Thug Spitzer Blocks Health Care for Uninsured

Just imagine the outrage from the left if a GOP governor threatened health-care and education projects. Why, we'd have 12-year-olds and little kids paraded around on television, used as mascots while critics were accused of being stalkers and wanting children to die.

Sound familiar?

Spiteful Spitz KOs Health $$ in ID Spat

Gov. Spitzer yesterday played vicious hardball with his chief opponent in the battle over driver's licenses for illegal aliens - canceling $300,000 in state-funded health-care and education projects in Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco's district, The Post has learned.

"It's governance by vengeance. He doesn't care who he hurts," a furious Tedisco (R-Schenectady) told The Post.

"You disagree with him and he tries to steamroller you," said Tedisco, a Republican.

The Democratic governor made his infamous "I'm a f- - -ing steamroller" remark to Tedisco earlier this year.

Tedisco, who has pledged to sue Spitzer to block the driver's license plan, said he received word of the blocked programs from Spitzer's budget director, Paul Francis.

"He wouldn't say why, but I have no doubt it's a direct result of my opposition to the governor's plan to give licenses to illegal aliens," said Tedisco.

Tedisco said he was especially outraged that Spitzer blocked $100,000 in funding for a Schenectady clinic where volunteer doctors provide free health care to the uninsured.

"Here's another dirty trick from this governor. And you know who he is playing the dirty trick on? He's playing it on the poor people of Schenectady.

"He's out there bashing President Bush for not signing a health-care program for kids and he's going to close down a health-care program for the poor in my district and these people will now be at the doorstep of hospital emergency rooms at 10 times the cost," Tedisco continued.

Tedisco, who regularly refers to Spitzer as "illegal Eliot" because of the governor's license plan, said the governor's actions would stiffen his resolve to fight the ID proposal.

Spitzer spokeswoman Christine Anderson insisted the governor wasn't retaliating against Tedisco but was only "trying to get state budget spending under control."

Sure.

Previously: Spitzer in Freefall