Summary Information
Abstract
The papers consist primarily of records created or maintained during David A.
Paterson’s tenure as Lieutenant Governor and Governor of New York. The papers include
approval and veto messages, budget materials, certificates, correspondence, litigation
records, messages of necessity, photographs, press releases, proclamations, program
bills, resolutions, schedules, speeches, video recordings, and visitors’
logs.
At a Glance
| Call No.: | MS#1705 |
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| Bib ID: | 10611989 View CLIO record |
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| Creator(s): | Paterson, David A. |
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| Title: | David A. Paterson
papers
2005-2011.
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| Physical description: | 38.75 linear feet ( 31 record cartons and 1 flat box) and
over 100 Gigabytes of digital files.
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| Language(s): | In English
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| Access: |
There are no access restrictions to the majority of the records. Records that are
designated as privileged papers by the donor are restricted for 15 years from the date
of donation.
Digital records are not fully processed at the time; the Rare Book & Manuscript
Library anticipates that digital records will be available for research in the second
half of 2015.
This collection is located off-site. The paper records in this collection are located
off-site. You will need to request this material at least two business days in
advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
More information » |
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Arrangement
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in sixteen series and several subseries:
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Series I: Appointments, Nominations, and Designations, 2007-2010
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Series II: Boards, Commissions, and Programs, 2006-2010
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Series III: Budget and Finance, 2007-2010
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Series IV: Clemency, 2007-2010
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Series V: Correspondence, 2007-2010
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Series VI: Daily Public Schedule, 2007-2010
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Series VII: Executive Chamber Daily Visitors’ Logs, 2007-2010
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Series VIII: Election Proclamations, 2007-2010
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Series IX: Executive Orders, 2008-2010
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Series X: Governor’s Counsel’s Correspondence
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Series XI: Legislative Materials, 2007-2010
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Series XII: Litigation Related to the Appointment of Lieutenant Governor
Richard Ravitch, 2009
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Series XIII: Media Files, 2007-2010
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Series XIV: Other Approvals and Requests, 2008-2010
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Series XV: Miscellaneous Directories and Reports, 2007-2010
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Series XVI: Privileged Records, 2005-2011 (Restricted Until 2029)
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Description
Scope and Content
The papers consist primarily of records related to David A. Paterson’s tenure as
Lieutenant Governor and Governor of New York. Records dating from 2005-2008 also include
records related to the tenure of Governor Eliot Spitzer. The papers include approval and
veto messages, budget materials, certificates, correspondence, litigation records,
messages of necessity, photographs, press releases, proclamations, program bills,
resolutions, schedules, speeches, video recordings, and visitors’ logs.
The papers document the legislative, programmatic, and policy priorities of the Paterson
administration. The records include approvals, vetoes, and messages of necessity on
legislation, clemency records, correspondence, directives of the Governor’s Office of
Taxpayer Accountability, proclamations for extraordinary sessions of the legislature,
program bills, and public statements. These records not only document goals and
priorities, but also the strategies that the Paterson administration used to further
these goals within the realities of the political system in New York State.
The papers include all correspondence maintained by the Governor’s Correspondence Unit,
which consists of nearly all incoming correspondence and responses made by the Governor
or his representatives. In addition, the records include daily visitors’ logs for
visitors to the Executive Chamber in both Albany and New York City that document the
individuals and organizations that sought to influence state policy. These records serve
to document contacts, discussions, and the development of policy by the Paterson
administration.
The records also document high-profile policy decisions. In particular, the collection
includes records related to the appointments of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and
Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch. The papers include constituent correspondence that
was received by the Governor’s Office on the subject of the pending appointment to the
U.S. Senate in late 2008 and early 2009. This correspondence documents public opinion on
the appointment of a replacement for Senator Hillary Clinton, especially with regards to
the consideration of Caroline Kennedy for the seat. The records also include
correspondence of the General Counsel and litigation records related to
Skelos v. Paterson
While the Counsel’s correspondence is
incomplete, the papers that were preserved document high priority matters in the
administration. The litigation records document the historic case of
Skelos v. Paterson
, in which the Court of Appeals upheld the
right of the Governor to appoint a Lieutenant Governor in the event of a vacancy.
