The New York Public Integrity Commission is supposed to be the agency that looks out for government abuse.

So when charges surface that the commission itself might have an integrity problem, every New Yorker should be alarmed.

That's precisely what's happening in Albany these days with the commission's investigation into a political scandal involving former Gov. Eliot Spitzer's administration. The panel is looking into the use of state police last year to collect and release records that could have caused political damage for former state Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.

The problem is that one of the apparent targets of the investigation, former Spitzer aide Darren Dopp, claims that commission Executive Director Herbert Teitelbaum has been talking to Spitzer officials about how to keep the matter focused on Dopp exclusively. Dopp's claim is backed up to a degree by the Albany County district attorney's office, which had contacted the commission during the winter stating it had evidence that Teitelbaum was working too closely with the administration that he was supposed to be investigating.

It's interesting that the commission's official line on the matter to both the DA and to the media last week was essentially the same: “The commissioners, Republicans and Democrats, those appointed by Eliot Spitzer as well as those nominated by others, have expressed full confidence in the chair, the other commissioners, and all staff members in that we are conducting a fair and impartial investigation,” a commission spokesman told the Associated Press.

What you don't see anywhere is a denial that Teitelbaum was giving inside information and even advice to Spitzer officials.

The whole idea behind this commission was that it would be a key part of reforming Albany's dysfunction. Sadly, it only seems to be contributing to it.