Metro

Paterson’s top aide to hold meeting of entire staff

With the fate of New York Gov. David A. Paterson’s political career in the balance, his top aide is convening an emergency meeting of the administration’s entire staff Friday afternoon, according to a senior administration aide.

Larry Schwartz, the governor’s chief of staff, alerted the staff about the 2:30 p.m. EST meeting by email Thursday, but did not specify what would be discussed.

The Democratic governor has been battling intense pressure to resign from office amid allegations he and state troopers sought to influence witness testimony in a domestic-violence dispute involving one of his closest aides, David Johnson.

The scandal, which is under investigation by New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, has already prompted the resignation of two high-level officials, including the superintendent of the state police, Harry Corbitt.

Paterson, 55, declared his innocence, but his ethics woes have only widened.

On Wednesday, a state commission accused the governor of falsely testifying under oath that he intended to pay for several World Series tickets he received for free last fall. The commission referred the case for criminal prosecution.