The Morning Read: Monday, March 24, 2008

Eliot Spitzer was deeply involved in his staff's effort to smear Joe Bruno, according to a New York Times report about the testimony of former aide Darren Dopp.

Albany County District Attorney David Soares will release his second report on the matter shortly.

Spitzer may have to reimburse the state for the cost of his trip to D.C.

A Brazilian madam told the New York Post that she has details on Spitzer's sex life, although there doesn't seem to be much corroboration of her account

David Paterson paid to stay at a hotel down the street from the Capitol, although he owned a home in nearby Guilderland.

Fred Dicker follows the line of succession in Albany, and finds Governor Silver’s tenure would be really short.

Ben McGrath hangs out with Dicker.

George Pataki’s official portrait is being painted right now, while the fate of Spitzer’s portrait is unclear.

Christine Quinn has expensive legal help.

Grace Rauh chats with mayoral hopeful Marty Markowitz.

Critics of congestion pricing say opposing the plan is an uphill battle.

Lawmakers on Staten Island are considering a lawsuit against the city for not having a public hospital in their borough.

Closing senior centers is still on the table in the city.

Jacob Gershman is not ready to give Roger Stone credit for taking out Eliot Spitzer.

Joe Biden has an op-ed piece about life after Putin.

Hillary Clinton surrogate Evan Bayh is pushing the idea that electoral votes are yet another way to calculate the winner of the Democratic nomination. The Obama campaign disagrees. 

The D.N.C. is launching a web site that will have John McCain “debating” himself.

And Joe Bruno claimed some extra real estate on the third floor of the Capitol in Albany (last item).