Mondello Requests Public Integrity Commission Investigation of Latest Spitzer Dirty Tricks Plot

ALBANY, NY (10/12/2007)(readMedia)-- New York Republican State Committee Chairman Joseph N. Mondello today issued a formal request to the New York State Commission on Public Integrity to investigate the latest accusations of Governor Spitzer’s attempts to use government resources to politically damage Senator Joseph Bruno.

“The needs of the people of this state are not being met because the Spitzer administration is spending its time trying to personally and politically damage Senator Bruno instead of engaging in substantive discourse about the issues that really matter to the people of this state—tax relief, job creation and common sense criminal justice measures,” said Chairman Mondello. “Governor Spitzer’s administration is obsessed with these political and personal attacks on anyone with a legitimate difference of opinion. It is against everything this country represents, and it cannot be tolerated.”

Chairman Mondello specifically referenced an official New York State Senate letter dated October 9th, 2007 from Senators John Sampson, Liz Krueger and Velmanette Montgomery and media reports surrounding secret plots to discuss this official government letter and other attempts to politically attack Senator Joseph Bruno, originally uncovered in an October 11th article by Fred Dicker in the New York Post.

“After numerous public proclamations earlier this year that Governor Spitzer was humbled by the shocking ‘troopergate’ scandal and promises to get back to work, it appears his administration is addicted to using immoral, unethical and possibly illegal means to destroy Senator Bruno,” said Chairman Mondello. “The message from the public to Governor Spitzer has been abundantly clear: stop the political dirty tricks and get back to work. He has not shown the inclination nor the ability to listen to the people, but I am hopeful that the Public Integrity Commission will thoroughly review this matter and reinforce the public’s demand for a return to civility.”

Chairman Mondello specifically called for the Commission to investigate any members of Governor Eliot Spitzer’s staff who encouraged or facilitated the Senate Democrats in using taxpayer funded government resources for political attacks.

A copy of Chairman Mondello’s letter is attached.

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