Prosecutor asks Spitzer to waive privilege

ALBANY, N.Y., March 27 (UPI) -- A New York prosecutor has asked former Gov. Eliot Spitzer's permission to make public findings of an investigation of Spitzer's administration.

Gov. David Paterson asked Attorney General Andrew Cuomo for a legal opinion.

Albany County Prosecutor David Soares' request for waivers of privileges was made in a letter to the governor, The New York times reported Thursday. One of the waivers relates to e-mails and other material Spitzer's office turned over in response to a grand jury subpoena.

Among issues facing the executive office what precedent would be set by discarding privileges the Spitzer administration claimed. Also pending is the executive branch's court battle with the New York Senate over executive privilege.

Complicating matters, the Commission on Public Integrity and the Senate Investigations Committee also are investigating the Spitzer administration.

Spitzer resigned in disgrace after his association with a high-priced prostitution ring was revealed.

"We are already in the process of arranging meetings with the district attorney's office, the Public Integrity Commission and the Senate in order to fully understand the factual circumstances and the ramifications of these issues to the various investigations," John Milgrim, a spokesman for the attorney general's office, said in a statement.