You, too, could be the next United States senator from New York. But first, Gov. David A. Paterson has some questions for you. Ever been fired from a job? Ever been disciplined by a bar association, suspended from school, or audited by Uncle Sam? Ever belonged to a club that restricted admission based on race, skin color, or religion? Ever employed a nanny or maid who was in the country illegally? And are you now, or have you ever been, a blogger? Those are just a few of the dozens of topics covered by a questionnaire that Mr. Paterson is requiring the top contenders for the Senate job [pdf] to submit to his office by the end of the day.  Though the questionnaire was sent to candidates last week and its existence reported on Monday, the Paterson administration has so far denied all requests from the news media for more information on the forms, declining to release the raw questionnaire and saying they will not release even partly redacted copies of the completed documents.  “The vetting process is confidential,” Risa B. Heller, the governor’s spokeswoman, said in a statement.  But the copy provided to The Times provides a detailed glimpse of the kind of sensitive information being sought by the governor. In some respects, the questionnaire is a kind of survey of every scandal that has afflicted state and federal politicians in recent history. If answered truthfully, the questionnaire would screen for those candidates who hired illegal immigrants, wrote controversial blogs on the side, or did not file their tax returns.  There are also more current questions. The candidates must disclose, for example, any affiliation they or family members have with any financial, insurance or mortgage firms that have been the target of investigation or aid during the current fiscal crisis. (Recall that James A. Johnson, the former Fannie Mae executive, was forced to resign from Barack Obama’s vice-presidential search committee when Fannie Mae’s loan business came under scrutiny.)  The questionnaire effectively provides a thorough background check of all the contenders for the Senate job — and, potentially, place an extraordinary amount of information in the hands of Mr. Paterson and his aides. Contenders must agree to have their finances audited by the state’s Department of Taxation and Finance and to release to the administration any findings by any law enforcement agency or disciplinary body.  A spokesman for Caroline Kennedy, a top contender for the job, said Ms. Kennedy had completed the questionnaire.  But the questionnaire does not specify who in the administration would have access to the completed document, which would provide ready-made opposition research on any contender who completed it. Those said to be interested for the job include nearly all of Mr. Paterson’s potential rivals within the Democratic Party, including Andrew M. Cuomo, the state attorney general.  A spokesman for Mr. Cuomo declined to say whether Mr. Cuomo had received the questionnaire or had returned it to Mr. Paterson.  Barbara Bartoletti, the legislative director of the League of Women Voters, harshly criticized the governor’s decision to keep the questionnaires secret.  “That is extraordinarily troubling,” Ms. Bartoletti said. “There is no reason why the governor’s office doesn’t release this type of form, before it’s completed and after it’s completed.”  She added: “The problem we’ve been getting into is that there is not enough transparency in vetting of high-level positions. It would have gone a great distance in mitigating many issues that have befallen senators from Alaska to Illinois. I don’t understand why the governor wouldn’t release this.”  Questionnaire for prospective Senate appointees
Document: Read the questionnaire that Gov. David A. Paterson of New York asked candidates for the appointment to fill out.