Politics on the Hudson

    Drivers for the families of top state officials has become a hot topic at the Capitol since the “Chauffeurgate’’ scandal  engulfed Alan Hevesi’s campaign for re-election as comptroller a few weeks ago.

  There have been reports that Gov. Gov. Pataki’s wife, Libby, and state Health Commissioner Dr. Antonia Novello have also been squired around on private business on the taxpayers’ dime.

   When these issues were raised today at a press conference Pataki held with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Bloomberg, whose girlfriend is in Pataki’s cabinet, responded before the governor could get a word out.

   “Thank God it’s not the banking superintendent,’’ he said, referring to his girlfriend, Diana Taylor.

   Pataki eventually said that he has followed security rules established by the State Police in deciding when his family should have taxpayer-supplied transportation.