Smith Grows A Spine, Stands Up And Denounces The Gang Of Three

The deal with the three devils, also known as Malcolm Smith's attempt at becoming the head of the State Senate by bowing to Espada, Kruger and Diaz's demands, is now officially dead and over as of late this morning. Smith did the right thing and threw it completely out instead of trying to juggle the demands of the Gang and the rest of the caucus. All I have to say is "Whew!" Well alright, I can say a lot more than that but most importantly, I'm glad that the next session is not going to be tainted by that terrible deal.

Of course, now that it's over, there's a ton of drama (not that there wasn't a lot to begin with) surrounding the outcome. On the Gang's side, they had their own gripes about "reform" and "Hispanic empowerment." The ball is in their court now and we'll have to see if they'll actually go to the dark side Republican caucus.

Despite the lofty talk on both sides (and I really do hope that Smith simply came to his senses once he realized how unmanageable the deal was), the reality of it all suggests that like most things in Albany, this latest disgraceful episode is about money and power. New York may not be as bad as the Chicago/Illinois political scene, but the high drama over a renegade attempt to make self-interested deals ranks right up there.

Going forward, if Smith wants to hold onto the mantle of the Democratic caucus (and the public's support), he better remember to stand up straight and make sure he knows that a spine is a good thing to have.