Like rats jumping off a sinking ship, the press secretary of New York Gov. David Paterson became the latest top official in his administration to leave office.

It seems a day can't go by without Paterson's name making headlines for something other than running the state.

Press Secretary Marissa Shorenstein resigned saying she could not longer do her job effectively due to the recent scandal over whether Paterson improperly tried to protect one of his top aides, David Johnson, from a physical abuse charge brought by Johnson's ex-girlfriend Sherr-una Booker.

A published report said Shorenstein called the accuser at Paterson's instruction but wasn't able to contact her. She termed her call to the alleged victim "unwitting involvement" in the case and said she performed her duties professionally.

A special counsel is investigating whether anyone in the administration, including Paterson, improperly contacted the woman.

Shorenstein joins Paterson's deputy public safety secretary, his state police superintendent, and his communications director who have all quit in the past three weeks over the scandal.

Paterson is also facing ethics charges that he solicited free tickets to a New York Yankees World Series game.

While Paterson, who has denied wrongdoing, has already announced that he will take President Obama's advice and not run for election, one has to wonder if he will resign if aides continue to leave his side.

Public opinion polls in New York have shown a majority want Paterson to finish out his term. But as the domestic abuse scandal continues to mushroom and Paterson's ethical problems continue to overshadow the state's deep fiscal problems, one has to wonder how patient New Yorkers will remain with their lame-duck leader.