Paladino
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino assailed a New York Post editor for the newspaper's coverage of the daughter he fathered a decade ago with another woman and threatened the man if he sent any more "goons" to her house.
Paladino, a Republican, was on his way to address the New York State Business Council dinner on Wednesday night when, as he was walking in, he was approached by Post State Editor and radio personality Fred Dicker and a few other reporters.
According to the New York Daily News, who also had a reporter covering the event, Dicker asked Paladino what evidence he had that his opponent, Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Andrew Cuomo, had cheated on his ex-wife.
The Tea Party-backed Paladino alleged Tuesday to Politico's Maggie Haberman that Cuomo was unfaithful years ago to his now ex-wife. Paladino, a Buffalo real estate developer, offered no proof of his claim, and he made it mere minutes after angrily declaring his 10-year-old daughter -- a child of his own affair 10 years ago -- off limits to the press.
Wednesday night, Paladino turned the tables on the editor, assailing Dicker and the newspaper for its coverage of his daughter.
The Post, according to a statement on Paladino's campaign website, sent a photographer to the Buffalo home where his daughter lives with her mother. The photographer, his camp said, attempted to take photos of the child through the windows and tried to follow the girl to a playground.
"We believe this conduct puts Carl Paladino's daughter in harm's way, susceptible to kidnapping or sexual predators," campaign manager Michael Caputo said in a statement.
Paladino's campaign said the newspaper's actions were unacceptable and that endangering the safety of a child is "repugnant."
"I want to know why you sent your goons after my daughter, Fred," Paladino demanded of Dicker, according to a Daily News blog.
"You send another goon to my daughter's house and I'll take you out, buddy!"
Caputo had to separate the two men and sent his candidate into the men's room to calm down, according to witnesses.
Asked again if he had evidence of the attorney general's alleged infidelity, Paladino finally replied, "Of course I do. You'll get it at the appropriate time."
According to recent polls, Paladino still remains more than 30 points behind the popular Cuomo with just five weeks until the Nov. 2 election.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by e-mail at jessica@legalnewsline.com.