Spitzer Scuttles Licenses for Illegals Plan

This should make life much easier for Mrs. Clinton in the upcoming debate.

NY governor said to abandon license plan

WASHINGTON - New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer has decided to abandon a plan to issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, officials familiar with the decision told The Associated Press Tuesday night.

The governor is due to meet Wednesday morning with New York's congressional delegation, many of whom openly oppose the program. Debate over the issue also has spilled into New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign.

The governor's office signaled to New York lawmakers Tuesday that Spitzer will say at the meeting that he is shelving the plan and that immigration is a federal issue to be handled by Washington, according to congressional aides who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because no formal announcement had been made.

Last month, Spitzer sought to salvage the license effort by striking a deal with the Department of Homeland Security to create three distinct types of state driver's licenses: one "enhanced" that will be as secure as a passport; a second-tier license good for boarding airplanes; and a third marked not valid for federal purposes that would be available to illegal immigrants and others.

I'd hedge a guess and say maybe something about his other problems, including his freefalling poll numbers, may have helped him make up his mind.

Put nothing past this sneak, however. As soon as he thinks the coast is clear, he'll try this again. The Hispanic lobby will be all over him for backing off, so look for an end-around at some point.

Also at Hot Air.

UPDATE: Spitzer is hammered by the NY Post.

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