Malcolm Smith

State Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith spoke this afternoon at the state party's fall meeting at the Sheraton in midtown, and had an unmistakable warning for voters about the media:

"This election's not about personalities. It is about what affects you personally," Smith said to party members and reporters from the podium, according to a reporter kind enough to share notes. "You've got to realize that if you do not step up during this election, if you sit there and let the media take control of what you believe they're doing a great job. You've got to remember that they're not necessarily on our side. They want you to be completely thinking about everything else but the facts. You've got a country right now that's not working."

The state Senate Democrats have released their fundraising committee's late-August financial statements, listing $210,000 in new receipts in the past 21 days from a handful of individuals, companies and elected officials' campaign accounts. One of the few individuals to give to the Democrats' account: Donald Trump, a longtime big donor to the majority-controlling Senate Republicans, who handed over $5,000 to the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee on Aug. 22, according to campaign filings.

The donation comes as the Democrats have their best chance in decades to claim leadership of the chamber, as they need a swing of just one seat to quash the Republican majority.  read more »

David Paterson had only been at the podium for a few moments when the cheers faded and a woman yelled out, “We love you David!”

Paterson replied, “Once again, my past is catching up with me,” likely a reference to the extramarital affairs he's admitted to having, although moments later he said he thought his mother was in the audience.

Paterson emphasized the importance of recognizing Hillary Clinton’s accomplishments.

The governor recalled how his father, who ran for lieutenant governor in the 1970s, was treated.

“They told him he was an asset on that ticket," Paterson said. "When they got to the general election, they never even mentioned his name in the paid television campaign ads.  read more »

DENVER—The New York delegation to the Democratic convention still doesn't know whom it is supposed to vote for.

Four days before Barack Obama's official acceptance of the party's nomination for president, New York delegates are checking into the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Denver and saying they have not received any guidance on whether to cast a symbolic vote for Hillary Clinton during roll call or whether to vote for Obama.

When I asked City Comptroller Bill Thompson, who supported Clinton in the primary, whether the Clintons expressed a preference, he said, "At least not that I've been made aware of.  read more »

Senate Democratic leader Malcolm Smith just released this notably short statement about the Senate Democrat's spokesman, Curtis Taylor, who abruptly resigned from his position today:

“I have recently accepted the resignation of Curtis Taylor as the Communications Director and Press Secretary of the State Senate Democratic Conference. Mr. Taylor will be moving over to Conference Services where his skills and services will be better utilized.”

He did not announce a replacement. So who will be talking to the press on Smith's behalf?

The email about Taylor came from Selvena Brooks, formerly the director of constituent services in Smith's southeast Queens district office, although she recently moved to the Senate office.

As Liz Benjamin notes, Smith recently faced some bad press over a comment he made to lobbyists at a fund-raiser. Smith says the remarks were a joke, but his Republican counterpart, Dean Skelos, said they amount to an ethics violation.

I just got off the phone with Democratic State Senator Jeff Klein, who downplayed the idea that he might become the Democratic leader of the State Senate in the near future. (In Fred Dicker’s column this morning, unnamed aides say David Paterson is ready to support Klein over Malcolm Smith, the current minority leader, if Democrats win a majority in the November elections.)

Klein said this just isn't true.

“Again,” he began, “I don’t know where it comes from. I’m pretty clear. When we take the majority, Malcolm is going to be the Democratic majority leader. I hope to be his second-in-command, his deputy.  read more »

In a letter dated today to billionaire Tom Golisano - who is vowing to pour $5 million into this year‘s elections - Republican Senate leader Dean Skelos makes the case that Republicans are the ones who have tried to make state government fiscally prudent and transparent.

And Skelos ends the letter by reminding Golisano, a Rochester man, that Democrats aren't so much from upstate. (Old theme!)

