David Paterson, New York's New Governor, Admits To Extramarital Affairs For Years

UPDATE 3/18: From The New York Observer:

During a nearly half-hour press conference at the state capitol in Albany, David Paterson said he has had affairs with "several" women, two of whom had at one point been on the state payroll.

The governor, who was accompanied by his wife Michelle, said it is a personal matter and did not violate any laws.

He did not name either of the women. One, he said was a "inherited" staff member. A spokeswoman, Christine Anderson, later said she formerly worked for Eliot Spitzer, and began working for Paterson when he assumed the governorship. (Paterson had said the affair ended years ago).

A second woman may have worked for a time on the state payroll, but Paterson said the women did not benefit in any way from the relationship.

Keep reading here.

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From The New York Daily News:

The thunderous applause was still ringing in his ears when the state's new governor, David Paterson, told the Daily News that he and his wife had extramarital affairs.

In a stunning revelation, both Paterson, 53, and his wife, Michelle, 46, acknowledged in a joint interview they each had intimate relationships with others during a rocky period in their marriage several years ago.

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In the course of several interviews in the past few days, Paterson said he maintained a relationship for two or three years with "a woman other than my wife," beginning in 1999.

As part of that relationship, Paterson said, he and the other woman sometimes stayed at an upper West Side hotel -- the Days Inn at Broadway and W. 94th St.

He said members of his Albany legislative staff often used the same hotel when they visit the city.

"This was a marriage that appeared to be going sour at one point," Paterson conceded in his first interview Saturday. "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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Read more about David Paterson here.

Read more about Michelle Paterson here.