Former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno declined to criticize his successor Dean Skelos in a Talk-1300 radio interview this morning, saying the Long Island Republican wasn’t out manuevered on the tax cap deal struck between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Assembly.

“In terms of getting things done, timing is everything,” Bruno told Fred Dicker. “The process in each house could be somewhat different. I think this is the process in action and I think it all relates to timing. I know that Dean Skelos has said publically he supports a cap on property taxes. In fact, he passed the governor’s bill. That’s their issue, it’s a Republican issue.”

Instead, he praised Skelos, along with Cuomo and his old foe Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver for coming to a tentative agreement on the cap, which excludes pensions and an unspecified expiration date.

The deal seemed to not include Skelos, however the majority leader later released a statement saying he agreed with the plan save for the sunset date and minor details.

But Bruno noted that Skelos and the Republican-led Senate already approved the governor’s original cap in January.

“People can be critical that he hasn’t stepped up, but he passed the governor’s bill,” he said. “He said very clearly by his actions, he passed the tax cap bill. On the issue, he’s terribly supportive. You have to give credit were credit is due. He did mandate relief and that has to go hand in hand with a tax cap.”

Asked if he should be considered an “Andrew Cuomo Republican,” Bruno agreed.

“I think that would be fair. I frankly respect him a great deal. I respect the fact that he’s out there and trying to fulfill his campaign promises.

Bruno, who may be re-tried by federal prosecutors after the U.S. Supreme Court threw out portions of the “theft of honest services” provision that he was found guilty under in 2009 in June, initially declined to discuss details of the case. But later in the interview, Bruno did say he expected would be exonerated.

“When this is all said I done I will be totally vindicated and go back to picking up my life after the last five years which haven’t been a very pleasent experience for anybody,” Bruno said.

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