State Ethics Panel Commission Head Resigns

Before former governor Eliot Spitzer was brought down by Hookergate, he was embroiled in Troopergate, the campaign to smear (then) Republican Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno. The State Commission on Public Integrity investigated the matter at the time, last week the Inspector General revealed the commission's head, Herbert Teitelbaum, leaked details of the probe to Spitzer and that the panel never truly investigated the matter! Now Teitelbaum has resigned, though he claims it was because he was a "lightning rod for criticism" and slammed the IG's report, "Calling something an ‘apparent violation' is just another way of saying ‘I have insufficient proof.' It is reckless, unprofessional and dangerous for the Inspector General to initiate an investigation based on a claim of ‘inappropriate conduct' and to then make a finding of an ‘apparent violation.'" Beyond Teitelbaum's departure, Governor David Paterson wants the entire panel to resign and start over.