Governor David A. Paterson solicited free tickets

December 21st, 2010 - 8:42 pm ICT by Aishwarya Bhatt  

David A. Paterson New York, Dec 21 (THAINDIAN NEWS) New York Governor - David A. Paterson has been fined more than $60,000 by the New York State Commission on Public Integrity for soliciting free tickets from the New York Yankees.

Paterson in 2009 was given five free tickets from the New York Yankee during Game One of the World Series in 2009. The Commission ruled that by accepting the tickets, the governor violated the Public Officers Law. Paterson gave his aides two tickets and the other two to his son and his friend while keeping the remaining one.

During the Commission’s hearing, Paterson admitted receiving the tickets. He however told the body that he wanted to pay for the tickets and even went as far as writing to the Yankees to accept a check for the ticket.

The Commission said in its ruling that by holding a public office, the governor should have known better. The Commission described the conduct of the governor as “dishonest and unethical.” The Commission’s chairman said that the governor’s conduct did not send the right signal to the rest of the public servants in the state. The Commission subsequently fined him $ 62,125 for his conduct.

The governor is in trouble because the Yankees are seen as a business entity and by accepting the tickets from them, he compromised on his neutrality.

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