Spitzer and Hevesi

The New York Times has reported that NY Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer will likely seek Comptroller Alan Hevesi's removal from office this January. Hevesi easily won re-election to a second term as NY State Comptroller on November 7, but he has been hounded by scandal amid allegations that he violated state law by using a state employee as a chauffeur for his wife.

The chauffeur issue became public in September after Mr. Hevesi’s Republican opponent, J. Christopher Callaghan, was informed of it by an anonymous tipster. Mr. Hevesi said that he needed a driver for security reasons and because of the failing mental and physical health of his wife, Carol.

The Ethics Commission, though, found that the State Police had identified her as a “low-threat risk,” that her driver had no law enforcement background and was not part of the comptroller’s security team.

The commission also said that the comptroller’s office had failed “to keep any record that would allow for proper reimbursement,” suggesting that “Mr. Hevesi did not intend to reimburse the state.”

In a perfect world, Alan Hevesi would resign from office. If that does not happen, Eliot Spitzer should refer the matter to the State Senate and seek Hevesi's removal from office.

There is nothing for the Democrats to lose in this scenario: if Hevesi resigns, the Legislature will choose a new Democrat to replace him, and if the State Senate removes him from office, the Democrat Governor will choose the replacement.

The sooner Hevesi's gone, the sooner Spitzer can get down to business reforming Albany.