Spin Cycle

The Appellate Division in Brooklyn today affirmed a Supreme Court ruling to toss Legis. Cameron Alden (R-Islip) and Judge Hertha Trotto from the GOP ballot for Islip district court judge.

The two will not seek to appeal the case to the state Court of Appeals, said Alden, who will leave the legislature after 2009 because of term limits.

The Supreme Court found last week that 44 of the 2,020 signatures submitted by the Islip GOP were not valid, leaving Alden and Trotto, an 17-year incumbent from Holbrook, 24 short of the 2,000 valid signatures needed to qualify.

Alden, who cannot seek re-election to the Legislature because of term limits, said he will appeal the decision to the state Appellate Division next week.

Jennifer Henry, who has the Democratic, Conservative and Independence party lines, will now also be the GOP nominee.

Reid J. Epstein

With Republicans all but predicting Democratic Sen. Craig Johnson's political demise (see previous item) the pro-Johnson forces have issued these broadsides:

First we heard from Doug Forand, chief strategist for the Senate Democratic campaign committee, on the Senate Republican committee's assessment of the race:

"This only shows that Senator Skelos' peculiar obsession with Senator Craig Johnson continues to skew his political judgement. Clearly, Senator Skelos has not been able to move on from the embarrassing loss he suffered in 2007 and as a result continues to pour SRCC resources into Barbara Donno's quixotic campaign.

"Craig Johnson has been an exemplary State Senator during his first term, fighting tirelessly for property tax relief and delivering record levels of aid to schools in his district.

"It is certainly Senator Skelos' right to fiddle in Great Neck while the rest of his Republican conference's re-election plans burn, and we hope he continues to do so as it draws much-needed resources from threatened Republican incumbents. Regardless of whatever shenanigans the Republicans try to pull with their ballot access challenges, the voters of the 7th Senatorial District know a good thing when they see it, and Craig Johnson will be comfortably re-elected in November."

Reacting to today's judicial decisions, Working Families executive director Dan Cantor declared:

"Senate Republicans used the courts to circumvent the democratic process and the will of Working Families Party members in the 7th Senate District."

"Senator Johnson has been a champion of middle and working class values, and has worked tirelessly ...

Continue reading "Crossfire builds in Donno-Johnson Senate proxy war" »

Sen. Craig Johnson’s loss of the Working Families Party ballot line as ordered by Justice Karen V. Murphy resulted from a Republican challenge — and came despite WFP leaders’ backing for the rookie Democrat.

Now Murphy’s decision, based on the finding that Johnson’s campaign failed to follow proper petition practices, has been upheld 5-0 in the Appellate Division.

The same panel also voted unanimously to reject Johnson’s effort to be placed on the Independence Party primary ballot. The result is that his Republican opponent Barbara Donno — who is backed by the state Independence committee although Johnson had been endorsed by its county committee — gets the ‘I’ line in November.

Bottom line: Johnson runs only as a Democrat, while Donno runs on the Republican, Independence and Conservative lines. Working Families Party goes into Election Day with no nominee in the 7th S.D.

This prompted a statement from Joe Conway, spokesman for the Senate Republicans' campaign committee, saying: "Today’s victories provide more proof positive that Craig Johnson’s campaign is not simply in trouble – it’s collapsing. It’s a huge loss for the Working Families Party and its efforts to impact the senate as a whole, and it will clearly mean the difference between winning and losing in this race.”

A Johnson response is expected.

Guess what date the Democratic leadership of the Nassau Legislature has finally picked for a public hearing on a proposed $150 million environmental bond.
Hint: Don’t take a long Labor Day weekend.

Faced with a tight deadline, the presiding officer, Legis. Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove), said today that the hearing would start at 9 a.m. Sept. 2nd — the day after Labor Day. The full legislature was expected to vote in favor of the bond the next day, Sept. 3rd, so that it could meet the 60-day notice required before the county clerk can put it on the Nov. 4th ballot.
The problem was that the leadership put the bond issue on the agenda for the first time at this past Monday’s meeting. It should also be pointed out that four committees of the legislature voted to approve the bond issue at Monday’s session — before any hearing.