The papers are rich in materials that document the Governor’s public appearances,
events, and statements. The papers include daily media advisories of the Governor’s
schedule, photographs, press releases, speeches, and video recordings. The majority of
these records are arranged chronologically, except that the speeches in the paper files
are filed by subject. These materials make it possible to look at several types of
records that are related to the same public event. These records document the
administration’s public relations strategy, as well as the public dissemination of
information, on issues, policies, and events that occurred during Paterson’s term in
office.
The papers include some records that are also available from other sources, but as they
are helpful to the understanding of the Paterson administration these records have also
been kept in this collection. These records include executive budget materials,
appointment records, approval and veto messages, certificates, designations, executive
orders, resolutions, press releases, and board and commission records.
The majority of the records exist only in digital format. All video recordings and the
vast majority of correspondence and photographs exist only in digital format. There is
some duplication between other digital records and the paper records in the collection,
particularly for records related to appointments, approval and veto messages, budgets,
clemency, designations, executive orders, press releases, proclamations, resolutions,
schedules, and speeches. There are a few records that are only available in paper
format, particularly the constituent correspondence related to the appointment of a
replacement for Senator Hillary Clinton, program files, selected correspondence files,
and the visitors’ logs for the Executive Chamber in New York City. The arrangement of
the papers largely follows the folder structure of the digital records.
According to a survey of the records in this collection created by Glen Bruening, former
Assistant Counsel to the Governor Paterson, in 2012, there are important records missing
from the papers of Governor Paterson. Bruening expressed concern that valuable records
were either discarded or not transferred in the period of time before efforts were made
to collect the archival records of the Paterson administration. In particular, Bruening
noted that few records related to programmatic matters had been received from either the
Director of State Operations or the Secretary and Deputy Secretaries to the
Governor.
Websites of former Governors of New York State are archived and maintained by the New
York State Archives; this collection does not include a copy of Governor Paterson’s
website.
Digital records are not fully processed at the time; the Rare Book & Manuscript
Library anticipates that digital records will be available for research in the second
half of 2015.
Series I: Appointments, Nominations, and Designations, 2007-2010
This series consists of certificates, correspondence, and other records related to
appointments, nominations, and designations.
Subseries I.1: Appointments and Nominations, 2007-2010
This subseries contains copies of certificates and form letters related to
appointments and nominations.
Subseries I.2: Judicial Appointments and Designations, 2007-2010
This subseries contains copies of certificates to judicial appointments and
designations.
Subseries I.3: Senator Appointment--Constituent Correspondence,
2008 November -2009 January
This subseries contains constituent correspondence received by the Governor’s
Office regarding the pending appointment of a replacement for Senator Hillary
Clinton. The bulk of the correspondence was received through submission forms
on government websites and then printed onto paper.
Subseries I.4: Miscellaneous Designations, 2007-2010
This subseries contains copies of the designation letters sent by the
Governor.
Series II: Boards, Commissions, and Programs, 2006-2010
This series contains records related to boards, commissions, and programs. The
files include correspondence, reports, resolutions, subject files, testimony,
transcripts, and white papers.
Subseries II.1: Records of Boards and Commissions Created by the
Governor, 2008-2010
This subseries contains records related to several boards and commissions that
were created by the Governor. Many of these records appear to be reports. The
subseries includes records from the New York State Seagrass Task Force,
Commission on Property Tax Relief, Hinckley Reservoir Working Group, National
Ocean Council, New York Invasive Species Council, New York State Commission on
State Asset Maximization, Office on Taxpayer Accountability, and the State
Energy Planning Board.
Subseries II.2: Approvals of Civil Service Commission Resolutions,
2006-2010
This subseries contains copies of resolutions. These resolutions document
actions taken by the Civil Service Commission and approved by the Governor.
