Fun with Spitzer and Dicker [Updated]

Azi Paybarah — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:03:58 -0400

At a bill signing ceremony in Albany at which Eliot Spitzer declared that he wouldn't discuss off-topic questions, New York Post state Editor Fred Dicker decided to proceed with Plan A anyway.

Dicker yelled out to ask why Spitzer said his aides fully cooperated with Andrew Cuomo's investigation when, in fact, they hadn't.

"Can you just talk to us about that a little bit?" he asked. "You got all these cameras here -- why not answer a few questions?"

"Fred," Spitzer said, smiling painfully. "We're signing three bills and these are the rules we set."

Spitzer is having another press event near the capitol later today and said he'd take more questions there.

UPDATE: More from the press conference:

Dicker: You had said on Monday that you fully cooperated with Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's investigation when you were aware that two of your top aides had refused to testify, but we were not.

Spitzer: His report has been issued, made it clear who had testified. Those individuals provided, when they were requested to testify--the request went back to them 'will you take a sworn statement?' And they did. The investigation was closed. And I'm not going to quibble--

Dicker: Your description of the facts do not jibe with what Andrew Cuomo, the attorney general, has said. Certainly as a former attorney general, I would think you'd be concerned about that. He says your aides never agreed to be interviewed and was unacceptable to the attorney general's office. On Sunday, they submit sworn statements that were never solicited in response to questions that were never asked.

Spitzer: I'm not going to get into--

Dicker: Why not? Is that appropriate for your aides to refuse to be interviewed by the attorney general's office? Do you consider that to be appropriate?

Spitzer: Fred, as I've said on Monday, and I've answered all the questions-

Dicker: You did not answer that question.

Spitzer: I answered all the questions over the course of these few days, fully, completely and with respect--

Dicker: You haven't.

Spitzer: to the fact

Dicker: If you were attorney general, would you accept that as an answer?

Spitzer: Fred, Fred, Fred...

Dicker: Let me ask the question again and I'll stop talking.

Observer » Fun with Spitzer and Dicker [Updated]

Fun with Spitzer and Dicker [Updated]