NEW THIS MORNING

NEW THIS MORNING:

* The roots of State Sen. Carl Kruger’s turn towards taking bribes may lay in a very troubled childhood and a desire for the love of family, Geoffrey Gray writes in New York Magazine: http://bit.ly/zYGQXX

* Indicted real estate magnate Ed Ahmad, a close associate of Queens Rep. Gregory Meeks and state Sen. John Sampson, arranged loans for scores of Guyanese immigrants that now face financial ruin, the New York Times reports: http://nyti.ms/ykvJSN

* Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer’s mayoral campaign has hired two former advisors to Rep. Anthony Weiner, in an indication of Stringer’s seriousness about running for mayor, the Times reports: http://nyti.ms/wZqTyR

* Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos altered his State of the State remarks to take subtle digs at Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, the New York Post’s Fred Dicker writes: http://nyp.st/A6CxFE

* Con Ed and the state Tax Department have taken separate legal actions against Comptroller John Liu’s campaign committee for failing to pay $1,500 in bills, the Post reports: http://nyp.st/yOWb53

* Long-shot mayoral candidate (and full disclosure, Manhattan Media executive) Tom Allon aims to resurrect the moribund Liberal Party in advance of the 2013 race, the Wall Street Journal reports: http://on.wsj.com/yzUOEZ