Spitzer's Meals with the Assembly

Eliot Spitzer hasn't enjoyed particularly close relations with Assembly Democrats since arriving in Albany. But recently, he's had a number of Assembly Democrats over to the mansion for breakfasts and dinners. Extending an olive branch, perhaps?

This morning, Spitzer had breakfast with the Assembly Democrats - and Republicans - from Western New York; last night, Assembly Democrats from Brooklyn dined at the mansion; Wednesday morning, it was Assembly members from Queens having breakfast at the mansion.

"He kind of asked us what was on our minds," said Assemblywoman Joan Millman of Brooklyn. "Many of our colleagues spoke about housing, the lack of affordable housing. I spoke about transportation."

"We all sat at a very large dining table," she said, "I thought it was a very free wheeling conversation," she said.

Asked for comment, Spitzer spokeswoman Christine Anderson said, "Today's breakfast was bipartisan, to discuss issues of importance to Western New Yorkers."

She added, "The governor looks forward to the opportunity to sit with other lawmakers and discuss issues of importance for this session and for their districts."

The other two meetings at the mansion were just with Democrats, she said. (In all fairness, how many Republican Assembly members are there in the city anyway?)