The Republican minority in the legislature said they had not gotten details until the Friday before the Monday meeting. Yatauro did not say anything about that claim during Monday’s meeting, but issued a statement today reading:

“The information for the Environmental Bond Act was included in the package of pre-legislative session material which is routinely distributed to ALL legislators and pertinent staff. The package was distributed the Wednesday BEFORE the legislature met.....

Bill Murphy

Continue reading "Under gun, Nassau sets date for hearing on borrowing" »

An appellate division panel has ruled Democratic Assembly candidate Dean T. Hough off the primary ballot in his effort to unseat Assemb. Patricia Eddington. The judges voted 5-0 to overturn acting state Supreme Court Justice Gary J. Weber’s ruling that Hough should remain on the ballot. The appeals decision said that Hough hadn’t maintained a residence in the state after moving to Illinois from Suffolk with his wife and son in November 2004 and therefore did not meet the district residency requirement to run. There are no other would-be primary candidates against Eddington, who's backed by the Suffolk Democratic organization.

Barack Obama this morning pounced on comments by his rival John McCain, who couldn't remember how many homes he owns.

"I think - I'll have my staff get to you," McCain responded to a question posed by Politico, according to a story Thursday on the publication's Web site. "It's condominiums where - I'll have them get to you."

McCain’s memory lapse – which came days after McCain joked that being rich meant a $5 million income -- made it into Obama's stump speech here this morning.

"Somebody asked John McCain, 'How many houses do you have?' And he said, I'm not sure. . . .

Nia-Malika Henderson in Chester, Va.

Continue reading "McCain forgets houses, and Obama pounces" »

Sen. Barack Obama and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine met for about 15 minutes privately at the Omni hotel in Richmond today, just before heading to an economics town hall, where Kaine introduced Obama.

Asked whether Obama has asked him to be his running mate, Kaine said "I'm going to let the campaign speak for the campaign."

For now, the campaign is mum on the who and when of the VP selection.

But for the last few days, Kaine has been mentioned . . .

Nia-Malika Henderson in Chester, Va.

Continue reading "Veep watch: Obama and Kaine have a chat" »

Hillary Clinton's staffers have organized an unusual 40-member "whip team" to quell embarrassing displays by her supporters on the convention floor at next week's Democratic convention in Denver, blasts brother Thrush at Politico.

They're planning to hand out placards to wave in front of any troublesome delegates.

Darragh Murphy, founder of the anti-Obama group PUMA (Party Unity My A--), which is planning a candle-lit "Beautiful Protest and Rise" at Denver's Cheesman Park Monday, says she has heard from a lot of Hillary's delegates and doubts anyone can prevent them from making a ruckus. "I think they'll try to do what she wants, but the delegates at this point have a mind of their own," she said.

Liz Moore

The budget deal evolving in Albany is taking some pressure off Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, who chairs a state panel that pushed for a 4 percent cap on local property-tax increases.

The New York State Association of Counties had been arguing that the original proposal — a menu of $1 billion in cuts — from Gov. David Paterson would simply push state costs for probation, welfare and other services down to the counties, forcing the counties to raise property taxes.

However, NYSAC changed its tune.

“Property taxpayers were spared this week, as State Legislators considered a proposed $250 million cut to local assistance that would have assuredly increased county property taxes,” the group said in a news release. “The Legislature responded to our concerns and they avoided cost shifts that would have forced counties to raise property taxes.”

The news release included a quote from the other county executive on Long Island, Steve Levy of Suffolk. “Historically, when state finances have been squeezed, costs for these state programs have been shifted down to the local property taxpayer,” Levy, the NYSAC president, said.

Nonetheless, Nassau County sources say Suozzi is considering a property tax increase of 3.9 percent in the budget he is scheduled to make public Sept. 15th. That would be one-tenth of one percent less than the cap his commission proposed.

Bill Murphy

A plan to have Nassau County voters decide in November on a $150 million environmental bond issue is still up in the air. The Democratic leadership of the county legislature wants the bond issue, but has been stumbling on how to get it on the ballot.

The problem is that the leadership only put it on the agenda for this past Monday’s meeting, leaving very little time for the required public hearing and the submission to the county clerk 60 days before the Nov. 4th general election.

So when’s the public hearing? “No date yet,” Zefy Christopoulos, spokeswoman for Presiding Office Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove), said this morning.

