Albany DA David Soares‘ Troopergate probe will wind up amid March Madness budget season at the Capitol, the prosecutor said Thursday.

But Soares was mum on whether his second look at the political dirty tricks scandal involving aides to Gov. Spitzer will produce any criminal charges.

Sources familiar with the probe said this time Soares is putting witnesses under oath, though Spitzer has not been asked to give sworn testimony.

Among those who have testified are the governor’s top aide, Richard Baum; the administration’s chief lawyer, David Nocenti, and former communications director Darren Dopp, the sources said.

Dopp has told investigators that two Spitzer lawyers pressured him last year not to speak to Attorney General Andrew Cuomo‘s probers, the sources said.

Cuomo found Dopp tried to discredit Senate GOP Leader Joe Bruno with state police records. When Dopp was grilled, he identified those lawyers as Peter Pope and Sean Maloney and indicated Spitzer authorized the release of information on Bruno’s use of state aircraft, the sources said.A Spitzer spokesman declined comment on developments in the probe, noting it is still underway.

Source: NY Daily News