Alan Hevesi won praise throughout his career as a bright lawmaker and comptroller. But some missteps also dogged him, and one ultimately led to his downfall on Friday. NY1’s Michael Scotto filed the following report.

Alan Hevesi's life in public service began and ended in Albany.

In 1971, he took office as a State Assemblyman from Queens, beginning his nearly 36-year political career, a career marked by miscalculation, as well as success.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight New Yorkers, I believe, took a big step to help elect a comptroller who really wants to be comptroller,” said Hevesi in 1993.

In the 1993 Democratic Primary, Hevesi unseated incumbent Elizabeth Holtzman, the same woman he lost to four years earlier, and went on to become City Comptroller.

But his big win came after years of overestimating how far he would go in the Assembly. In the early 80s, he passed up a huge opportunity to fill a vacant Queens Congressional seat, hoping to become Speaker of the Assembly. That never worked out, so he set his sights on City Hall.

As comptroller, Hevesi developed a good relationship with Mayor Rudy Giuliani and was praised for his job as the city's fiscal watchdog. But critics claimed Hevesi was too buddy-buddy with the mayor. And eventually, their relationship soured.

“This was an illegal process, no-bid illegal, in violation of the law,” said Hevesi in one memorable confrontation with Giuliani.

“This is a phony objection,” Giuliani countered.

Hevesi went head-to-head with Giuliani over city contracts rewarded to a company called Maximus. Ultimately the comptroller realized he needed to distance himself from Giuliani if he wanted to run for mayor one day himself.

“I formally announce my candidacy as mayor of the City of New York,” Hevesi announced in 2001, becoming the first candidate to throw his hat into the ring. But a big campaign war chest could not overcome a muddled message.

One low point came when he was questioned about police brutality at Reverend Al Sharpton's House of Justice.

“I didn't get it then,” explained Hevesi. “I got it later.”

And that was not all. Hevesi also faced ethical questions - the kind that would later destroy his career. In 2001, The New York Post reported that Hevesi used a city worker to chauffeur his wife to medical appointments. Plus, Hevesi's money-saving agreement with his friend and consultant, Hank Morris, cost him politically.

“An individual can volunteer their services. Why can't I?” asked Morris.

Hevesi got plenty of bad coverage when his team tried skirting campaign finance rules. And in the end, Hevesi, despite his promise as a leader, came in dead last in the mayoral primary.

He soon re-emerged and took back power in 2002, this time as state comptroller.

As New York's top money man, Hevesi returned to what he knew best. His audits, especially of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, won him praise. And this year, he was on his way to an easy reelection until the driver scandal broke.

Hevesi, it was revealed, used a state employee to drive around his wife and serve as her companion. Hevesi apologized and began repaying the state. But he remained defiant.

“I have no reason to resign,” he stated flatly.

And despite the charges, Hevesi won in November by a large margin. But that did not solve his problems.

On Friday he returned to Albany, the place where he started and had hoped to end his career on a high note. Instead, he left as a disgraced politician.

-Michael Scotto