FOR THE RECORD

For The Record

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the Troopergate affair, aside from whether Governor Spitzer was aware of his aides' ham-handed efforts to embarrass Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, was the involvement of Bill Howard, who until recently was the state's Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security and the Governor's liaison to the State Police.

Mr. Howard was a holdover from the Pataki administration, and his lack of prior ties to Mr. Spitzer would ordinarily make it particularly important for him to be circumspect about his conduct in the new administration.

But the State Attorney General's Office found him at the center of the push to generate negative newspaper stories about Senator Bruno's state helicopter travel, prevailing upon Acting State Police Superintendent Preston Felton to produce travel logs that were later turned over to the Albany Times-Union. Mr. Felton, who told investigators that he feared Mr. Howard could cost him his job if he didn't comply with his requests, actually went the extra mile by not only personally handling the Freedom of Information Law request but generating records of Mr. Bruno's travels when he discovered none were at hand.

One of the more curious statements Mr. Howard gave to investigators was that he didn't tell his immediate boss, Homeland Security Director Michael Balboni, what he was doing, saying that he didn't want to "put him in an uncomfortable position."

Some bosses who are kept in the dark by their subordinates about questionable conduct don't take it well, and have been known to fire them. But for the moment it seems Mr. Howard was correct in his assessment that he didn't need to keep Mr. Balboni - a former Republican State Senator - apprised of what was going on: he has merely been reassigned within the office, in contrast to Spitzer Communications Director Darren Dopp, who has been suspended without pay indefinitely.

One veteran of the Albany cloak-and-dagger circuit speculated last week that while Mr. Balboni was hired by the Governor both because he was capable and doing so opened the door for Democrats to narrow Mr. Bruno's majority in the Senate, Mr. Howard was valued for different reasons.

He speculated that Mr. Howard's role under Governor Pataki left him well-acquainted with any questionable behavior Senator Bruno - who often feuded with his fellow Republican - had engaged in over the years. Keeping Mr. Howard on the state payroll gave him an inducement to provide potentially damaging information about Mr. Bruno to the new Governor.

That might also explain, our source said, why Mr. Howard is still drawing a paycheck: if he were removed from the payroll, unlike Mr. Dopp he has no ties that would bind him from airing newer less-than-sanitary laundry that would make Mr. Spitzer squirm even more than he presently is.

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The rumors flying around 125 Barclay St. that District Council 37's leadership was in negotiations to sell the building to developer Larry Silverstein were denied at last week's executive board meeting. DC 37 Associate Director Oliver Gray said that he often gets inquiries, but that there were no serious discussions taking place. With the widespread redevelopment of the area, it is estimated that the union could get $130 million for the massive building.

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Cops and firefighters will raise a racquet in The Bronx Aug. 18 when they square off in the GHI Bronx Tennis Classic in Crotona Park.

In last year's event - the inaugural appearance for teams of The Finest and The Bravest in the 15-year-old charity tournament - the NYPD prevailed in a morning match that was a warm-up for the Tennis Classic semi-finals, matching some of the best male and female players in the world in a tune-up for the U.S. Open.

Admission will once again be free to the NYPD/FDNY match, which will begin at 11 a.m., and GHI will make contributions to both departments' Widows and Orphans Funds.

For further information, log on to www.nyjtl.org , or call (347) 417-8129.

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Our congratulations to Maxwell Scotland, this newspaper's mechanical artist, and his new bride, Mercede Austin, on their wedding Aug. 11 at the Community Worship Center Church of the Nazarene in Brooklyn.