David Paterson's Defense

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9:11 AM, Mar 11, 2008 • By JAIME SNEIDER

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The next Governor of New York, David Paterson, is embroiled in a discrimination lawsuit brought by a white photographer he fired after becoming Minority Leader of the New York State Senate five years ago. His defense is worthy of note:

Paterson, now the lieutenant governor, asserted he axed the photographer, Joseph Maioriello, because he was a holdover from former Minortiy Leader Marty Connor's regime....

Maioriello [the white photographer] was replaced by an African-American photographer, El-Wise Noisette, who last worked for former state Comptroller H. Carl McCall (the first black gubernatorial candidate who lost his challenge to Republican Gov. George Pataki in 2002).

But Paterson insisted he had no idea about the race of either man due to the fact that he is legally blind.

Call me a skeptic, but the photographer's name could possibly have tipped Paterson off to his race. Which is not to say he discriminated against the guy--just that Paterson's defense is bunk.