Joseph Bruno

Joe Bruno did not commit to staying in office for the remainder of his term when he addressed reporters in Albany just now, instead saying that he'll speak with his conference later today and plans to take things one day at a time.

Speaking in his third floor office in the capitol building, Bruno said he is"satisfied" with his tenure and aims to ensure a smooth and orderly transition.

Delivering the keynote to Newsweek’s Second Annual Global Environmental Leadership, the day after the pillar of his sustainability plan failed, Michael Bloomberg briefly chastised the New York State Assembly before reminding the conference that there are more components to PlaNYC than congestion pricing.

Here’s an excerpt:

“But unfortunately, as most of you know, yesterday the majority caucus in the Assembly chose not to bring the governor’s congestion pricing bill to a vote – effectively killing it.

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“That’s not leadership.

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Congestion pricing was important; it was new; and it was controversial, because we would have been the first city in the nation to implement it.

“But let me make something crystal clear this morning. It was one of only 127 items in the PlaNYC agenda. The other 126 initiatives are important too. Many of which can be achieved administratively. They require no approval by any other level or branch of government.

Full speech after the jump.  read more »

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Albany County District Attorney David Soares' office just made a partial release of his report on Troopergate. The announcement gives these caveats:

"Due to the terms of the limited waiver agreements executed by the District Attorney and the Executive Chamber, we are unable to release the complete analysis until privilege issues of first impression are resolved with former Governor Spitzer and Governor Paterson.  read more »

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Eliot Spitzer proposed in his State of the State Address in January that the Triborough Bridge be renamed for the late New York Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, one of the fallen governor's fiercest opponents, has introduced a bill to do just that [last item] .

It's another good day for congestion pricing, as Joe Bruno introduced a bill in the State Senate to correspond with David Paterson's announced support for the measure.  read more »

David Paterson just nominated a new superintendent of state police, retired State Police Colonel Harry Corbitt.

At a press conference in his Midtown office, Paterson declined to say the nomination is in any way connected to the state police involvement in Eliot Spitzer's effort to discredit Joe Bruno.  read more »

Darren Dopp, wearing a jacket and tie, talks to a few reporters in the L.G.A. (Legislative Correspondents Association), just like old times.

After David Paterson spoke, reporters had a large and lengthy scrum with Christine Anderson (Eliot Spizer's director of communications, who is expected to stay on for the time being), who fielded every question--some as many as three times).

Things we learned:

There may be "one reception or two" on Monday in honor of Paterson's swearing in, Anderson said.  read more »

If Governor Spitzer is forced to resign, Lieutenant Governor David Paterson would be given the governor’s seat for the remainder of Mr. Spitzer’s term, which ends in 2010.

From the constitution:

In case of the removal of the governor from office or of his or her death or resignation, the lieutenant-governor shall become governor for the remainder of the term.

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From the State Senate Majority press office:

Barbara Bruno, wife of Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, died today at their home in Brunswick at the age of 77. She had been suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease.

They had been married 57 years. Barbara Bruno was the mother of four children and had seven grandchildren. Services will be private for the family and a memorial service will be announced at a later date.

Tom DiNapoli just released a report saying that the New York Racing Association, which Eliot Spitzer recommended be allowed to continue running three of the state's horse-racing facilities, “continually misinterpreted the mathematical formula for calculating the franchise fee and shortchanged taxpayers.”

Joe Bruno has been pressuring lawmakers to make a decision on the issue before the end of the month.

More on the story here.

Have Mr. Bruno and his allies in the Senate exhausted that initial public sympathy, and overplayed their hand?  read more »