Subseries II.3: NYS Commission on Higher Education, 2007-2008
This subseries contains records related to the Commission. The records include
correspondence, meeting materials, reports, subject files, testimony,
transcripts, and white papers.
Subseries II.4: Miscellaneous Program Files, 2007-2010
This subseries contains files related to Energy and Environment programs and
Health and Human Services programs.
Series III: Budget and Finance, 2007-2010
This series contains records that document activities related to government
spending and state budget planning, as well as actions taken during the state’s
fiscal crisis in 2009 and 2010.
Subseries III.1: Executive Budget Materials, 2007-2010
This subseries contains materials related to the Executive Budget Submission,
including the agency presentations, briefing books, capital program plans,
financial plans, governor’s budget bills, and media briefing books.
Subseries III.2: Directives of the Office of Taxpayer Accountability,
2009-2010
This subseries contains directives issued by the Governor to State Agencies.
These directives document the Governor’s initiatives to reduce spending during
the state’s fiscal crisis of 2009 and 2010.
Subseries III.3: Governor’s Line Item Vetos of 2010
2010
This subseries contains the Governor’s Line Item Vetoes of legislative member
item grants and other spending in the state budget in 2010. The vetoes document
a part of the Governor’s strategy to reduce government spending during the
state’s fiscal crisis of 2009 and 2010.
Series IV: Clemency, 2007-2010
This series contains copies of certificates of pardon or commutation that were
signed by the Governor and sent to applicants.
Series V: General Correspondence, 2007-2010
This series contains correspondence received by the Governor, and the responses
sent by either the Governor or his representatives. The correspondence documents
events, policy decision, and other activities related to the work of the Governor
and the Governor’s Office. The majority of the correspondence is available only in
digital format.
Subseries V.1: General Correspondence, 2008-2010
This subseries contains correspondence received by the Governor, and the
responses sent by either the Governor or his representatives. These
correspondence files were maintained by the Governor’s Correspondence Unit. The
correspondence documents events, policy decisions, and other activities related
to the work of the Governor and the Governor’s Office.
Subseries V.2: Special Correspondence, 2008-2010
This subseries consists of a digital folder entitled “Miscellaneous
Correspondence” that contains copies of letters signed by the Governor Paterson
that are related to either high priorities or to historic events that occurred
during his term.
Subseries V.3: Selected Original Correspondence, 2008-2010
This subseries contains a small amount of original correspondence received by
Governor Paterson. The records include congratulatory cards and correspondence
received after Governor Paterson’s inauguration, correspondence from government
officials, and a special occasion correspondence file.
Subseries V.4: Correspondence Received with Reports, 2007-2010
This subseries contains cover letters that were received with reports that were
sent to the Governor’s Office. The majority of these relate to reports that
government agencies are required to send to the Governor’s Office.
Subseries V.5: Miscellaneous Correspondence, 2009-2010
This subseries contains a paper file of miscellaneous correspondence from
2009-2010.
Series VI: Daily Public Schedule, 2001-2010
This series contains copies of daily media advisories regarding the Governor’s
public schedule for 2007-2010. The 2007 file includes daily media advisories for
both the Lieutenant Governor and the Governor.
The original record is the digital file of the schedule; the paper record is a
copy.
Series VII: Executive Chamber Daily Visitors Logs, 2007-2010
This series contains the Executive Chamber Daily Visitors’ Logs for the Governor’s
Offices in New York City and the State Capitol in Albany. These logs contain the
names and affiliated organizations of visitors to the Executive Chamber.
Subseries VII.1: New York City, 2007-2010
This subseries contains the Executive Chamber Daily Visitor Logs for the
Governor’s Office in New York City. There are no digital copies of the original
paper files.
Subseries VII.2: State Capitol, 2007-2010
This subseries contains the Executive Chamber Daily Visitor Logs for the
Governor’s Office in the State Capitol in Albany. The original record is the
paper file; the digital file is a copy.