It should also be pointed out that four committees of the legislature voted to approve the bond issue at Monday’s session - before any hearing.

Bill Murphy

If Caesar Trunzo can draw election-year kudos in a press release from St. Joseph's College for funding a member item (posted last week), certainly it's okay for Rep. Peter King, ranking GOP member of the House homeland security committee, to appear as a kind of expert witness in a modest piece of P.R. from New York University.

New York University’s Center for Catastrophe Preparedness and Response (CCPR) and The Public Entity Risk Institute (PERI), a nonprofit research institute focused on risk management training and education, completed a study that found many organizations, including non-profits and businesses, lacking "effective preparedness programs to respond to and recover from a crisis, despite estimates that crises to come may be more frequent and complex."

“I commend NYU and Dr. Paul Light for recognizing the need to research ways to improve our nation’s disaster preparedness and crisis recovery abilities,” King is quoted in the release as saying. “This report demonstrates that disaster preparedness is not just a role for the federal government. This is an area in which the private and public sectors must become more engaged, so that we can work together to be as resilient as possible to any kind of catastrophe.”

King faces Democrat Graham Long at the polls in November.

The latest development in the furor over public pensions for people who weren't even on public payrolls: Gil Henoch, Garden City attorney, has his revoked on orders from state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Sandra Peddie's latest story is here.

A few premature questions have popped up in New York circles regarding former mayor Rudy Giuliani's keynote speech at the GOP convention:

Will Giuliani be answering any cell-phone calls from his wife during the address as he did repeatedly during speeches in his own star-crossed campaign for the nomination?

Will discussion of a criminal pardon for troubled ex-mayoral aide Bernie Kerik -- who spoke at the 2004 parley as a prelude to Bush's star-crossed nomination of him to head Homeland Security -- come up in the waning weeks of the Bush administration?

Will the mayor's performance regarding "reform" a week from Tuesday boost McCain anywhere in the Northeast, where the chat was at one time about a 50-state strategy?

Will Giuliani's friends be able to restrain themselves from mentioning anew McCain's role in the S&L scandals of the 1980's as occurred during the primary campaign?

Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor whose Republican presidential bid failed earlier this year, will be the keynote speaker at the GOP Convention in St. Paul, the GOP confirmed today.

Giuliani likely will highlight what he will describe as the success of Republican principles in turning around New York during his two terms when he speaks in prime-time on the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 2.

And as in 2004, the Republican convention this year will feature a disgruntled Democrat as a main speaker, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who lost his Democratic primary bid but was re-elected as an independent. Lieberman will speak on Monday night.

The theme of the evening Giuliani will speak, as announced by the Republican National Convention Committee today, is “Reform,” an issue Giuliani repeatedly highlighted in his campaign for the nomination.

“He’s very honored,” said Giuliani spokeswoman Sunny Mindel.

The keynote speech is a much coveted speaking slot, often a launching pad for future political careers, though Giuliani has recently said he’s happy to be back in the private sector.

But the prominent role Giuliani will be playing in the Republicans’ four day convention highlights the close relationship he has with the party’s presumptive nominee, John McCain.

After his bid failed, Giuliani flew out to California to endorse McCain and has appeared on Sunday talk shows to attack Democrat Barack Obama and to praise McCain’s experience in national security matters.

President George W. Bush, his wife Laura and Vice President Dick Cheney are scheduled to speak on Monday, Sept. 1, the first night of the convention whose theme is “Service.”

Also speaking that night will be California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Democrat Lieberman. In 2004, former Georgia Democrat Zell Miller delivered a blistering speech attacking his party.

The next night, when Giuliani appears, is packed with speakers, including two other unsuccessful presidential hopefuls, Fred Thompson and Mike Huckabee, as well as former Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele.

On Wednesday night, the headliner will be the still-unannounced vice presidential pick (to be made public a week from Friday). Other speakers will include McCain’s wife Cindy; Mitt Romney, whose presidential run fell short; Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman; Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Also speaking will be Carly Fiorina, former Hewlett-Package CEO, and Meg Whitman, former eBay chairman and CEO.

McCain will make his acceptance speech on Thursday, Sept. 4.

Tom Brune

The Democratic leadership of the Nassau County Legislature has yet to come up with a hearing date for a proposal to put a $150 million bond issue on the ballot this November.

