Gambling Figure Paid for Flight Of Running Mate Of Eliot Spitzer
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
ALBANY – The state Senate minority leader, David Paterson, acting on a decision by the state Lobbying Commission, will pay a casino developer $4,500 for a flight from Westchester County to Albany in January 2005.
Mr. Paterson, a Manhattan Democrat, accepted the flight to Albany last year from a casino developer, Richard Fields. Mr. Paterson was flying to Albany to attend Governor Pataki’s State of the State address the next day.
Mr. Paterson is running for lieutenant governor in November’s election as Eliot Spitzer’s running mate. Mr. Spitzer, the attorney general, is the only announced Democratic nominee with wide leads in early polls.
Mr. Paterson was originally billed $176.20 for the flight by Mr. Fields, a spokesman, Jim Plastiras, said. But a lawyer for Mr. Fields had also asked the Lobbying Commission for an opinion on how the flight should be billed.
Under state law, lobbyists cannot give gifts worth more than $75 to public officials.
In a settlement finalized yesterday, Mr. Fields agreed to pay a $9,000 fine and bill Mr. Paterson $4,500 for the flight.
“Now that the Lobbying Commission has adjusted its rules, I will comply with its determination and will send payment today,” Mr. Paterson said in a statement.
“This was never intended to be a gift,” Mr. Plastiras said. “It was always intended to be paid for according to the rules of the Lobbying Commission.”
