John Bonacic

It's worth pointing out that one of the guests at a fund-raisers Eliot Spitzer attended last night was state Senator John Bonacic, a Republican.

Bonacic is the same state Senator who said the leader of his conference, Joe Bruno, should step down because he's being investigated by the FBI for possibly steering state money to his private clients.

Bonacic was one of about 45 guests in attendance for the $2,500 fund-raiser, according to this article. A Democratic source told me Bonacic was invited by the organizer of the event and gave a "glowing" introduction for the governor.

The event took place shortly after the Albany County District Attorney announced he found no criminal wrongdoing by the governor's people in the Troopergate investigation.

UPDATE: A reader emailed me a link to this ad Eliot Spitzer filmed for Bonacic's opponent last year, which I suppose goes to show how far their relationship has evolved, for various reasons, since then.

I just caught up with Republican state Senator Serph Maltese to talk to him about yesterday's victory by Craig Johnson.

On one subject of immediate speculation -- the possibility of partisan defections -- Maltese said he spoke with John Bonacic and Joe Robach, two GOP state senators who, like him, are rumored to be considering a party switch that would hand control of the Senate to the Democrats.

"I spoke with both of them last night," Maltese said, "and both of them told me it's total baloney and they're not interested in switching parties."

He explained yesterday's loss in Nassau County, at least in part, by pointing to Iraq.

"There was still enough spillover from the war in Iraq and resentment from the president," Maltese said. "Hopefully in November of next year, the war will be resolved and our troops will be home and it won't be an issue."

About the anti-gay marriage flier from the Nassau County Conservative Campaign Committee, Maltese, a former Conservative Party chairman in Queens, said, "Anybody asks me anything about that, I say don't do it. They usually come back and hit you in the face."

And as for the impact of yesterday's loss on GOP state chairman Joe Mondello?

None, said Maltese.

"I don't know if that's a referendum on Joe and his leadership. I have full confidence in him," he said.

"They say the race was run in a textbook fashion," he continued, but there were "circumstances beyond his control."

-- Azi Paybarah

The Brennan Center wants John Bonacic to introduce an amendment that would relieve Joe Bruno of some of his power.

Doctors like Eliot Spitzer's plan to extend health insurance to more New Yorkers.

The Daily Gotham doesn't like the fact that Senate Republicans elected as their leader a guy under federal investigation.

Sheldon Silver's former aide-turned-lobbyist made another well-connected hire.

Eliot Spitzer is a work of art.

The Fix has a look at some poll numbers from early presidential battleground states.

Greg Sargent thinks Joe Lieberman's pronouncements on troop levels are fishy.

John McCain is putting in place more campaign staffers while Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney are interviewing.

And pictured above is Tom Suozzi, who praised Spitzer for bringing change to Albany.

-- Azi Paybarah

Senator John Bonacic, who publicly called for Joe Bruno to step down from his leadership position in the face of an FBI probe, wasn't in the Senate chamber when the conference re-elected Bruno to another 2-year term.

Bonacic then avoided reporters waiting for him at one of the Senate chambers by taking the long route from the Senate to the Assembly, where I heard a reporter for Fox News caught him. Later, after Spitzer's state of the state, Bonacic tried slipping by the throng of reporters in the Assembly chamber's foyer who were waiting to chat with Mayor Bloomberg.

As he walked by, the tireless Michael Scotto of New York 1 News got Bonacic to talk, reluctantly.

"I don't think its appropriate today. The conference supported Joe Bruno, and this is not a day uh, to be belittling the leaders that the conference had picked. That's for another day."

That day should be fun. -- Azi Paybarah