ALBANY — Another staffer quit yesterday amid Gov. Paterson’s meltdown — Communications Director Peter Kauffmann, who said he couldn’t take the lying anymore.
“As a former officer in the United States Navy, integrity and commitment to public service are values I take seriously,” said Kauffmann, who joined Paterson’s administration almost a year ago.
“Unfortunately, as recent developments have come to light, I cannot in good conscience continue in my current position. I have notified the governor that I am resigning,” the $175,000-a-year spokesman said.
Kauffmann’s resignation came as a growing number of top Paterson administration officials, including his chief of staff, Larry Schwartz, and counsel, Peter Kiernan, have concluded that the governor must resign because he can no long function effectively, sources said.
SUPPORT FOR GOV DROPS 26 POINTS: POLL
SCANDALOUS! 6 AGENCIES IN 7 PROBES
BLACK LEADERS’ SUMMIT GRANTS GOV A ‘STAY’
KIN: ‘STRESSED-OUT’ ABUSE ACCUSER FLEES COUNTRY
“They know it’s just a short matter of time,” said an administration source.
There was speculation last night that Paterson was considering hiring noted white-collar criminal defense attorney Ted Wells, who represented Eliot Spitzer when he was under investigation for patronizing hookers. Wells also has successfully defended former New Jersey Sen. Robert Torricelli in a corruption case, and the Rev. Floyd Flake and his wife when they were charged in 1990 with embezzling church funds.
Paterson had no public events yesterday, although he did have lunch with former Mayor David Dinkins at the Yale Club and quickly brushed past reporters afterward on his way to his car.
Kauffmann’s departure came a day after the release of a state Commission on Public Integrity report accusing Paterson of illegally accepting free World Series tickets to Yankee Stadium last October.
The report contained under-oath testimony from Kauffmann, revealing that the governor gave him false information about the circumstances under which the tickets were received.
The resignation wasn’t a surprise.
Earlier in the week, as new information emerged involving Paterson’s role in an apparent effort to silence a Bronx woman, Sherr-una Booker, who says she was beaten by Paterson aide David Johnson, Kauffmann began refusing to allow his name to be attached to statements that were released by the governor.
Kauffmann had also begun privately expressing his disgust with the Paterson administration to several close friends.
In addition, it was learned that Kauffmann and Schwartz had infuriated the governor by working together to stop the release of statements they believed were untruthful.
Kauffmann’s departure came two days after scandal-scarred State Police Superintendent Harry Corbitt abruptly announced his “retirement” following his forced testimony under oath before investigators for Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
The probers are seeking to determine why the State Police major in charge of the governor’s security detail, Charles Day, had repeated contacts with Booker, who had been seeking a court order of protection against Johnson.
A source close to the scandal said Corbitt was “toast” and would have been fired if he hadn’t retired.
A week ago, state Criminal Justice Commissioner Denise O’Donnell resigned in protest of what she said was Corbitt’s improper use of the State Police.
“The behavior alleged here is the antithesis of what many of us have spent our entire careers working to build: a legal system that protects victims of domestic violence and brings offenders to justice,” O’Donnell said at the time.
Meanwhile, administration sources said some of Paterson’s top aides have been referring to him as “a serial liar” and “nuts” because of what they view as his increasingly erratic behavior.
One source said he’s “regularly flying off the handle” and angrily accusing his aides of undermining his chances to cling to office.