Gov. issues denial, press sec. resigns

ALBANY, N.Y. (WIVB) - Albany politics shows no sign of settling down. Another member of Governor David Paterson's cabinet is calling it quits and the Governor made his first direct denial in a domestic violence probe.

It's the first time we've heard the Governor talk about the domestic violence accusations against his top aid David Johnson. He took to the airwaves Wednesday morning in New York City on Don Imus' radio show and denied the accusations against him.

Paterson says he did not try to persuade the woman at the center of the scandal. He is is under investigation for whether he improperly interfered in David Johnson's domestic abuse case. Paterson's Press Secretary is leaving his administration. The New York Times reported that Marissa Shorenstein had direct contact with the woman involved in the scandal. She says she's unable to do her job effectively following the accusations. Paterson denied getting involved in the case.

"I would never, no, did I ever try to persuade anyone not to take the natural course of the law that would protect them," said Paterson.

Paterson is also accused of breaking state ethics rules by allegedly taking free tickets to the Yankees game last year. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo assigned the investigation to a special prosecutor and recused himself, considering his run to replace Paterson as New York's Governor.

The Governor also talked about U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, saying she "threw him under the bus." She has said that if Paterson violated state ethics law, he should resign.