“Without the checks and balances we assure, state government would be totally controlled by Democrats from New York City. Keep in mind that a Democrat-controlled Senate would be lead by Malcolm Smith of Queens, Tom Duane from Greenwich Village (Manhattan) and Jeff Klein from the Bronx. The Assembly would be lead by Speaker Sheldon Silver of Manhattan. Thus, it is critical that you join our fight and help us achieve reform.”

Here's video, sent over by an aide to Malcolm Smith, of the minority leader endorsing incumbent Marty Connor for re-election.

“Whoever is choosing to run against him unfortunately, I think, they made the wrong decision,” Smith said.

Connor is facing a challenge from first-time candidate Dan Squadron, a former aide to Chuck Schumer.

On July 29, a number of other Senate Democrats endorsed Connor, and fielded a few uncomfortable questions from reporters--one about Schumer’s support for Squadron, and another about why they were rallying around Connor now, after having ousted him from a leadership role a few years ago.

Smith was in Washington, D.C., that day, and today didn’t have to face questions since reporters weren’t told about the event. An aide said Smith had expected to attend the original event, so he was taking this opportunity to announce his support.

Representative Charlie Rangel, who has recently faced a flurry of tough , intense press coverage, is having what appears to be an enormous birthday party for himself at Central Park's Tavern on the Green on Wednesday, August 6.

The invitation notes that Bill and Hillary Clinton, David Paterson, Chuck Schumer, Andrew Cuomo, Tom DiNapoli, Malcolm Smith, Bill Thompson and Christine Quinn will be there. The "special guest" is Howard Dean.

The event will be a fund-raiser for Rangel's campaign committee, the Victory Fund. The committee is highlighting the "top ten targeted house races," all of which are in the DCCC's "Red to Blue" project.  read more »

A couple of stories yesterday described David Paterson's apparently strained relationship with State Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith.

I asked Democratic State Senator Diane Savino for her thoughts, and she responded by noting that the sources in the pieces were anonymous.

“People have nothing better to do than to talk shit all day,” said Savino. "If you’re not willing to say something on the record, then don’t say anything at all.”

A legislative breakfast for a Brooklyn-based educational group, Shema Kolainu, on August 5 will be something of a who’s who of New York politicians.

Amusingly, attendees will hear both “remarks” from State Senator Kevin Parker, and “greetings” from one of the Democrats looking to unseat him, Simcha Felder.

The chairman of the event is possible mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis, whose company, Gristedes, is the sponsor.

(Honorary chair status is given to Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton, which may help sell a few more tickets.)

The event is paying tribute to, among others, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, the State Senate minority leader, Malcolm Smith, comptroller candidate and City Councilman David Weprin, and City Councilman Bill de Blasio, who is also a candidate for Brooklyn borough president.

Democratic State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr.--who is running for re-election on both the Republican ticket and the Democratic one--wants to clear the air about a few things.

He called to say that his August 13 fund-raiser features Democratic State Senate Leader Malcolm Smith and conference co-chair Jeff Klein, but they are not behind the event.

“They are not organizing it,” Diaz told me. “They never organized nothing for me.” Diaz said his paid fund-raiser for the event is Anne Noonan, and that he is calling contributors himself.

Diaz also said of the party, “I’ve been there when they needed me,” and added that he contributed money to help his conference pick up seats.  read more »

Ruben Diaz, Sr. the Democratic State Senator who is planning to run on both the Democratic and Republican tickets in his district, is having an August 16 fund-raiser hosted by Democratic leadership.

Diaz told me the event is happening at Maestro’s restaurant in the Bronx, and is being organized by State Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith and Jeff Klein, the co-chair of the conference.

The event should be worth checking out to see who shows up and if much is said about Diaz’s social conservatism. Unlike most of his Democratic colleagues, Diaz says he opposes same-sex marriage, stem cell research, and abortion.

Diaz said he supports Democrats when it comes to expanding affordable housing, improving public schools and job creation.  read more »

It's starting to look like Martha Taylor, who is running for the Queens City Council seat currently held by Jim Gennaro, has some unusually early (if unofficial) support from a couple of big names in New York politics--Bill Thompson and Malcolm Smith.

