Rumors of a New York Governor David Paterson sex scandal began circulating in the first weeks of February 2010 after several news outlets reported that the New York Times was about to release a potentially "bombshell" report about the governor.http://www.businessinsider.com/source-nyts-david-paterson-bombshell-to-break-tomorrow-governors-resignation-to-follow-2010-2 On February 8, 2010, there were reports that the governor was planning to resign. That same morning, Paterson's spokesperson Marissa Shorenstein said the stories were "entirely fabricated."http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/02/08/us/politics/politics-us-newyork-governor.html

Just weeks before the rumors of a pending "bombshell" revelation regarding the governor surfaced, the New York Post features a story called, "Dave Paterson's Latina Lovely." In the January 17, 2010, article, a NY lawyer claimed to have seen the governor in a New Jersey steakhouse with a "leggy Latina in her 20s."http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/dave_latina_lovely_sRI4hN1iRjRomshAacs3PM The woman was later identified as Jennifer Jones, who said she met with Paterson to talk about a youth program. Jones is married to Harvey Jones and the couple has three children.http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010/01/17/2010-01-17_gov_paterson_says_story_he_was_nuzzling_young_woman_is_an_outright_lie.html?r=news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nydnrss%2Fnews+%28News%29&utm_content=Google+Reader The governor's spokesperson said Paterson "was having lunch with a friend at a public restaurant and any insinuation of improper behavior is absolutely false."http://gothamist.com/2010/01/17/spotted_gov_paterson_nuzzling_leggy.php

On February 5, 2010, the New York Daily News suggested that the 'scandal' may be related to the reports that Paterson recently banned state troopers from entering the Governor's Mansion. An aide to the governor said the already existing policy had been re-enforced after Paterson's wife, Michelle Paige Paterson was "startled" by troopers in the house recently.http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010/01/25/2010-01-25_gov_dont_mansion_it_tweaks_policy_to_keep_troopers_out.html According to the Post, sources said it was the governor who was taken by surprise at the presence of unannounced state troopers in his home, he reportedly became "irate." Mrs. Paterson denies that the protocol has changed.http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010/01/25/2010-01-25_gov_dont_mansion_it_tweaks_policy_to_keep_troopers_out.html