Politics on the Hudson

Up in Albany, the big news today is the Senate Investigations Committee hearing on the Spitzer-Bruno travel flap.

Our own Jay Gallagher sets up the day’s event’s this way:

ALBANY – State senators probing alleged abuse of power by aides to Gov. Eliot Spitzer will have to make do with stand-ins for two of the main investigators at a hearing today.

New York Inspector General Kristine Hamann won’t appear before the Senate Investigations Committee, instead sending her counsel, spokesman Stephen DelGiacco said.

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo also is sending an aide to face the panel, in the first public hearing on charges that Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s aides abused their power by using the State Police to gather damaging information on Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.

“We are disappointed she has now indicated she will be sending a representative and not appearing on her own,” state Senate Investigations Committee Chairman George Winner, R-Elmira, said in a radio interview yesterday.

Read the rest of his story “here”:http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070809/NEWS05/708090361/1026/NEWS10.