ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- The Albany County district attorney said two aides to Gov. Eliot Spitzer didn't commit any crime in compiling state police travel data about Republican Senate leader Joseph Bruno.
"This office found no illegal conduct,'' District Attorney P. David Soares, a Democrat, said in a prepared statement Thursday. "To the contrary, we found that the governor, his staff, and the New York State Police were acting within their authority in compiling and releasing documents to the media concerning the use of state aircraft.''
In July, Democratic Attorney General Andrew Cuomo found the aides acted improperly in an apparent plot to discredit Bruno, but broke no laws. Cuomo's report said the aides had state police gather records on Bruno's use of state aircraft and a state police driver on days he met with lobbyists on state business in Manhattan, then attended Republican fundraisers at night.
The state Ethics Commission continues its investigation. Spokesman Walter Ayres declined to comment Thursday.
"The governor's office and the New York State Police have cooperated fully with our review, including a voluntary appearance by the governor,'' according to Soares' statement. "In addition, they provided all documents and testimony we requested and needed to complete our review.''
Soares plans a news conference Friday to discuss his findings.
"The governor is gratified by the conclusions reached by District Attorney Soares and looks forward to reading the report,'' said Spitzer spokesman Christine Anderson.
"I was very clear with them and answered all their questions,'' Spitzer said at an event before Soares announced his findings. "As I said, the record is going to be precisely what I've said about this matter and it is now time for the state to move on to the business at hand.''
The scandal has stopped progress on policy for months. A Siena Research Institute poll released Tuesday found 66 percent of New Yorkers felt that the scandal is important but the government should focus on other issues.
There was no immediate comment from Bruno.
The morning that Cuomo's report was released in July, Spitzer immediately apologized to Bruno, said he didn't know of any political plot, and disciplined the aides -- Communications Director Darren Dopp and public safety aide William Howard. Dopp was temporarily suspended without pay and Howard was transferred out of the executive chamber.
Dopp and Howard said they compiled information and prompted state police to create accurate records of Bruno's travel in answer to a reporter's request.
"We await District Attorney Soares' report tomorrow, but his findings today echo the attorney general's conclusions where we found no crimes were committed and all actions were within the relevant officials' authority,'' said Jeffrey Lerner, spokesman for Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
"We also found certain actions to be improper and recommended legislative solutions,'' he said.
While Cuomo found Dopp and Howard acted unethically and improperly, the activity didn't rise to the crime of official misconduct.
State Inspector General Kristine Hamann, a Spitzer appointee, reached the same conclusion.
There was no immediate comment from Dopp or Howard.
Bruno is continuing to investigate the case through a Senate committee and on Wednesday announced the hiring of a former federal prosecutor hired at $450 an hour for up to $500,000 through the Senate's budget. Bruno has accused the aides of political espionage, questioned whether Spitzer knew of the plot, and accused the administration of trying to cover it up and refusing to cooperate with authorities.
Republican Sen. George Winner of Elmira, chairman of the Senate investigations committee, said they look forward to reviewing Soars' report Friday and hope he used all the investigatory tools at his disposal.
"It remains important for the Senate to continue its own investigation,'' Winner said. "We need to continue to develop legislation to prevent the abuses already highlighted by Attorney General Cuomo. We're going to continue to publicly address the unanswered questions and seek the truth.''
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