Metro

100G slush-fund hangover

The federal slush-fund probe that’s been hanging over City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s head as she eyes a 2013 mayoral run is over — but related investigations continue to cost taxpayers more than $100,000 in legal fees, The Post has learned.

“The investigation has been essentially dormant since late 2008, and earlier this year, the US Attorney’s Office confirmed to us that the investigation has been closed without taking up any action,” lawyer Steven Peikin told The Post.

Peikin was one of several lawyers hired to represent the council after prosecutors began probing the budget trick of allocating “member items” — public funds designated for nonprofits.

Sometimes they were given to fake charities on paper only, and then doled out to pet projects in members’ districts later.

Quinn has said she discovered the scheme in the fall of 2007 and ordered it stopped.

But the investigation morphed into a larger probe of individual cases of fraud among council members and became a major headache for Quinn.

Three members and two staffers have been indicted for misusing council funds.

Former Councilman Miguel Martinez is in jail, and Councilman Larry Seabrook (D-Bronx) is awaiting trial.