“Not yet,” legislative spokeswoman Zefy Christopoulos said this morning.

Democrats have publicly fretted over the need to let the public voice its concerns about the bond issue. But they crashed it onto the legislative agenda at the last ...that came out last Wednesday referred — on the next-to-last page of a 10-page Rules Committee agenda — to the $150 million spending plan only as, “A local law in relation to establishing an environmental program for Nassau County.”

And Republicans said they were surprised to hear from a Newsday reporter on Tuesday of this week that the bond issue was on the agenda of the Nassau County Planning Commission for tomorrow.

The minority Republicans said they first heard details about the program last Friday. The legislature met on Monday. The legislative calendar....

Bill Murphy

Continue reading "Nassau bond proposal (updated): Can you hear me now?" »

Going late, simultaneous with Suffolk, was the state Legislature in Albany, where fuzzy figures of $500 million to $1 billion in new budget savings to meet a coming fiscal crunch was tossed out -- but with those all-important details still due to make themselves known. Updates due today.

Thanks to the 4 p.m. start time, the 2 1/2-hour public hearing on helicopter noise and the typical penchant for long discussions, virtually every item Suffolk legislators voted on at Tuesday's meeting came after our deadline to make the print edition. So we present a few highlights from the session, which was held in Riverhead at the Suffolk County Community College Culinary Arts & Hospitality Center and concluded a few minutes after midnight.

-- The 25 percent fare hike for Davis Park ferries passed unanimously.

-- Lawmakers agreed, on a 12-6 vote, to suspend a rule that prohibits borrowing for items that will either last fewer than five years or cost less than $25,000. The rule has now been abandoned every year since 2002.

-- The proposal to add the Empire National Bank of Islandia, which counts ex-Presiding Officer Paul Tonna as one of its directors, to the county's list of depositories passed with 13 votes in favor, three abstentions, one no vote and one recusal.

-- Legislators adopted a rule change that will allow the presiding officer to vote on committees without his presence counting in instances when a sitting member of the committee is absent.

-- New bills introduced included a proposal from Legis. Wayne Horsley (D-Lindenhurst) to reserve 5 percent of premium parking places at county buildings for hybrid vehicles.

Legis. Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor) introduced a bill that would cap the amount of holdover time for appointed positions at 180 days -- a proposal that appears to be aimed specifically at Janet DeMarzo, the embattled social services commissioner whose reappointment County Executive Steve Levy withdrew last week.

And Legis. Brian Beedenbender (D-Centereach) offered a bill...

Reid J. Epstein

Continue reading "Suffolk Leg. burns the midnight oil: A roundup" »

Now Mother Jones reports on how McCain said he'd look for wise advice to Rep. John Lewis, left,the Georgia Democrat who's been a leading figure in the civil-rights movement. Fair enough: the Arizona senator likes to cross the partisan divide. Just one glitch: By Lewis' account, the two have no relationship. The Congressman says: , "Sen. McCain and I are colleagues in the US Congress, not confidantes. He does not consult me. And I do not consult him." Lewis last drew national attention when he crossed over from endorsing Hillary Clinton to backing Barack Obama during the primaries.

Are we dealing here with something from a cringe-inducing Larry David script?

If Evan Bayh becomes the Democrats' VP nominee, you might at best start hearing about how he's a son-of-a-Birch (sorry). But selection of that other "Joe," Biden, would instantly prompt the word "plagiarism" for his clean lift of British Labor Party Leader Neil Kinnock's speech and that, in turn, would kick off a recycling of the stories about Obama having snagged portions of speeches used by Massachussetts Gov. Deval Patrick, as described here.

Update: Some are reviving speculation that John McCain lifted a story from Solzhenitsyn.

Many are the riveting questions if Sen. John McCain picks Sen. Joe Lieberman as his running-mate (speculation stirred here). Does it make McCain the Sen. Al Gore of 2008? Does McCain therefore lose, grow a beard, gain weight, and start a foundation? Does Lieberman stand up at this convention, as he did at the other one, but this time give a whole new meaning to his tag line, "Only in America"? Does Lieberman continue to embrace the controversial Rev. Hagee -- as he did just a few weeks ago, and compare him to Moses -- now that McCain has renounced Hagee over the pastor's dicey comments?

