NY Gov. Paterson says he used cocaine
NEW YORK (AP) - March 25, 2008 In reference to cocaine, Gov. David Paterson, 53, said in a
television interview that he "tried it a couple of times" when he
was "about 22 or 23."
"And marijuana probably when I was about 20," he said on the
NY1 cable news station. "I don't think I touched marijuana since
the '70s."
"More Americans have tried a lot more during that period of
time and gone on to lead responsible lives and hopefully have lived
their lives to their fullest," he said.
Paterson was lieutenant governor under Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who
resigned last week amid a prostitution scandal.
Last week, Paterson and his wife, Michelle Paterson, disclosed
they each had strayed from the marriage years ago. The couple were
separated for a "couple years" at the time, David Paterson said
Monday.
In Monday's interview, Paterson pointed out that he had
acknowledged to a television journalist in 2006 that he had used
illegal drugs.
The NY1 interviewer, Dominic Carter, noted that few people paid
attention to Paterson's revelation then because he was running for
lieutenant governor.
