Don't Cry for Gov. David Paterson

…or any other corrupt New York state public official for that matter. ProPublica reports that under New York law, there's nothing a state employee can do that's so bad he won't be able to collect his pension.

This means that politicians receive their pensions even after they become convicted felons, such as State Sens. Joseph Bruno ($8,007.11 monthly pension) and Guy Velella ($6,251 monthly pension). (Messages to the former senators have not been returned, but we'll update you if we hear from them.) Pensions are determined by averaging the largest salary of three consecutive years…

Harry Corbitt, the State Police superintendent who resigned this week following revelations that he knew that state troopers had visited a woman who was intending to file assault charges against one of Paterson's aides, will receive a $7,064 monthly pension from the state, according to the state comptroller's office. Even if he had been fired, it wouldn't have made a difference.

According to the article, more than half the states have similar laws.