Some of Hagee's printed quotes: "The Roman Catholic Church, which was supposed to carry the light of the gospel, plunged the world into the dark ages.

"[John Paul II] will be remembered for staring down Communism and embracing people of all faiths and colors. He will lovingly be remembered for his bold stand against abortion. (Lieberman is avowedly "pro-choice").

"When Hitler signed a treaty with the Vatican in Rome, he said "I am only continuing the work of the Catholic Church."

State Sen. Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington) was dropped from the Working Families Party ballot line in the 7th S.D. when Justice Karen Murphy voided a chunk of his petition signatures. But for now, with the tax cap front and center in the Albany budget scramble, he need not reconcile his vote in favor (along with Long Island's 8 other senators) with the WFP’s fierce opposition to it. (Just for the record: Murphy, a Republican, was a $250 contributor to Sen. Dean Skelos’ campaign fund in 2005). Johnson was, however, on hand last week in Suffolk when rival Jimmy Dahroug dropped out and endorsed Brian Foley in the 3rd S.D., where Foley, pictured here in foreground, who has the WFP endorsement, said he agrees with the party platforms on most issues but backs the cap and other measures.

Shockingly, the major drug companies don’t seem to have gotten word that Barack Obama is a disguised left-of-Lenin agitator with a radical program bent on nationalizing their holdings -- rather than what the evidence would tell you: that he’s someone with whom many of those Washington oligarchs and their financiers might in the final analysis feel quite safe. After all, there must be some reason these companies are pouring three times as much into the campaign coffers of the Illinois senator, as told here by Justin Blum of Bloomberg News, than they are to Sen. John McCain.

Oh, right - maybe it's the fact that McCain teamed up with Sen. Charles Schumer in 2000 looking to make it easier to bring low-cost generic drugs to the market. That brought opposition from makers of brand-name pharmaceuticals. The news agency quotes a Princeton economist as saying “the betting would be that if McCain were in the White House the drug industry would not have the receptive ear” that they have had from George W. Bush.

How's this for some reverse spin: "McCain: Change from Bush we can believe in?"

(Photo from U.S. Department of Justice Web site, warning of oxycodone diversion)

Nassau lawmakers have put off until their Sept. 3rd meeting a vote on whether to increase fees for filing mortgage records and other paperwork with the county clerk’s office. But Legis. Denise Ford, who was identified as a possible swing-vote supporter of that measure, broke with fellow Republicans Monday night on another matter -- a $150 million environmental bond issue proposed by Democrats. Legis. David Mejias, seen as a potential Democratic dissident against the fee hikes, did not vote on the bonding because he does not sit on the relevant committees.

Bill Murphy

Gov. David A. Paterson and legislative leaders are still negotiating over his request for $600 million in cuts to this year’s budget – and there is no deal yet, he told reporters Tuesday.

But Paterson remained upbeat and hinted that lawmakers may need to extend their special session beyond today. "I’m confident the legislators will come up with a sound decision…I’d like it to be done today. I’m available for the rest of the week and so are the legislators."

James T. Madore

Continue reading "Deal on spending cuts elusive; Paterson pushes" »

Allen Cappelli, a former consultant to New York City builders and longtime Democratic strategist, has been tapped by Gov. David Paterson for the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, subject to state Senate confirmation. He'd replace the late Frank Powers, the GOP Congressional candidate from Staten Island whose sudden death in June roiled the political scene.

Dan Janison

Obama could announce a veep candidate by tomorrow, with the names Bayh, Kaine and Biden kicking around.

McCain draws money at a fundraiser, but one of its promoters, Ralph Reed, with political ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, reportedly did not show...

In Afghanistan, 10 French soldiers were killed in an ambush.

The Suffolk Legislature's bid to appeal the court rejection of its immigration-status bill for occupational licenses faced a deadline.

Nassau legislature narrows health-benefits requirements for county employees.

The other day, at the Saddleback Church forum, McCain reasserted his anti-abortion credentials -- despite some Clinton-turned-McCain backers' hopes otherwise -- while Obama reasserted that he favors abortion rights. Some video:

The Democratic majority in the Nassau County Legislature is pushing to get a $150 million environmental bond on the November ballot. After all, the Democrats say, the people’s voice should be heard on such an important item.

