Report: Paterson will drop election bid

Democratic officials say New York Gov. David A. Paterson won't seek election.

The shocking announcement, which is expected later Friday, comes the day after Paterson said he would not suspend his campaign but instead talk with Democratic leaders about the future.

Earlier, Paterson's top law enforcement adviser, Denise O'Donnell, resigned after The New York Times reported that the governor and State Police contacted a woman who had accused one of Paterson's top aides of assault. O'Donnell alleged that Police Superintendent Harry J. Corbitt misled her by saying troopers "were not involved" in the case. Corbitt, who acknowledged in the Times story that a trooper had met with the woman, denied misleading O'Donnell.

PHOTOS: Gov. Paterson aide scandal

"I am not suspending my campaign, but I am talking to a number of elected officials around the state," Paterson said Thursday in Manhattan.

"I am obviously listening to them," he continued. "I've got an open mind about this. I want Democrats to win in November. I want the governor of the state of New York to be Democratic, hopefully me. I will weigh what they have to say, but right now I'm a candidate for governor."

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office confirmed an investigation was under way - at Paterson's request - into allegations of interference in the domestic violence case involving longtime Paterson aide David Johnson. After Paterson had a brief conversation with the woman this month, she failed to show up in court and her request for an order of protection was dismissed, according to the Times.

Paterson told WOR radio it was incorrect to assume he was attempting to scuttle the protection order against Johnson.

Meanwhile, Rep. Steve Israel led the chorus of calls for Paterson to jettison his campaign. The Huntington Democrat said he phoned the governor Thursday to tell him "it has become apparent he should not seek re-election and to announce that soon."

Paterson, through an aide, declined to comment on his conversation with Israel or O'Donnell's resignation. Johnson, 37, of Manhattan, was unavailable.

The new controversy comes five days after Paterson launched his election bid at Hofstra University, hoping to fend off a possible Democratic primary challenge from Cuomo. Many Democrats have been pushing for Paterson to make way for Cuomo, New York's most popular politician. Cuomo has not announced his plans.

Other developments Thursday included:

Democratic county leaders on Long Island were divided on whether Paterson should scrap his election campaign. Suffolk's Richard Schaffer said, "He should get out . . . the state is facing major fiscal problems and he's busy calling a woman about an order of protection."

Nassau's Jay Jacobs, who also heads the state committee, said Paterson should be given "a reasonable amount of time to assess the situation and make a decision" about his campaign.

The Rev. Al Sharpton and other Paterson loyalists plan to meet Saturday in New York City to discuss his future.

Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice, who wants to succeed Cuomo as attorney general, said government and police have a duty to protect victims of domestic violence: "I find the possibility that our state government . . . may have attempted or succeeded in diminishing the reporting of a victim simply unconscionable."

State GOP chairman Edward Cox, citing Cuomo's possible run for governor, said he should recuse himself from the probe.

With James Madore, Tom Brune and Anthony M. DeStefano