Spitzer Probe: Is the Fix In?

We've been chronicling the Eliot Spitzer follies for several months now, and all indications continue to point to the fix being in surrounding the Dirty Tricks Scandal involving Joe Bruno, with the latest allegations coming from state commission employees, who say former communications director Darren Dopp is being set up as the fall guy.

THE state commission supposedly probing the Dirty Tricks Scandal faces a revolt from employees who believe it's improperly steering the investigation "away from Gov. Spitzer," commission insiders say.

Several disgusted senior officials, as well as lower-level workers at the Commission on Public Integrity, have decided to resign or are close to doing so, the insiders told The Post.

The resignation threats come as aides to Spitzer turn over what one source called "embarrassing" information about the scandal in response to a subpoena from Albany District Attorney David Soares, who has also been accused of covering up for the governor.

"The feeling is that [Commission Executive Director] Herb Teitelbaum has been steering the investigation away from Gov. Spitzer to [former Spitzer aide] Darren Dopp, not going after the governor and others in the executive chamber where the evidence points," said a source with direct knowledge of the situation. "People on the inside are embarrassed by the situation and some are considering quitting," the source continued.

Two sources, meanwhile, also said commission staff is convinced that Teitelbaum is secretly providing inside information on the commission's probe to Spitzer Special Counsel Richard Rivkin and to another Spitzer aide, Robert Hermann, Rivkin's former law partner who now heads the governor's Office of Regulatory Reform.

"Teitelbaum is giving the governor's people information that should only be kept within the commission," one source said.

Commission spokesman Walter Ayres denied the charge. Hermann did not return a call seeking comment.

Read the rest.

Outside of Fred Dicker at the NY Post, little attention has been paid to this scandal.

Spitzer must wake up every day saying a prayer of thanks for the D after his name.

Spitzer Investigator Leaves for Argentina

The Eliot Spitzer follies continue, as the man appointed to head the investigation into the Dirty Tricks Scandal has headed south for a few weeks, this after getting a secret pay raise.

How convenient.

THE man supposedly leading a key state probe of Gov. Spitzer and the Dirty Tricks Scandal has abruptly taken a 21/2-week vacation in South America - after secretly receiving a $15,000 pay raise, The Post has learned.

Recently hired Public Integrity Commission Executive Director Herbert Teitelbaum's extended vacation in Argentina has left stunned commission employees questioning his commitment to a probe aimed at determining if Spitzer and his aides broke the law by using the State Police in an effort to politically damage Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Rensselaer.)

"People can't believe Teitelbaum just took off in the middle of the investigation," said a source close to the commission.

"This is the biggest scandal in a generation, and he leaves in the middle of the investigation, before the governor has undergone questioning?"

Teitelbaum, a longtime Manhattan lawyer with close ties to Spitzer's aides, was named in mid-July by another Spitzer appointee, commission Chairman John Feerick, as the $140,000-a-year head of the Ethics Commission.

He was then appointed to head the Public Integrity Commission in October, after the Ethics and Lobbying commissions merged into the new entity, with Feerick again as chair.

It's unclear if Teitelbaum has earned enough vacation and personal leave days to have 2½ weeks' paid time off.

Commission spokesman Walter Ayres contended that Teitelbaum was hired with the understanding that he would take a long vacation in December and said he would take unpaid leave, if necessary.

Ayres also claimed Teitelbaum was able to do his job from Argentina since "he's in contact almost on a daily basis."

But a second commission source insisted, "The whole place is adrift."

Massive conflict of interest anyone?

Not only is there a conflict of interest, there's also a curious lack of interest in this story outside of the New York Post, other than a passing mention here.

We're certainly not hinting there's anything nefarious about Teitelbaum taking a vacation supposedly planned long in advance, but this does add to the ever-growing suspicion of a cover-up in this case and that nothing will ever come of the investigation, especially since Spitzer and his aides have been stonewalling from day one.

Instapundit links. Thanks!