In the wake of the scandal involving a former aide, Gov. Paterson was accused of soliciting tickets to the World Series and then lying about it under oath, but today his lawyer handed over emails that may prove he was invited. Theodore Wells sent a letter to the commission that's investigating the incident as a possible ethics violation, reports the News. He says the office correspondences contained within "unequivocally demonstrate a good faith belief on the part of the governor's staff that an invitation had indeed been extended."
Wells, a criminal attorney, says the committee's report was a "rush to judgment led to a half-baked report released prematurely and in the middle of a political firestorm." In addition to the emails he points out numerous other holes in the report, like committee members' failure to read transcripts from former Paterson aides Peter Kauffman and David Johnson before stamping it.
According to the lawyer, the commission should have considered its findings more carefully before signing off. "This timeline raises extraordinary questions about the care and attention that went into the report, particularly when viewed in light of the seriousness of the allegations made and the absence of any need to rush to release the report."
