New York Gov. David Paterson, sworn in Monday to take over the job when former Gov. Eliot Spitzer got caught messing with a prostitute, admitted that both he and his wife had extra-marital affairs during a “rough patch” in their marriage in recent years.
The admissions by both Paterson and his wife, Michaelle, came on the heels of the call scandal that drove Spitzer from his office and as rumors circulated around Albany about the new governor’s sex life.
Paterson admitted to an affair that lasted from 1999 until 2001. His wife has also confirmed rumors that she had extra marital relationships.
Both now say they have “repaired” their marriage and ended their dalliances.
Gov. David Paterson, who took over the state’s top job Monday after Eliot Spitzer resigned amid a prostitution scandal, has admitted he and his wife Michelle had affairs during a rough patch in their marriage several years ago, a newspaper reported.
Paterson told the Daily News that he maintained a relationship with another woman from 1999 until 2001. He and his wife eventually sought counseling and repaired their relationship.
The couple agreed to speak publicly about their marriage in response to rumors about Paterson’s personal life that have been swirling in Albany since Spitzer resigned, the Daily News reported Monday on its Web site.
Paterson rose from the lieutenant governor’s office after Spitzer resigned last week amid allegations that he hired a call girl from a high-priced escort service. It was a dramatic fall for Spitzer, who was elected with an overwhelming share of the vote and who had vowed to root out corruption at the state Capitol.
Federal prosecutors must still decide whether to pursue charges against Spitzer. The married father of three teenage girls was accused of spending tens of thousands of dollars on prostitutes — including one in Washington the night before Valentine’s Day.
After his inauguration Monday, Paterson and his wife, Michelle, acknowledged the relationships but did not go into details.
“This was a marriage that appeared to be going sour at one point,” Paterson told the Daily News. “But I went to counseling and we decided we wanted to make it work. Michelle is well aware of what went on.”
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