ALBANY, N.Y. -- Albany County District Attorney David Soares said he stands by his investigation of Troopergate, including both his inquiry into the scandal back in September, and the report he issued this past Friday.
In his first extended television interview since the release of his second report, Capital Tonight host Brian Taffe got a chance to break down the series of events and testimony that led Soares to his latest conclusion.
In September, Soares cleared then-Governor Eliot Spitzer and his office of any criminal wrongdoing, going further to issue an opinion saying they acted appropriately by collecting and disseminating the travel records of Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.
Albany County District Attorney David Soares said he stands by his investigation of Troopergate, including both his inquiry into the scandal back in September, and the report he issued this past Friday.
But his most recent report found that Spitzer lied during that inquiry, and that the former governor was at the center of the plot to discredit the state's top Republican.
Soares defended his process, saying he moved cautiously to protect the reputations of public officials. He also defended the decision to give immunity to Spitzer's communications director, Darren Dopp, saying it was the best way to find the truth.
Soares said, "The one thing that no one's focusing on is that Mr. Dopp is free to testify before the Senate, and he's free to testify before the integrity commission. He does not have to be concerned with criminal prosecution, and he can testify without that hanging over his head. And perhaps you will get all the answers to the questions you may have. As far as I'm concerned I don't have anymore questions."
Soares went on to address many of his critics who say he didn't do a thorough enough job in his first report, and he also answered claims from critics who said he tried to protect Spitzer in his first Troopergate report.