Why the Secrecy, Eliot?

For a guy who promised sunshine, transparency and openness in his administration, it seems Eliot Spitzer has plenty to hide.

Check out his latest mealy-mouthed excuse for keeping his testimony in a dirty tricks investigation secret.

Gov. Spitzer contended yesterday that the testimony he's expected to give to a state commission probing the Dirty Tricks Scandal can't be made public - even though nothing in state law says that's the case.

Spitzer told the Buffalo News that the "rules" of the state Commission on Public Integrity prohibited the release of his soon-to-be-given testimony on the use of the State Police by his top aides to smear Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Rensselaer).

While again contending that he'd like to make his testimony public, Spitzer insisted, "The reason I can't is because it's their rules, not mine. And their rules don't permit it."

A spokesman for the commission - controlled by Spitzer's appointees - said the "policy" of the commission was "not to provide transcripts of depositions or to allow witnesses to record their testimony."

But the spokesman, Walter Ayres, repeatedly refused to provide the legal basis for the commission's policy.

"So much for sunshine and open government," said Sen. George Winner (R-Elmira), the chairman of the Senate Investigations Committee.

"It's a solar eclipse when it comes to his government," added Winner, who has gone to court to challenge the Spitzer administration's refusal to respond to a Senate subpoena seeking information on the scandal.

Oh, and what's the deal with the secret meetings?

Previously on Spitzer.

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