The proposal was voted out of several committees late Monday, but faces a tight deadline. It must go through the approval process and be filed with the county clerk by Sept. 5th to get on the Nov. 4th ballot.

Members of the legislature’s Republican minority all but sneered at Democratic protestation of the needs for a public hearing as the legislature adjourned shortly before 9 p.m. without setting a date for that public hearing, which will have to be sometime next week.

Legis. Edward Mangano (R-Bethpage), in photo at right, said that next week is the traditional week that parents — and some legislators are parents — take their kids away to college.

“A wise person would involve the other side of the aisle,” Mangano said.

Bill Murphy

Three Long Islanders are among the 24 legislative candidates who failed to file the required financial disclosure forms with the Legislative Ethics Commission, the commission said. They are:

John Zaher, of the Independence Party, who is challenging incumbent Assemb. Patricia Eddington (D-Medford) (who was ruled off the ballot for inadequate petitions).

Off-track betting worker Jeffrey Stark, a Democrat, who is challenging incumbent Assemb. James Conte (R-Huntington Station)

Former Roosevelt fire commissioner Darren Bryant, a Republican, who is challenging incumbent Assemb. Earlene Hooper (D-Hempstead).

The disclosure papers were due July 18.

James T. Madore

Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith's communications director Curtis L. Taylor issued this statement:

“We are facing a $6 billion deficit, and again the Senate Republicans have decided to focus on something other than the needs of the people of New York State. This time it's a tournament. We have real issues on the table that need to be dealt with. Further, we were on the day in question at a golf outing. Rain forced us indoors. And like any good host it was important to entertain all guests. That is simply what occurred. And nothing else.

In the Senate, I have consistently supported the strong regulation of lobbyists, including increasing requirements for disclosure. For some of these same lobbyists to serve as a source and accuse me is absurd.
Certainly, there are interests who in the past have been responsible for millions going into Senate Republican coffers, who would strongly prefer to keep the status quo rather than break apart the partnership of do-nothing special interest Albany politics.

Come November, I am confident that the voters will focus on what is truly important and change and reform will rule the day. With regard to the comment Senator Skelos made calling me a “thug”, I think that demeans his position and has questionable overtones. I call on him to apologize.”

Here are comments verbatim from Skelos' exchange with WABC-TV reporter Dave Evans:

SENATOR SKELOS: You know just reading what I read in the paper, I think it borders on criminality. You can not threaten people to give contributions.

Certainly that is not the "change" I think people are looking for.

That's thuggery, and I think that's totally inappropriate to make those sorts of statements. Quid pro quo is a crime, you go to jail.

Reporter: Borders on criminality, should there be an investigation?

SENATOR SKELOS: I think that's something for the District Attorney, but to say you're going to punish if you don't contribute. That this is an IPO give now and it will be less than if you give in the future? Those type of statements are very troubling to me and certainly for a party that's saying they're for reform and change, I mean that's going back to the old Tammany Hall days.

UPDATE: Asked about the published reports, Sen. Thomas Libous (R-Binghamton), Skelos' deputy, told an Albany television station: "That’s what thugs do, they threaten people."

The State Senate’s top party leaders have begun slugging it out in public.

Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) today criticized Democratic leader Malcolm Smith for allegedly threatening lobbyists at a fundraiser last week. Smith, according to published reports based on anonymous sources, told the lobbyists it would be more expensive for them to curry favor with Democrats once they gain control of the Senate and to contribute now.

Asked about the reports, Skelos told a television reporter in Manhattan that Smith’s alleged behavior "borders on criminality. You cannot threaten people to give contributions.

"That’s thuggery and I think that’s totally inappropriate…Quid pro quo is a crime, you go to jail."

Smith demanded an apology and hinted that he considered Skelos’ comments racist. "I think that demeans his position and has questionable overtones. I call on him to apologize," said Smith.

However, he didn’t deny his comments to the lobbyists.

This isn’t the first time a Republican leader has disparaged Smith. Then-Senate Republican leader Joseph Bruno once described Smith as being so close to Spitzer as being part of his anatomy.

Smith didn’t call for an apology then and Bruno didn’t give one.

James T. Madore