The new governor of New York, gay-friendly Democrat David Paterson, has taken a pre-emptive approach to a potential media scandal by publicly admitting to having cheated on his wife.

Paterson, who replased Gov. Eliot Spitzer after his infamous hooker scandal just a week ago, told the Daily News of New York City that both he and his wife had affairs during a rough patch in their marriage several years ago.

"This was a marriage that appeared to be going sour at one point," Paterson told the Daily News. "But I went to counseling and we decided we wanted to make it work. Michelle is well aware of what went on."

Paterson told the newspaper that he maintained a relationship with another woman from 1999 until 2001. He and his wife, Michelle, eventually sought counseling and repaired their relationship. The couple did not go into details.

Paterson and the other woman sometimes stayed at a Days Inn on Manhattan's Upper West Side, the governor said, adding that his Albany staff sometimes stayed there as well when they were in the city. Paterson said he did not use government or campaign funds to pay for the romantic encounters.

Paterson is New York's first black governor - and the first legally blind chief executive in the US. He is a strong advocate of LGBT civil rights and supports passage of legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry and of the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, or GENDA. The legislation would amend the state's human rights law to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and expression in employment, housing, public accommodations and credit.

Last update: 03-18-2008 13:12