As Liz noted, Taylor currently works for Bill Thompson, and her consultant, Hank Sheinkopf, has ties to Malcolm Smith. Later, Crain’s reported that Thompson and Smith “support Taylor.”

And today, a local paper in Queens quotes one of Taylor’s consultants, Austin Shafran, saying Thompson and Smith are “very supportive of her candidacy.”

When I e-mailed Shafran, he explained, "No specific endorsements have been made as of this time.  read more »

Each year in Albany, a multitude of bills on housing issues go through a familiar pattern: The Democratic-led Assembly, supported by affordable housing groups, passes legislation that would expand tenants’ rights and protections to varying degrees, including bills that would strengthen rent stabilization. Then the Republican-led Senate, backed by the New York City real estate industry, votes down the legislation or takes no action, often saying the bills would crimp economic development or encroach on property owners’ rights.

Now, with an increasingly narrow Republican majority in the Senate and the retirement of Senator Joseph Bruno, who led the Republican side for 13 years, the recurring rhythm of real estate legislation—and the political alliances that go along with it—could shift substantially.  read more »

Here’s a ticket that intern Em Whitney and I scored as a souvenir from last night’s State Democratic Party fund-raiser at 41 Broad Street. Since the event was closed to the press, we didn’t actually make it inside, but we did get to chat with a few people outside about Hillary Clinton‘s presidential campaign and other topics of interest.  read more »

One angle I haven’t considered yet regarding the Queens County Democratic Party endorsement meeting on Friday is what it means for State Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith.  read more »

Earlier, I wrote that some Democrats are not very enthusiastic about seeing fellow Democrat Jimmy Dahroug make a third attempt to unseat Republican State Senator Caesar Trunzo on Long Island.

Today's Newsday has more on the story.  read more »

A person attending Reform Day in Albany called just now to relay a few remarks made there by Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith.

“Joe Bruno, your time has come -- reform is on its way,” Smith told the audience of more than 150 people, according to the attendee.

Smith went on to say that he will push for campaign finance reform and nonpartisan redistricting, the attendee said.  read more »

 

City Councilman Tom White said today he didn’t think the Sean Bell case is “black against white,” citing the racial diversity of two of the officers on trial (two were black, one was white).

Some, like State Assemblyman Ruben Diaz Jr., think otherwise.

When asked, State Senate Democratic leader Malcolm Smith seemed to disagree with White, and quickly moved on to the next question.

I just got back from Michael Bloomberg's press conference at a job center in Jamaica, not far from where Sean Bell was killed in 2006.

Bloomberg said he doesn’t expect any violence in response to today's verdict, and added that there is room for peaceful dissent and possibly legal action.

Also there were Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Council members Leroy Comrie and Tom White, and State Senate Democratic leader Malcolm Smith.  read more »

From earlier today, and worth mentioning if only for the unusual starkness of rhetoric:

State Senate Democrats are hoping stop private insurance companies from increasing the cost of health care for thousands of New Yorkers, arguing that a change in New York's three-tier system of calculating costs -- allowing insurance companies to apply for a Tier 4 reimbursement level -- would raise the price of prescription drugs for patients.  read more »

Al Sharpton just finished a press conference with friends and family of Sean Bell, saying they hoped justice would be dispensed by the trial judge, who will announce a verdict Friday.

Sharpton also refuted the notion that their supporter need to be reminded not to act violently if they are unhappy with the decision.

He went on to say that it was the police who acted recklessly when they approached and fired on Bell and his friends without just cause.  read more »

Malcolm Smith is downplaying the notion that David Paterson might force the positions he held as a State Senator into the governorship.

The Senate Minority Leader emphasized that Paterson "understands that he's in a new role" during an interview with Gabe Pressman, taped this morning for NBC's News Forum.

Here's the exchange, from a transcript the network sent over:  read more »

On the agenda for David Paterson today…a lot of smiling.

