DONOHUE KIN FACES POT CHARGE

Daughter of Gov. Pataki's running mate is scheduled to answer possession
count in court tonight

ALBANY -- The 19-year-old daughter of Gov. George Pataki's running mate,
former Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Donohue, was charged last
week with possession of a small amount of marijuana, State Police said
Tuesday.

Both Donohue and Pataki have admitted to experimenting with the drug when
they were college students.

State Police Capt. Ronald Tritto said Sara Kenney, who is about to start her
junior year at Fordham University in New York City, was stopped on a
speeding charge about 11:30 a.m. Friday while traveling westbound on
Interstate 90 in the town of Schodack.

The captain said Kenney was charged with possession of marijuana, a
violation. That means she had less than 25 grams of pot. There are 28 grams
in an ounce.

Kenney is scheduled to appear in Schodack Town Court at 7 tonight to answer
the speeding and marijuana possession charges. If convicted of possession,
she faces a fine of up to $100.

"What my daughter did was wrong and she knows that,'' Donohue said in a
statement released by the Pataki-Donohue campaign on Tuesday. "Obviously,
this is extremely upsetting to our entire family. We love her, and we will
address this as a family.''

Donohue campaign spokeswoman Eileen Long said Kenney would plead guilty to
the marijuana charge and a speeding violation. Long said Kenney could plead
guilty without appearing in court. She added she wasn't certain whether or
not Kenney would appear in court.

Tritto said that as far as he knew, Kenney was alone in the car when she was
stopped. He said she was not taken into custody and allowed to go on her way
once the alleged marijuana was confiscated and appearance tickets were
issued to her, the State Police officer said.

Kenney is the daughter of Donohue and Troy lawyer Thomas Kenney. The two are
divorced.

Donohue gave up a job as a state Supreme Court judge to become Pataki's
running mate. Current Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey Ross became a Democrat last
year after a falling out with Pataki and is seeking her new party's
nomination to challenge his re-election bid.

Checked-by: Don Beck