Paterson Series tix questioned

It could be more than rude, it could be a violation of state bans on officials taking gifts. Blair Horner of the New York Public Interest Research Group told The Associated Press that Paterson may have broken rules against taking gifts if he leveraged his office for World Series tickets.

Yankees team president Randy Levine told the New York Post that a Paterson spokesman was a “liar” for saying the governor was invited by Levine. The Post report stated an aide to the governor solicited four tickets from the Yankees.

The Yankees, apparently concerned about violating gift rules, insisted on a letter from the governor’s office assuring the organization that the tickets were part of official government business, the Post reported.

In the end Paterson only received one free ticket valued at $425. The governor reportedly paid for two seats eventually, used by his son and his son’s friend, and an aide paid for a third.