Vote New York

There’s a profoundly sad and unfortunate consequence of Governor Paterson’s recent political scandal, which has caused him to suspend his campaign for reelection (though he was never elected to the position of governor).  And that is, the tremendous damage he and his (mis)administration have done to the New York State Police.

Paterson is accused of abusing his executive and political power, allegedly ordering top state police officials to interfere in close aide David Johnson’s domestic violence spat by having police call the victim to dissuade her from obtaining a restraining order against the repeat-offender aide.  What’s more, the Governor – exhibiting either boundless arrogance or gullibility – spoke to the victim personally for the same purpose.  Again, this is allegedly, and state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s independent probe of the matter will provide the public with the details in due time.  An internal state police probe has been requested shut down because, well, now the image put forth of the state police is one of rampant corruption and incompetence.

No opinion of the state police could be further than the truth.  Rank and file state troopers and those of higher rank such as investigators, senior investigators, etc. are overwhelmingly of impeccable character and professionalism.  They now find themselves being regarded as political hacks by the statewide public and will most certainly be viewed by criminals to be on equal footing with the lowlifes facing arrest, and thus lawbreakers will think nothing of resisting arrest with increased vigor.  So a great part of the shame Paterson and his Democrat thugs have visited upon the state police are the reputational consequences at the hands of an unforgiving public and the extra danger troopers will have to face.

Hopefully the aforementioned byproducts of Paterson’s ineptitude, and his aide’s indiscretion, will be short lived.  However, the permanent damage Paterson might have done – and probably the most memorable feature of his “legacy” – will be that of changing the Executive Chamber-New York State Police historic relationship.

The state police detail protecting the Governor of New York, the state’s Chief Executive, usually enjoys a special, intimate bond with the governor’s office whether it is in Albany or in the East Side Manhattan office.  Now, the increased scrutiny the state police will face as a result of the Cuomo probe and the cloud of doubt upon the force may result in a firewall erected between the two institutions.  This would have a negative impact on the protective and logistical capabilities of the state police, and therefore such a barrier would weaken its stature an institution charged with the solemn role to protect the life and safety of the First Family.  In short, a neutered and more separate state police means an end to the longstanding convention of a state police dutifully tied to the governor.  It’s dangerous, yes, but also wickedly unjust from the viewpoint of the state police because rank and file troopers, mainly uniformed, will bear the punishment.

Sure, the state police could wind up being a bit more separate as the Secret Service is part of the Treasury Department and Americans see it that way; the state police governor’s detail could be part of the state homeland security department or the Division of Criminal Justice Services.  Some citizens may not even notice or care precisely because of the federal government orthodoxy in such an arrangement.  But this wasn’t necessary and I argue it will prove dangerous to the detail’s core mission to protect the governor and his family.  And no, we shouldn’t turn away from the gravity of the state police being pilloried in the media – that’s just wrong.

Governor Paterson may be responsible for a permanent rift between two kindred organizations and this is yet another reason why he and his outlaw Democrat gang-that-can’t-govern-straight must go.  He’s announced that his bid to become an elected failure, rather than a failure by the constitutional miracle of succession, is over.  Now he should step down and help us forget that he was ever the speed bump between dirty Eliot Spitzer and (God willing) a governor with a modicum of integrity.

Tags: paterson, state police

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