have.”
Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) said the government was suffering from scandal fatigue.
“The ship of state is spinning out of control,” Jeffries said.
“The sense that I get in speaking to many African-American leaders is that this may be the last straw with respect to the ability of the administration to move forward and do the business of the people.”
And Brooklyn Assemblyman Karim Camara said the governor should not run for office, noting that his speaking with the alleged victim showed a “lack of judgment.”
Mayor Bloomberg called the allegations “serious,” but praised Paterson’s call for Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to investigate. Manhattan Democratic Party Chairman Keith Wright, a frequent Paterson backer, said it was up to the governor to decide his future.
“We have to wait for this to take its course and for everything to come out,” Wright said. “For the governor to invite or welcome an investigation by the attorney general shows that he has nothing to hide.”
The scandal reverberated through the Assembly chamber yesterday morning as members began to privately discuss the possibility of an impeachment proceeding.
Additional reporting by David Seifman, Geoff Earle, Maggie Haberman and AP