By FREDRIC U. DICKER, State Editor
September 29, 2007
ALBANY - Senate Republicans yesterday stepped up their investigation of the dirty tricks scandal as they threatened Gov. Spitzer with a subpoena for "documents, e-mails and all relevant information" related to the plot against Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.
The Republicans - who earlier this week voted to subpoena acting State Police Superintendent Preston Felton and "any witness who might have information relevant" to their probe of the scandal - said they would give Spitzer and his aides several days to voluntarily hand over the information.
But Senate Investigations Committee chairman George Winner (R-Elmira) said that if they refuse to do so, "subpoenas will be issued."
"Several of the witnesses that have appeared at the committee's hearings have not been cooperative or forthcoming with information and some have even refused to attend, hindering our efforts to develop effective legislation," said Winner.
"As a result, we are going to demand documents, e-mails and all relevant information from the executive branch to enable the committee to move forward in the most effective way," he continued.
The vote to subpoena Felton was taken after the head of the State Police refused to appear before Winner's committee.
A July 23 report from Attorney General Andrew Cuomo accused Felton, Spitzer communications director Darren Dopp and William Howard, the governor's homeland-security adviser, of using the State Police in an effort to discredit Bruno (R-Rensselaer) by leaking records purporting to show he misused a state helicopter for political purposes.
Cuomo concluded that Bruno had done nothing wrong.
The state Commission on Public Integrity also is probing the scandal.