Series VIII: Election Proclamations, 2007-2010
This series contain copies of proclamations signed and issued by the Governor.
Series IX: Executive Orders, 2008-2010
This series contains copies of the Governor’s Executive Orders.
Series X: Governor’s Counsel’s Correspondence, 2008-2010
This series contains a portion of the Counsel’s correspondence but it does not
contain a complete record of the Counsel’s activities. The correspondence that was
retained documents high priority matters. The general correspondence in the paper
file appears to largely duplicate the general correspondence in the digital file,
except that correspondence for 2008 is only available in the digital file.
Series XI: Legislative Materials
This series contains records that document the activities of the Governor’s Office
that relate to the Legislature. The records include approval messages on
legislation, messages of necessity, proclamations for extraordinary sessions,
program bills, and veto messages on legislation.
Subseries XI.1: Approval and Veto Messages on Legislation, 2007-2010
This subseries contains copies of the Governor’s approval messages and veto
messages for bills that had passed in both houses of the Legislature. The
records also include media advisories on approvals and vetoes for 2007 and
2009.
Additional records documenting the line item vetoes of 2010 can be found in
Series III: Budget and Finance.
Subseries XI.2 Messages of Necessity on Legislation
This subseries contains copies of the Governor’s messages of necessity on
legislation.
Subseries XI.3: Proclamations for Extraordinary Sessions of the
Legislature
This subseries contains copies of the Governor’s proclamations calling for
extraordinary sessions of the Legislature. The majority of these proclamations
date from 2009 and serve to document the Governor’s response to the leadership
crisis in the New York State Senate and the state’s fiscal crisis.
Subseries XI.4: Program Bills Submitted to the Legislature, 2007-2010
This subseries contains copies of program bills submitted to the Legislature by the Governor, his staff, or departments.
Subseries XI.5: Miscellaneous Legislative Files, 2009
This subseries contains copies of the Annual Message to the Legislature and records that are related to the New York American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Series XII: Litigation Related to the Appointment of Lieutenant Governor
Richard Ravitch, 2009
This series contains copies of the legal papers filed in the Skelos v. Paterson case. In this case, the New York State Court of Appeals upheld the Governor’s constitutional authority to fill a vacancy in the office of Lieutenant Governor by appointment.
Series XIII: Media Files, 2007-2010
This subseries contains photographs, press releases, speeches, and video recordings.
Subseries XIII.1: Photographs, 2007-2010
This series consists of event and portrait photographs from the Executive Chamber, documenting the activities of the Governor, his wife, and other senior staff. The photographs also include portraits of the Governor, his wife, and senior staff. As the photographs document the Governor’s activities, the subject of images from 2007 and early 2008 is usually Governor Spitzer rather than Lieutenant Governor Paterson.
Subseries XIII.2: Press Releases, 2007-2010
This susbseries contains copies of press releases. The files are arranged chronologically.
Subseries XIII.3: Speeches, 2008-2010
This subseries consists of speeches made by Governor Paterson from 2008-2010. Signature speeches are filed first; all other speeches are filed alphabetically by topic. Each topical file includes a list of all the speeches related to that topic in the file.
Subseries XIII.4: Video Recordings, 2008-2010
This subseries contains video recordings that document the activities of Governor Paterson. The video recordings primarily document the Governor’s appearances, communications with the media, and participation in events. The subseries also contains video recordings of Governor Paterson’s major speeches and a few recordings related to the activities of the Lieutenant Governor. The video recordings were maintained by the Governor’s Press Office.
Series XIV: Other Approvals and Requests, 2008-2010
This series contains copies of the Governor’s requests for federal disaster designations and miscellaneous approvals.
Subseries XIV.1: Requests for Federal Disaster Designations, 2008-2010
This subseries contains copies of requests made by the Governor to the United States Secretary of Agriculture for federal disaster designations.
Series XV: Miscellaneous Directories and Reports, 2007-2010
This series contains an Executive Chamber Directory (2010) and copies of miscellaneous reports; the majority of these files are related to the 2007 Report to the People.
