NY Governor's Top Aide Quits Over Tax Row

The chief aide to New York's governor has resigned after it was revealed that he failed to pay taxes for 5 years, the New York Times reports. David Paterson’s top deputy, Charles O'Byrne, built up a $300,000 backlog of taxes from 2001. He was suffering from depression at the time and blames the non-payment on "late-filing" syndrome.

O'Byrne, an ex-priest, was the governor's right-hand man, playing a central role in almost all of the administration's decision-making. He had a reputation in the state capital for being capable but sometimes aggressive. Paterson initially stood by O'Byrne after news of the non-payment broke, but the scandal seemed likely to start overshadowing the governor's efforts to balance the state budget.