Governor Spitzer's office is calling on the Albany County District Attorney and the State Attorney General to review Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno's travel reports. This comes one day after the Albany Times Union reported misuse of taxpayer funded transportation by the state's top Republican.
The article in which these allegations first surfaced states that "…in addition to routinely using state helicopters to fly from Albany to NYC for years, almost weekly, Bruno has also received ground transportation downstate from State Police, even when traveling to fundraisers."
Bruno insists that he has done nothing wrong, but he doesn't deny allegations that he has used state helicopters to travel to fundraisers.
"If there's a fundraiser as there was I think two or three times, sure, what do you think I'm going to do, come back to Albany? At 11, 11:30, I come back to Albany and go back at 5:30 for a fundraiser. That's just nonsense, so of course if there is a fundraiser we go and jump on the helicopter," Bruno said.
An investigation is being called after allegations that Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno used state funded transportation to get to fundraisers, which would be against ethics laws. But the senator says he's doing nothing wrong. Our Elizabeth Alesse has the story.
Bruno justified his use of state transportation, saying it is necessary for efficiency reasons and as a matter of personal security.
"Since I have been leader I was told by the State Police that there were so many threats on my life that they could not cover them," said Bruno.
It remains to be seen whether or not Bruno's justifications will suffice. If not, Bruno could be subject to sanctions by the state Ethics Committee or criminal charges if he is found to have abused state resources.
Bruno spent most of the press conference criticizing the Governor's first six months in office and blaming him for what he calls a disappointing legislative session. Bruno even went so far as call Spitzer's use of state transportation into question.
A spokesman for the governor says his travel records are reviewed often and no wrongdoing has surfaced.