Former Gov. David Paterson carried on a secret romantic relationship with an attractive female staffer, but recently broke it off, keeping the woman on his payroll, Page Six can exclusively reveal.
Paterson had been dating staffer Pamela Bane, who claims to be his chief of staff, quietly for more than 18 months before he dumped her last month at about the time he and his estranged wife, Michelle, formally filed for divorce after 20 years of marriage.
A Paterson spokesman said Bane was hired “as an assistant” after she began dating Paterson. But her LinkedIn profile boasts she serves as “chief of staff” for “the Office of Gov. David A. Paterson” and “strategic relationship manager” at his consulting firm, DAP Strategies.
“After separating from his wife, Gov. Paterson and Pam Bane began a personal relationship that has recently ended,” the rep confirmed Thursday. “Approximately 1 ¹/₂ years into the relationship, Pam was hired as an assistant at the governor’s company, DAP Strategies. She has remained on the payroll.”
But when we called DAP — as well as Paterson’s office at Touro College in Harlem where he teaches — and asked to speak to Bane, we were told, “She no longer works here.” (After one staffer pressed us to say why we were calling for Bane, and we replied, “her relationship with the governor,” he exclaimed, “Can you hold on? I just dropped something!”)
Bane couldn’t be reached for comment. A friend of hers said of the relationship with her boss: “David broke up with Pam five weeks ago. They dated for two years. She’s very upset he left her. He made promises to her. She’s told friends that she’s considering legal action.” A Paterson rep said regarding any suit: “I don’t know anything about that; she’s still on the payroll.”
Page Six exclusively reported in 2012 that Paterson and Michelle separated, and that he had a girlfriend months later. By August 2013, he was squiring Bane to a Hamptons charity “sock hop” attended by Michael Milken and David Koch.
Paterson recently filled in as a host on WBLS.