Lawyering Up on the Second Floor

While investigations into the shennanigans on the Second Floor* continue apace, Gov. Spitzer's press flacks are avoiding answering questions as to whether Gov. Whiplash Spitzer is himself lawyering up in anticipation of being questioned.

Spitzer's communications director, Christine Anderson, asked for three days by The Post if the governor has hired his own lawyer, refused to say, insisting, "We are not commenting on the ongoing investigation."

Sources familiar with what are now four scandal probes told The Post that they believe Spitzer and several of his top aides have hired private counsels to deal with the Public Integrity Commission. The commission's extensive probe is expected to include testimony from the governor and Albany District Attorney David Soares.

"With the DA getting back involved, they all need lawyers, including the governor," said a source close to the Spitzer administration.

The State Investigations Commission and the Senate Investigations Committee also are investigating the scandal, triggered by The Post's July 5 report that top Spitzer aides had used the State Police in a plot against Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.

*For those who aren't entirely sure why I reference the Second Floor, here's the skinny. The Governor's offices in the State Capitol are located on the Second Floor of the building. The legislature meets up on the Third Floor, with offices located next door in the LOB (Legislative Office Building). HT: Jammie

UPDATE:
Whiplash Spitzer strikes again. After the MTA (he appoints officials to public authorities in the state) called for hikes in fares and tolls, Spitzer realized that the fallout from yet another onerous hike in the already crushing tax burden on New Yorkers was a bridge too far. He's backtracked and stated that there would be no hikes for the next two years.

It helps when the MTA can't quite seem to accurately reflect its finances in any meaningful way and somehow came upon $220 million more than it previously had. Double books anyone? You simply can't trust the MTA on its finances, and this is another example.

Of course, that also means that the MTA will find a way to have an ever larger deficit and call for an even steeper hike in two years' time - which will coincide with election season. Nice.

Reacting to public pressure - including the Daily News' Halt the Hike campaign - Gov. Spitzer announced Tuesday there will be no increase on the $2 bus and subway fare for at least two years.

"We will save the $2 fare," Spitzer said at a press conference this morning, where he was joined by MTA Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger and MTA CEO Elliot Sander.

Spitzer said the Metropolitan Transportation Authority updated its budget forecast and found revenues were $220 million higher than expected - and will use it to save the base fare through 2009.

"Based on the current economic climate that has so many New Yorkers feeling squeezed, it seemed only proper that this amount be returned to the riders," Spitzer said.

New Yorkers are squeezed because tax and spenders can't think of cutting a penny off the $120 billion+ state budget. New York City residents are squeezed even harder.