Politicians shocked, subdued by Spitzer scandal

BY ERIK GERMAN | erik.german@newsday.com

12:24 AM EDT, March 11, 2008

ALBANY - New York's political class responded yesterday to the sudden disgrace of Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer with a mixture of shock, outrage and aghast silence.

In a Capitol often beset by a clatter of sound bites, the marble halls were uncharacteristically quiet as stunned officials grappled with allegations that Spitzer was caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet a high-priced prostitute in a Washington hotel last month.

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo -- the man occupying the office where Spitzer forged his reputation fighting wrongdoing on Wall Street -- made no public statements and did not return calls seeking comment.

The state's top fiscal watchdog, Democratic Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, beat a similar retreat. "We're just kind of in shock here," said his spokesman, Dennis Tomkins. "We're going to wait a day or two to figure out the appropriate reaction."

Long Island Sens. Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington) and Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) also kept quiet.

Even Spitzer's political nemesis, Senate Majority leader Joseph Bruno, spoke only briefly and with restraint. "I think it's very unfortunate," said Bruno (R-Brunswick). "I feel badly for his wife and children."

One of the few here who did throw barbs was Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco (R-Schenectady). Tedisco castigated Spitzer and called for his immediate resignation at a hastily convened news conference. But, he too, spent seconds sounding notes of disbelief.

"Usually as public servants, we're not at a loss for words," he said. "I don't think we've ever been more shocked, more saddened or more disappointed."

The volume of criticism rose, however, as the speakers' distance from the capital increased. Nassau County Republican Party Chairman Joseph Mondello called on Spitzer to "do the right thing" and "resign immediately," labeling the disclosures "a shocking disappointment" to constituents. "It's hard to see how Governor Spitzer can hope to govern effectively while the political, governmental and legal consequences of his behavior swirl about him," Mondello said.

Echoing this call was state Independence Party chairman Frank MacKay, of Rocky Point. "Incompetence would be forgivable," MacKay said. "But this is absolutely inexcusable."

While Suffolk County Democratic Chair Richard Schaffer declined to call for Spitzer's resignation, he worried the scandal could fatally undermine the governor's agenda. "He'll have to deal with his family and his own personal issues," Schaffer said. "I don't know whether he can do that and carry out all his governmental responsibilities."

Perhaps the most potent venom for Spitzer came from Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford). "He's finished," King said. "I've never met a person who was more self-righteous or more arrogant in politics than Eliot Spitzer."

Washington's New York Democrats were more circumspect. Sen. Charles Schumer expressed sympathy for Spitzer's family; fellow Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, said only that it would be "inappropriate" to comment this early, adding, "Let's wait and see what comes out."

Clinton and Spitzer are allies but they have endured a rocky relationship since both won landslides in November 2006.

Many Clinton advisers still blame Spitzer for pushing ahead last fall with his unpopular plan to grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. Clinton, who said she supported the plan only out of loyalty to Spitzer, fumbled a question about licenses during an October presidential debate in Philadelphia, a miscue that contributed to her slide in the polls. She later reversed position and renounced the plan.

Staff writers Melissa Mansfield, James T. Madore, Glenn Thrush, Rick Brand and Sid Cassese contributed to this story.