NEW THIS MORNING

NEW THIS MORNING:   * Buried deep inside the 45-page pension reform bill are clauses that undercut the stated purpose of reforming a broken pension systemand that no one outside of Albany's back rooms had a clue about until the deed was donethe Daily News' Bill Hammond says: http://nydn.us/GB4SjF   * In the sprawling Yonkers political corruption trialprosecutors charged that defendant Zehy Jereis forged emails in effort to create the appearance that a $175000 bribe for a Yonkers councilwoman was actually the result of a romantic infatuationthe New York Times reports: http://nyti.ms/GzKu7u   * The current debate over the state budget has been muted compared to last year's marathon strugglewith some of the biggest spenders sitting largely on the sidelinesthe Times Union says: http://bit.ly/GBHJww   * Defense lawyers for ex-Sen. Pedro Espada infuriated a federal judge during his corruption trial yesterdayleading the judge to ask if the lawyers were intentionally trying to "cloud" his mindthe New York Post reports: http://nyp.st/GAdkij   * It could take a political "Houdini act" for Congresswoman Kathy Hochul to win re-election after her seat was made more staunchly Republicanthe Buffalo News reports: http://bit.ly/FQDnHD   * In a bid to clear the streets of unlicensed taxisdozens of newly hired officers at the Taxi and Limousine Commission have in recent weeks flagged downfined and seized so many cars that New York City has run out of space to keep themthe Times says: http://nyti.ms/GzGtxM