New York, NY —

It may be 2 days after the 4th of July, but the fireworks continue in Albany as Governor Eliot Spitzer and Republican Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno continue slinging accusations at each other. The vitriol is raising eyebrows even among the most seasoned political observers. WNYC's Elaine Rivera reports.

REPORTER: Spitzer says Bruno improperly used a state helicopter and troopers for political purposes. Bruno says the governor overstepped his authority using state police to track his travels. Both sides are calling for an investigation. Fred Dicker, the New York Post's longtime Albany bureau chief who first reported Bruno's charges, says such a public battle between 2 of the top state politicians has never been more pugnacious.

DICKER: The level of rancor now in Albany is unprecedented in modern times you probably have to go back 3 or more decades to find the kind of antipathy that exists today.

REPORTER: The fallout, however amusing for political cartoonists and columnists, could have serious implications. Dicker says there's a risk that if the two don't shake hands and make up soon, the dysfunction in Albany the governor promised to change could get even worse. For WNYC, I'm Elaine Rivera.