A reader forwarded this fundraising letter sent out by former Gov. George Pataki on behalf of gubernatorial hopeful Rick Lazio in advance of the GOP convention that condemns the government he used to lead as a “national embarrassment.”

(Sadly, I only have Page 1 of the two-page missive, but it’s enough to give you the basic idea).

Pataki, who endorsed Lazio but was not on hand at the convention to see his preferred candidate become the party’s designee, lauds the former Long Island congressman, calling him a “new leader with new ideas,” adding:

“The future for New York we had hoped to leave our children and grandchildren has been undone by the actions and failures of Albany.”

“The Albany politicians have turned their backs on us, and now we must turn out backs on them.”

First, however, the former governor touts his own recording in office, saying he “employed pro-growth economic policies and cut taxes.” (He doesn’t mention that spending increased exponentially on his watch, with the exception of his first budget).

Lazio’s candidacy has divided the Pataki old guard, with some of his former aides joining him in backing and/or working for the candidacy and others crossing party lines to support the Democratic designee, AG Andrew Cuomo (a fact that has the former governor none too pleased).

Pataki himself took a pass on running for statewide office this year, choosing instead to start a new PAC focused on rolling back the health care reform bill – a move widely interpreted as proof he’s again mulling a White House bid.

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