'SORRY' TIME FOR $OROS DA

ALBANY - The beleaguered upstate DA who was bankrolled by billionaire
George Soros has backed off his explosive comments that the U.S. drug
war is designed to give law-enforcement personnel "a wonderful living."

"I admire the courage of our law-enforcement personnel," Albany
County DA David Soares said yesterday. "They put their lives on the
line every day. If I have offended them, I want to say now, from the
bottom of my heart, I apologize to you."

Soares' candidacy for DA won heavy financial backing from billionaire
Soros, who favors legalization of some drugs.

Soares did his about-face at an Assembly Democrat press conference on
the Rockefeller-era drug laws.