Paterson appoints Ravitch Lt. Governor

ALBANY, N.Y. (WIVB) - The governor took action to end a month-long Senate stand-off. But could Wednesday's appointment of a lieutenant governor mean the beginning of another court battle?

New York Governor David Paterson said, "There is nothing in the constitution nor in the law that says that I cannot fill the vacant post of lieutenant governor."

Saying the State was sinking into a deepening economic crisis, Governor Paterson has taken the unprecedented step of appointing a lieutenant governor, to break the paralysis in the State Senate.

Paterson said, "I have selected Richard Ravitch, the former chair of the MTA and the Urban Development Corporation, and a vital leader in the fiscal recovery in the 70s, to serve with me through 2010."

The move to appoint a lt. governor went against the opinion of State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and other legal minds in the State, including Canisius College Political Science Chairman Doctor Peter Galie.

Dr. Galie said, "Well, I find it a bit of a stretch. First, there's no specific provision in the constitution giving him that power."

Republican Dean Skelos who says he is the Senate Majority Leader based on a June 8th coup in the Senate, reacted, "I don't want to take this time to talk about whether the governor can or should appoint a lieutenant governor. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has already said it is unconstitutional for the governor to appoint a lieutenant governor, and I agree."

Governor Paterson said he had to appoint a lt. governor to break the gridlock in the Senate and to keep the leadership of the State intact, "If something happened to me, it is not known who would act as governor, and that would throw the entire state government into chaos that is being experienced in the Senate now."

Meanwhile, the pay checks for all the senators were withheld Wednesday by the state comptroller, who says local governments could go into crisis because of the paralysis in the Senate.