From his schedule, which the governor's office just sent out:  read more »

 

About 25 seconds into this clip from Joe Bruno’s press conference in Albany yesterday, he explains that when Governor Paterson is out of state, “the majority leader of the Senate assumes all the responsibilities of the lieutenant governor, and that, by definition, includes a vote on the floor of the Senate.”

That vote, plus the one Bruno already has, would give him two votes.

According to the New York Post Senate Minority Leader Malcom Smith's aides have threatened to sue Bruno if he attempts to vote twice..

Curtis Taylor, the communcations director for State Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith, just issued a brief statement that doesn't address what is, for nearly everyone, the only Spitzer-related issue there is at this point: whether or not the governor should resign .

The statement: “This is a difficult day for all New Yorkers but most of all our hearts and prayers go out to the Spitzer family.”

Here are some more reactions from the big Democratic victory in last night’s special election, which cut the Republican majority in the state Senate down to one seat.

Roger Stone:

“A coup in the Senate would be a power-grab but Malcolm Smith might find he doesn’t have all the Democrats. Remember the difference between a caucus and a cactus? With a cactus all the pricks are on the outside.  read more »

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I’ve called a few state senators to get their thoughts on the cost-cutting measures Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith introduced in Albany this morning, including reducing the state’s non-essential workforce by 6,000 through attrition, a part of the plan that has already drawn criticism.

State Senator Diane Savino, a former labor activist with Local 371 of AFSCME, offered a sort of preview of how the Democrats intend to defend some of the more contentious aspects of what they're proposing.

“We have to accept the fact that next year, we’re going to have a serious budget deficit for a variety of reasons," she told me.

More after the jump.  read more »

One of the more interesting moments from last night's Empire State Pride Agenda’s fund-raiser: Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell telling attendees that they have to protect lawmakers who voted for his bill to legalize same-sex marriage because if any of them lose, for whatever reason, it’ll be tied to this vote.

Also noteworthy was state Senator Malcolm Smith’s speech. Last year, he waffled briefly on whether to support gay marriage. Last night, he said he threw away his speech, “because how I feel about the issue in my heart and how I feel about the LGBT community, there is no reason for anybody to write anything for me.”

And I can’t pass on noting Smith’s opening remarks acknowledging to other attendees: “Tell me, don’t we have a gorgeous and eloquent First Lady for the state of New York? Congressman Weiner, don’t be jealous now. I’m talking about Silda.”

Here is a copy of the letter John Sampson, Liz Krueger and Velmanette Montgomery drafted with the aim of getting the IRS to investigate Joe Bruno.

It reads, in part:

“Both Attorney General Cuomo’s report and the recent disclosure by the Albany Times-Union suggests that Senator Bruno has repeatedly used the aircraft for travel that was not primarily for bona fide state business and as such, we believe that he should be reporting imputed income for unreimbursed travel as members of the New York State Senate, we urge you to conduct a review into Senator Bruno’s use of the aircraft and his obligation and his obligation to pay federal income taxes on the fair market value of the unreimbursed non-official portion of his travel.”

Malcolm Smith released a statement reaffirming the fact that he (and others) have suspicions about Bruno’s travel, but saying that he decided not to pursue the issue because “it would be a distraction from us getting back to the people's business.”

Smith's full statement is after the jump.  read more »

Joe Bruno may be paranoid that Eliot Spitzer is after him. But it doesn’t mean he’s wrong, either.

News of an aborted plan by Democrats in the state Senate to sic the IRS on Bruno broke today. But in a statement Bruno just put out, he talks of a conversation he had with Senator Malcolm Smith who, Bruno says, admitted the governor was involved in the plot, and that more was underway.

From Bruno’s statement:

“Senator Smith called me last night to confirm that his office had
written the letter, but that he stepped in to stop it. He also informed me
that Spitzer administration officials were involved in this plot and that
other similar dirty tricks were planned, the IRS effort being just one.
This latest revelation confirms that Governor Spitzer and his subordinates
continue to obsess with efforts to personally attack me and have no
interest in governing.