Series XVI: Priveleged Records, 2005-2011 (Restricted Until 2029)
This series contains privileged records related to both Governor Spitzer and Governor Paterson. The records include briefings, calendars, monthly call reports, and records related to Spitzer’s campaign and transition into the Governor’s Office, Paterson’s debate preparation in 2006, programs, speeches, state asset maximization, and the transition to the Cuomo administration in 2010.
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Using the Collection
Offsite
Access Restrictions
There are no access restrictions to the majority of the records. Records that are
designated as privileged papers by the donor are restricted for 15 years from the date
of donation.
Digital records are not fully processed at the time; the Rare Book & Manuscript
Library anticipates that digital records will be available for research in the second
half of 2015.
This collection is located off-site. The paper records in this collection are located
off-site. You will need to request this material at least two business days in
advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
Restrictions on Use
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of
the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The
responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); David A. Paterson Papers; Box and
Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Finding aid available online.
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About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries. Rare Book and
Manuscript Library; machine readable finding aid created by Columbia University
Libraries Digital Library Program Division
Processing Information
Processed by CCR 2014.
Finding aid written by Catherine C. Ricciardi October 2014.
Machine readable finding aid generated from MARC-AMC source via XSLT conversion
October 10, 2014
Finding aid written in English.
2014-10-13
XML document instance created by Catherine C. Ricciardi
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Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
All links open new windows.
Genre/Form
Subjects
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History / Biographical Note
Biographical Note
David A. Paterson was born on May 20, 1954 in Brooklyn, New York, to Portia (née
Hairston) and Basil Paterson. Basil Paterson, a labor lawyer, was also involved in
politics and served as the first non-white New York Secretary of State and as the first
African-American Vice-Chair of the National Democratic Party. In order for Paterson, who
has been legally blind since infancy, to be educated in a regular classroom, the family
maintained residences in Harlem and Hempstead, Long Island. Paterson attended elementary
school and high school in Hempstead, graduating from Hempstead High School in 1971. He
earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Columbia University in 1977, and a J.D. at
Hofstra Law School in 1982.
After finishing law school, Paterson worked in the Queens District Attorney’s office,
and then as an aide to New York City Clerk David Dinkins. In 1985, Paterson was elected
to represent Harlem in the New York State Senate. In late 2002, Paterson was elected
Minority Leader of the New York State Senate, unseating incumbent Martin Connor, and
became the first non-white legislative leader in the history of New York State.
In 2006, Paterson was elected as the first African-American Lieutenant Governor in New
York State. As Lieutenant Governor, Paterson provided leadership on several key issues
including passing legislation for stem cell research, presenting a statewide plan for
renewable energy, working to prevent domestic violence, and advocating for minority and
women owned businesses.
In 2006, Paterson was elected as the first African-American Lieutenant Governor in New
York State. As Lieutenant Governor, Paterson provided leadership on several key issues
including passing legislation for stem cell research, presenting a statewide plan for
renewable energy, working to prevent domestic violence, and advocating for minority and
women owned businesses.
Paterson became Governor of New York on March 17, 2008, following the resignation of
Governor Eliot Spitzer. He was the first African American and first legally blind
Governor of New York State. The largest issues facing the state were the recession and
the resulting fiscal crisis in the state, and Paterson was the first elected official in
the State to speak openly and frankly about the severity of the state’s fiscal crisis.
Budget negotiations were tense throughout Paterson’s tenure, and the state ultimately
made $42 billion in budget cuts by the time he left office in 2010. Some of the tactics
that the Governor used in handling the fiscal crisis, particularly that of using
temporary spending bills to advance his own fiscal priorities when state budgets were
not adopted on time, set precedents for the future governance of the state. Paterson’s
handling of the state’s fiscal crisis helped the state to avoid insolvency, a
downgrading of its credit rating, and the state of financial hardship experienced in
other states. However, the budget cuts, layoff plans, tax increases, payment delays for
Medicaid and education, among other decisions, made him unpopular in the state at the
time.
