Top NY court upholds Ravitch appointment

(AP) - New York's top court has upheld Gov. DavidPaterson's power to appoint a lieutenant governor, reversing alower court's decision. Paterson's lawyers argued that a provision of state law allowsthe

News 12 Staff

Sep 22, 2009, 6:09 PM

Updated 5,493 days ago

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(AP) - New York's top court has upheld Gov. DavidPaterson's power to appoint a lieutenant governor, reversing alower court's decision.
Paterson's lawyers argued that a provision of state law allowsthe governor to fill vacancies, including Paterson's July 8appointment of Richard Ravitch.
Paterson tapped Ravitch to help break a monthlong Senateleadership struggle. Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos filed alawsuit challenging his authority to make the appointment.
Lieutenant governors in New York appear on a ticket with thegubernatorial candidate and are elected. But the lieutenantgovernor's post had been empty since Paterson stepped up to replaceEliot Spitzer, who resigned last year amid a prostitution scandal.
The court ruling was released Tuesday.
Read the ruling