Democratic Party leaders are denying Governor Spitzer a cushion to fall back on as he tries to recover from a scandal surrounding his administration’s use of state police to discredit a political adversary.

A day after Attorney General Cuomo’s office released a report detailing how at least two top administration aides orchestrated a smear campaign against the Republican leader of the Senate, Joseph Bruno, senior Democrats — including county leaders, state and federal lawmakers, and major grassroots figures — have so far refused to come to the embattled governor’s defense.

Asked by a reporter if her opinion of Mr. Spitzer had changed in light of the attorney general’s findings, the City Council speaker, Christine Quinn, who was leaving a press event near Grand Central Terminal, said: “Why don’t we give you a ring later, and we’ll talk about that.” Staff members of Ms. Quinn, a Democrat, said later that the speaker did not wish to comment on the governor.

Asked if they would come to Mr. Spitzer’s defense, three prominent members of New York’s Democratic congressional delegation — the chairman of the Queens Democratic Party, Joseph Crowley, the dean of the delegation, Rep. Charles Rangel, and a mayoral hopeful, Rep. Anthony Weiner — each declined to comment.

Press officials with senators Schumer and Clinton did not return calls seeking comment on Mr. Spitzer, and the politicians have not released any statements about the attorney general’s report. The Assembly speaker, Sheldon Silver, hasn’t commented on the report other than to commend Mr. Spitzer for his handling of the allegations.

The silence of many Democrats is a blow to Mr. Spitzer, who is searching for allies to help guard him from a growing onslaught of attacks from Senate Republicans eager to prolong the controversy by demanding further investigation.

“He has to make nice to Democrats wherever possible. He can’t fight the battle against Bruno alone,” a Democratic consultant in Manhattan, Henry Sheinkopf, said. “Reformers tend to stand alone. He needs to be a reformer while standing with others, and he needs to do it quickly.”
The reluctance of Democrats to stand with Mr. Spitzer partly has to do with a fear of being associated with a dirty-tricks scandal involving the politicization of the state police force. Democrats interviewed said they are waiting to see if other allegations against the administration emerge that implicate other people in his administration.

The report by Mr. Cuomo’s office, which was endorsed by Mr. Spitzer, describes how the governor’s communications director, Darren Dopp, and liaison to the police directed the state police’s acting superintendent, Preston Felton, to take extraordinary measures to track Mr. Bruno’s use of police escorts, in an effort to catch the senator abusing state resources and to leak the information to the press. Investigators said Mr. Dopp ordered up the travel records under the false pretext of responding to a Freedom of Information Law request.
Mr. Spitzer suspended Mr. Dopp, 47, and demoted the other official, who were not accused of a criminal wrongdoing, and insisted that no other official in his administration was aware or took part in the plot against Mr. Bruno, who was also cleared of any wrongdoing.

In interviews, Democrats said there are factors beyond political prudence to blame for the isolation of a governor who only seven months ago stood astride the state Democratic Party after a resounding electoral victory.

They say Mr. Spitzer, who cast himself as a lone avenger who would rescue Albany from years of turmoil and disrepute by shaking up the establishment, put himself at a disadvantage by amassing precious few chits since becoming governor and now has a shallow reservoir of good will from which to draw at a time of need.

“Democrats tend to be loyal to Democrats, but they would like reciprocity,” a prominent Democratic assemblyman, who did not wish to be identified, said.

Even before Mr. Spitzer took office, he had developed few strong relationships with the state’s top Democrats, who many believe decided to unite behind him more in deference to his vast popularity with voters than out of loyalty.

Mr. Spitzer’s political ambitions clashed with those of Mr. Schumer, who flirted with the idea of running for governor before Mr. Spitzer asserted his intentions. Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Spitzer, whose relationship has been cordial, were seen more as rivaling Democratic stars than allies. Last year, Mr. Spitzer angered senior Harlem Democrats when he passed over their choice for lieutenant governor and instead tapped David Paterson to be his running mate. Mr. Rangel tartly called Mr. Spitzer “the world’s smartest man.”

As governor, Mr. Spitzer alienated some Assembly Democrats when he feuded with them over the selection of a new comptroller after Alan Hevesi resigned in disgrace. Democrats also questioned Mr. Spitzer’s practice of refusing to extend special treatment to party members seeking local political appointments who were recommended by county leaders. By eschewing patronage, Mr. Spitzer appealed to so-called good-government groups but squandered goodwill among party clubhouse leaders, Democrats said.

In November, Mr. Spitzer won 66% of the vote, taking advantage of the credibility and popularity he earned as an attorney general who prosecuted Wall Street misdeeds. While his support was broad, Mr. Spitzer didn’t rely on traditional Democrats bases of support, unlike Governor Cuomo, who drew support from labor unions, blacks, Puerto Ricans, and Italian Catholics.

“Spitzer’s base was people who wanted change,” a political consultant said.