NY Gov. Aide Claims Disorder Prevented Tax Filings

Charles O'Byrne, NY Democrat Governor Paterson's top aide, didn't file taxes from 2001 through 2005, claiming he had "late filing syndrome."

The lawyer, Richard S. Kestenbaum, said that he believed that the aide, Charles J. O’Byrne, despite an annual income of about $100,000 and an Ivy League education, could not bring himself to undertake the task of filling out his tax forms every year. Mr. O’Byrne and his doctor have described him as clinically depressed during that period.

“Most times, with professionals, these are very high-functioning people who otherwise complete all the other ordinary tasks of their life,” Mr. Kestenbaum said during a news conference in Manhattan...

Mr. O’Byrne has no plans to resign, said a person familiar with his thinking, who spoke on condition of anonymity because conversations about his status were private.