Blue Spot

Court ruling keeps heat on Bruno's pal-By Joe Mahoney-DAILY NEWS ALBANY BUREAU CHIEF A state appeals court gave the green light yesterday for further investigation of a horse-racing lobbyist who came under scrutiny for providing - what else - a plane ride to Senate GOP Leader Joe Bruno.

Albany area businessman Jared Abbruzzese, a business associate of Bruno, was ordered by the Appellate Division to cough up records that could be used in a probe into suspected violations of the state lobbying law.

The midlevel appeals court ruled that the state Lobbying Commission had an "adequate basis" to subpoena the records pertaining to a December 2005 flight Bruno took from Schenectady to New York City in a plane owned by Abbruzzese, a lobbyist who had ties to a group seeking the state thoroughbred racing franchise.

The lobbying probe began before the current flap involving dirty tricks by aides to Gov. Spitzer against Bruno over the use of state aircraft.

It involves a ride Bruno got on a plane owned by Abbruzzese in December 2005 after then-Gov. George Pataki decided he couldn't use the state helicopter that day, officials said.Bruno has defended his involvement with Abbruzzese and paid for the flight out of his campaign fund.

Labels: Bruno, Local, Spitzer