Despite the economic downturn, the Governor made progress on immigration, same sex
marriage, the Rockefeller Drug laws, and other issues. The Governor created panels to
review pardon applications from immigrants with prior criminal records who were facing
deportation; ultimately, 24 applicants were pardoned at the end of his term. The
Governor was also successful in working with the Legislature to reform the Rockefeller
Drug Laws by eliminating harsh mandatory minimum sentences and by giving more latitude
to judges in sentencing non-violent offenders. The Governor was less successful on
same-sex marriage: he successfully issued a directive that that required New York State
agencies to recognize same-sex marriage licenses from other states, but the Legislature
did not legalize same-sex marriage during his term. The Governor also pursued
initiatives that would support minority and women owned businesses, enacted the Bigger
Better Bottle Bill, reformed the Empire Zone Program, and ended New York City’s practice
of warehousing data on individuals who were stopped due to "stop and frisk" but
ultimately found to have done nothing illegal.
The Governor also established legal precedent in his appointment of Lieutenant Governor
Richard Ravitch. The appointment helped to resolve the leadership crisis in the State
Senate in 2009. A lawsuit challenged that the Governor did not have the constitutional
authority to make this appointment, but his right of appointment was upheld by the
courts. The case established the Governor’s right of appointment of the Lieutenant
Governor, allowing for adequate provision for the gubernatorial succession in the event
of a vacancy.
Governor Paterson intended to run for a full term as Governor. However, it was thought
that he was too unpopular, and so a liability to the Democratic Party, and it was
revealed advisors to President Obama asked him to withdraw his candidacy in September
2009. Paterson persevered, but additional concerns surfaced over the next few months. By
early February 2010, there were two ethics investigations involving the Governor. The
first charge was witness tampering, as it had been established that Paterson had contact
with a woman who was seeking an order of protection against David A. Johnson, his
long-time aide, while the case was active in the courts. The second charge was perjury,
where it was alleged that the Governor sought and accepted free tickets to the World
Series from the New York Yankees, but later claimed that he intended to pay for the
tickets during an inquiry. As support for his candidacy continued to erode in light of
these allegations, Paterson ended his campaign on February 26th stating that, "I am
being realistic about politics. It hasn’t been the latest distraction; it has been an
accumulation of obstacles that have obfuscated me from bringing my message to the
public. Therefore there are times in politics when you have to know not to strive for
service but to step back, and that moment has come for me." He ignored calls for his
resignation, however, and finished the remainder of the term in December 2010.
Outside of politics, Paterson is nationally recognized as a leading active advocate for
the visually and physically impaired. He is a member of the American Foundation for the
Blind. In addition, he serves on the Board of the Achilles Track Club, having completed
the New York City Marathon in 1999. Paterson has also worked in higher education,
serving as an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School for International and
Public Affairs from 2000-2007, as an adjunct professor of Government at New York
University from 2011-2012. Most recently, Paterson was appointed the Distinguished
Professor of Health Care and Public Policy at Touro College in 2013.
Paterson has also served the Democratic Party and the Coalition of Northeast Governors
(CONEG). He has served as a member of the Democratic National Committee, as a board
member of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, and as the Chair of the
Coalition of Northeast Governors (CONEG). He became the Chair of the New York State
Democratic Committee in May 2014.
Paterson has been active in other areas since leaving office. He serves on several
boards, including the board of CODESMART Group Inc., a national subject matter expert
for ICD-10 education and compliance, which he joined in March 2014, and the board of
Medient Studios, Inc., an entertainment content creation company, which he joined in May
2014. He began a five year term on the Board of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA)
in June 2012. He is also a founding member of the Job Channel Network (JCN).
Paterson has also worked in the media, hosting a radio show on WOR 710 in New York City
from 2011-2012, and co-hosting another radio show with Curtis Sliwa on WNYM 970 in 2013.
Governor Paterson continues to be active in speaking engagements, and often appears as a
guest commentator on political news programs.
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