in february 2008, a u.s. district judge denied a motion to dismiss a racial discrimination lawsuit naming paterson. a white male former staff photographer claimed that he was the victim of discrimination in 2005 when paterson's office replaced him with a black photographer. according to the "new york post", paterson's chief of staff "denied the claim... paterson, in his deposition, countered that the decision... was simple politics – [the photographer] was a holdover from former minority leader marty connor, who was ousted by paterson in 2003."