Cold Case File: The Missing Daily News Steve Rattner Maureen White Story

John Koblin — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:43:48 -0400

Today on Newser, Michael Wolff writes about a New York Daily News story that appeared back in October, but then—whooosh!—disappeared from the News' Web site.

The article is about how journalist-turned-private equity investor Steve Rattner's wife was pulled over for a D.U.I. But, for some reason, the story disappeared. The New York Times, which is published by Mr. Rattner's close friend Arthur Sulzberger Jr., never ran the story, nor did The New York Post. Mr. Wolff wondered:

It is possible, of course, that the Daily News website has malfunctioned. And that the Times and the Post were asleep at the switch. And that the Rattners are the luckiest public couple in New York.

After the jump, the story, as it appeared originally, via Nexis:

Today on Newser, Michael Wolff writes about a New York Daily News story that appeared back in October, but then—whooosh!—disappeared from the News' Web site.

It is possible, of course, that the Daily News website has malfunctioned. And that the Times and the Post were asleep at the switch. And that the Rattners are the luckiest public couple in New York. Anything is possible.

Here is the story, as it appeared originally, via Nexis:

Daily News (New York)

October 26, 2008 Sunday
SPORTS FINAL EDITION

DEMOCRATIC MONEY QUEEN IN BOOZE BUST

BYLINE: BY ALISON GENDAR, DORIAN BLOCK and WIL CRUZ DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 239 words

A HEAVYWEIGHT political fund-raiser who has pulled in millions for the Clintons, Barack Obama and Mayor Bloomberg was busted for driving while intoxicated in the Bronx, NYPD sources said yesterday.

Maureen White, 54, the former national finance chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee and wife of private equity investor Steve Rattner, was pulled over at the Throgs Neck Bridge Friday night.

Bridge and tunnel officers approached her 2006 Mercedes-Benz when it mysteriously stopped at the toll of an E-ZPass lane.

"Where do I go now?" White oddly asked.

The officers pulled her over, smelled alcohol and noticed that White had difficulty walking.

Sources said the officers gave her a field sobriety test, which registered a .17 blood alcohol level - more than twice the legal limit.

White, who had a 2008 Democratic National Convention pass in her car, was taken to the 45th Precinct, where she then refused a sobriety test, sources said. She was arraigned yesterday in Bronx Criminal Court.

A man who answered the phone at the couple's Westchester residence said they were out to dinner.

The powerhouse couple, who married in 1986 and have four children, have long campaigned for the Clintons and raised millions of dollars for various candidates.

White's April 2006 retirement fete alone raised $1.3 million for the party and was hosted by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel by Bill Clinton, Howard Dean and Al Gore.

Observer » Cold Case File: The Missing Daily News Steve Rattner Maureen White Story

Cold Case File: The Missing Daily News Steve Rattner Maureen White Story