The Morning Read: Thursday, August 9, 2007

Steve Mitnick, who recently quit his job as energy adviser to Eliot Spitzer after being accused of threatening a Public Service Commission member, told friends his conduct was “directed in part” by Spitzer’s top aide, Rich Baum, reports Newsday.

Republicans in the state Senate will hold a hearing today on the conduct of Eliot Spitzer’s top aides.

Those senators won’t hear directly from the state Inspector General or the Attorney General because both are sending surrogates.

Since the Inspector General won’t testify in person, and is a gubernatorial appointee, Republicans say it shows a pattern of stonewalling from the governor’s office.

Spitzer aides were cooperating with investigators from Andrew Cuomo’s office until they realized they were the ones in the crosshairs.

The State Ethics Commission is suspending its inquiry until other ones currently being conducted by the District Attorney and Republicans in the state Senate are complete.

The MTA has about 30 days to come up with a plan for how to drain the system and avoid a complete shutdown of service when the it floods.

Lenora Fulani will announce she’s opening an exploratory committee to run for mayor.

Bill Thompson says he would have handled the Sonny Carson street renaming differently than Christine Quinn.

Hillary Clinton has some fund-raisers in Martha’s Vineyard coming up.

The AFL-CIO won’t endorse a Democratic presidential candidate, but its locals may.

And Republicans are suing to to knock Democrats off the Working Families Party line in Putnam County.