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NARR1: Democratic Comptroller Alan Hevesi's scandal has most Democrats staying as far away from him as possible. At a Democratic voting event in Harlem, the walls are plastered with campaign posters bearing the names of all the Democratic candidates. Conspicuously absent is any mention of Hevesi. Gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer took back his endorsement of Hevesi and as New York's Attorney General forced him to repay the state over 150,0000 dollars. Spitzer's running mate for lieutenant governor is New York Senator Bill Patterson.
AX1: We're all friends of Alan Hevesi and you know our hearts go out to him and his family. He's had a very difficult situation. He himself has been highlty critical of his own conduct and his own judgement. We've all basically had to condemn his actions, because anybody, Democrat or Republican, knows that there are a lot of things that were done wrong.
NARR 2: Most Democrats, like Senator Hillary Clinton, still endorse Hevesi, but they say they do so only because they believe Callaghan isn't qualified for the job. Jean Lee Anderson is a registered Democrat from Harlem. She signals that some Democrats may be willing to forgive Hevesi.
AX2: I still think he did an excellent job as comptroller and I hope he comes through with flying colors.
NARR3: But even if Democrats do stand by Hevesi and even if he wins, he can still be found guilty of corruption and be forcibly removed from office. If that happens, the New York Senate will have to designate a new comptroller. Lieutenant Governor Candidate Patterson is currently in the New York Senate and will likely sit on that committee. Because of that he says that he can neither officialy endorse nor condemn Hevesi. This differs from his running mate Spitzer, who adamently opposes Hevesi.
AX3: Spitzer has an opinion on it and he gave it because he is not a potential juror in this proceeding because he is not a legislator.
NARR 4: Newsday reports that Hevesi will likely be spending election night alone and will not be attending the Democratic event in Midtown. If Hevesi wins tonight, charges can be brought up against him as early as tomorrow morning.
Nisreen Habbal, Columbia Radio News.