Gov. David Paterson just exited Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno's third floor Capitol office, where reporters are gathered in wait for a public statement from the soon-to-retire veteran lawmaker, and became the first person to officially confirm on the record that Bruno is indeed not seeking re-election this fall. "The senator wants to move on," Paterson said (as relayed to me by DN Capitol Bureau Chief Ken Lovett, who is in the scrum). "There are other things he would like to do." Paterson said he "had a feeling" a few days ago that Bruno has something to tell him, but it wasn't until just now that the governor learned of the senator's decision. The governor called Bruno a "class act" and a "wonderful person." He said he and the majority leader had worked together to "set a different tone" in Albany after the mortal combat between Eliot Spitzer and the state Legislature, particularly Senate Republcians. Paterson said he didn't get any indication from Bruno that the ongoing FBI investigation played a role in his decision, adding: "When he chooses the time (to go), that time is fine." ...
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Gov. David Paterson just exited Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno's third floor Capitol office, where reporters are gathered in wait for a public statement from the soon-to-retire veteran lawmaker, and became the first person to officially confirm on the record that Bruno is indeed not seeking re-election this fall. "The senator wants to move on," Paterson said (as relayed to me by DN Capitol Bureau Chief Ken Lovett, who is in the scrum). "There are other things he would like to do." Paterson said he "had a feeling" a few days ago that Bruno has something to tell him, but it wasn't until just now that the governor learned of the senator's decision. The governor called Bruno a "class act" and a "wonderful person." He said he and the majority leader had worked together to "set a different tone" in Albany after the mortal combat between Eliot Spitzer and the state Legislature, particularly Senate Republcians. Paterson said he didn't get any indication from Bruno that the ongoing FBI investigation played a role in his decision, adding: "When he chooses the time (to go), that time is fine." ...