Faso, Spitzer slug it out

Republican attacks Democratic rival on spending proposals, political allies andrecord as state AG

BY MICHAEL ROTHFELD | Newsday Staff Writer

October 13, 2006

With less than a month until voters elect a new governor, Republican John Faso aggressively pursued front-runner Eliot Spitzer in their second televised debate last night, hammering at his Democratic opponent's spending proposals, his political allies, and his record as state attorney general.

Faso, the former Assembly minority leader, has failed to close the 50-percentage-point gap Spitzer holds in public opinion polls heading to the Nov. 7 election.

So he went after Spitzer from the start, issuing the first of several challenges in his opening statement for his opponent to call for the resignation of State Comptroller Alan Hevesi - a Democratic ally of Spitzer - for assigning a state employee as a driver for his ailing wife. He also criticized Spitzer for not moving to prosecute Hevesi.

"If that was a corporate executive, ripping off his public company, I think Eliot Spitzer would be on the courthouse steps with a press release, berating him," Faso said at WNED-TV in Buffalo. "But no, it's his political ally, so he can't seem to muster the strength to say a thing."

Spitzer, visibly annoyed that Faso had also called him "timid" for failing to propose cutting income taxes or business taxes, said he would look at Hevesi's case "precisely on the law" if it is referred to him.

"Of all the things I've been called over the last eight years as attorney general, timid is the last thing most people would think of," he retorted. "We have pursued every case based on the facts, based on the law ... without regard to political consequences."

Spitzer did not ask Hevesi, who has repaid the state $82,000 for the driver, to resign. But nor did he call his friend "stupendous," as in the candidates' first debate in Ithaca last month.

Both men were civil at the debate, which was broadcast on public television and radio across the state. Faso appeared more relaxed, and feistier, than in their first meeting, while Spitzer was a bit stiffer in a dark suit, and more defensive.

A man well-known to relish a fight, Spitzer acted almost offended at Faso's barbs, branding him "angry." He ignored Faso's taunts about his acceptance of a plane ride from a lobbyist representing an out-of-state Indian tribe seeking to open a casino. But Spitzer pounced when Faso said that as attorney general, Spitzer was "an expert in bludgeoning public companies," and as Faso derided the results of Spitzer's prosecutions.

"Mr. Faso loves to defend corporate corruption," Spitzer said. "He has criticized all the cases we have made where we have uncovered fundamental corruption on Wall Street."

Outside of its heat, the debate outlined real policy differences between the two men seeking to lead the state. Faso portrayed the solution to the loss of residents from New York, particularly upstate, as a broad-based reduction of taxes.

Spitzer spoke of redirecting funds and investing in new industries, including a $1-billion plan by his running mate, State Sen. David Paterson, for stem cell research. "Stem cell research is the future of medicine, of jobs, creativity," Spitzer said.

Faso called the research "very important," but said it would be "inappropriate" to borrow more in a state overloaded by debt.

"There's a fundamental difference between us," he said. "See, Mr. Spitzer's philosophy is more government, more taxes, more spending, more borrowing. ... My philosophy says, let's let the individual entrepreneurs decide where they want to invest."

Spitzer said he'd back legislation to end Albany fundraisers so lobbyists can't ask lawmakers for help by day and give them money by night. Faso, who has worked as a lobbyist, said that would just drive the fundraisers to New York City.