Albany County DA’s Troopergate Problems
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- March
- 27
Albany County District Attorney David Soares’ investigation into the Troopergate matter continues to receive heavy criticism.
In September, he released a report that found Gov. Eliot Spitzer was not involved in a plot by Spitzer’s aides to release travel records that showed Senate Republican Majority Leader Joseph Bruno was using state aircraft for political purposes.
Yet Soares didn’t put anyone under oath, and now reports say that Spitzer was closely involved in the plot. At the time of his first report, Soares said he couldn’t put anyone under oath because he didn’t have probable cause.
But his former Democratic opponent in 2004, Paul Clyne, a former Albany County district attorney, today criticized Soares’ handling of the case. Clyne may run against Soares this year.
“He was lying to public what he could and couldn’t do,” Clyne said this morning on Fred Dicker’s radio show on 1300-AM in Albany.
Soares reopened the probe in October after the Commission on Public Integrity questioned whether Spitzer’s former communications director Darren Dopp perjured himself. Yet he found Dopp did nothing wrong and gave him immunity for his testimony.
Now Soares expects to release a second report this month, but is seeking permission from new Gov. David Paterson to release documents and emails he compiled on what Spitzer knew. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo hasn’t ruled on whether the documents can become public.
Yet Soares’ handling of the case raises many questions, including why a district attorney would even release a report in a case where he found no criminal wrongdoing. Sometimes, a DA can ask a grand jury to release a report on its findings, but it appears the report by Soares will come from him, not the grand jury.
Clyne said a DA would “use the grand jury to do that and don’t come to your own conclusions.”
Soares has refused to comment on the investigation.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, March 27th, 2008 at 9:41 am by Joseph Spector.
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I guess this guys Soares is no different than Jeanine Piro and Janet Difiore. Politics should not exist in the DA’s office. He was one of the hold out DA’s that people thought would enforce the law no matter what. I guess he joined the ranks of Westchesters Corrupt DA’s office.
Jeanine was railroading people into prison while Janet and her Husband attempted to bribe people to get out of her way. Wow, we really should be proud.
Janet never attempted to bribe anyone neither did her
husband…if you are so concerned with the integrity
of district attorneys why don’t you call you legislator
and insist that minor parties can’t cross endorse
major party candidates…that will ensure that no
individual leader of a party accumulates the ability
to control a nomination
Soares is a Spitzer flunky. Now he’s caught and trying to wiggle off the hook. He should be thrown out himself. And, what’s with Paterson bringing back a retired guy (and ally of his) to run the NYS police? That doesn’t pass the smell test, either. And neither does Paterson himself.
And here is Spitzer, caught up in another hooker ring. Front page of today’s NY Post. This “madam” is said to have a substantial list of high-powered clients, and she is cooperating with the authorities. Get ready for more names.
Besides the pols, wanna bet who the “prominent Yankee” is? You don’t get 13 guesses, either.
I believe that governor patterson has an obligation to
replace the albany county da soares for failing to
discharge his constitutional obligation and for failing
to convene a grand jury..THis is a democrat trying to
cover for a disgraced democratic governor…and he got
caught
BY THE WAY THERE IS A MECHANISM THAT PROVIDES FOR
REMOVAL OF A PROSECUTOR
Soares should go. And so should some editors at the Albany Times Union, who led the way for Spitzer on the smear campaign of Bruno that was “Troopergate.”
It’s so convenient these days, when one is one is interested in what goes on with politicians in this state and county that one can click on either “politics” or “crime.”