The full statement is after the jump.  read more »

I’m at the Garden City Hotel right now for the state Democratic Party’s fall meeting, which began with a breakfast hosted by the Nassau County Democratic Committee.

Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith livened up the crowd with some blunt, Rangel-esque words about George W. Bush: “Our president, no question, has left every child behind. Our president, no question, has lost his mind.”

Speaking after him was Rep. Carolyn Maloney of Manhattan, who spoke about health insurance and ways to solidify Democratic control of New York State.

In the middle of the room there are tables for a few presidential campaigns. Not surprisingly, Hillary Clinton‘s table has prime real estate, greeting visitors as they walk into the room, and Barack Obama's and Joe Biden’s tables are on either side of hers. The table for John Edwards is facing the back of the room.

Malcolm Smith, whose evolution on gay issues seems to have occurred around the time he become the Democratic leader in the state Senate, is hosting a “Salute to Pride” event in City Hall on October 11.

The RSVP contact person: Allen Roskoff.

Roskoff is a gay rights activist who has been on the scene since the 1980s (ask him what he thinks of Ed Koch!) and he takes his politics pretty seriously.

During the 2005 mayor’s race, Roskoff attended a candidates’ forum at NYU featuring Freddy Ferrer. He proceeded to pepper the candidate with questions about a vote Ferrer cast when he was in the City Council, in 1986. Talk about a memory.

But Roskoff isn’t holding anything against Smith, who at one point had some difficulty explaining whether he personally supported gay marriage. At a press conference on the City Hall steps announcing he’d be the new minority leader, Smith simply balked at a question on the subject. Later that same day, he turned up at a Pride Agenda event with state Senator Tom Duane at his side and said he was for it.

State Senator Malcolm Smith, who had some trouble explaining his position on same-sex marriage earlier, came out strongly in support of it today, in response to a court ruling on the issue. From a statement:

"Today's State Supreme Court Decision upholding the rights of gay marriages to benefit from the state pension system as any other couple is a step in the right direction in our struggle to provide full marriage equality to all families. While other states and countries have moved forward, New York can not continue falling behind on this important civil rights issue. As we demand civic obligations from every citizen, today's court decision is a resounding message on the need to provide equal protection to all.

"Though same-sex marriage is not legal in New York State, it is encouraging that the court sees the importance of extending benefits to those whose same sex unions are sanctioned by other states and jurisdictions"

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli also sent out a statement of support, saying, “New York State recognizes any marriage that has been conducted in accordance with the laws of other states and countries – and that includes same-sex marriages.”

 

Here's Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith at a press conference in his Albany office, explaing that the bill-drafting process is still "fluid" and that the congestion pricing bill that will likely be voted on today "is not the final bill." Which suggests that, as far as he's concerned, the hard deadline Michael Bloomberg has described isn't all that hard.

 

State Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith said he and his members would oppose Michael Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan if it comes to the floor without the support of the Assembly Democrats.

Smith, speaking to reporters in his third floor office in the capitol, said his conference had issues with enforcement of the congestion charge, the transportation improvement projects that accompany the plan, and the actual boundaries of the zone.

Then he said won’t put his members “on the line” for a one-house bill.

When asked if he would vote against or abstain from voting if the bill does come up for a vote, Smith noted that there are not abstentions because “the rules of our house are a little antiquated.” That’s something Smith said he’d like to change in the future.

Why?

Because, as he told one reporter after the press conference, sometimes you’re just “not there yet” on an issue.

Liz pulled out a startling line from a recent Roll Call article (which we linked yesterday morning) about Malcolm Smith's trip to Washington D.C., where he tried to drum up financial support to help Democrats retake the state Senate. In doing so, Smith downplayed a major initiative advocated by Eliot Spitzer: redistricting.

From her site:

According to Roll Call, Smith "hopes the governor can be persuaded to leave the map-making in the hands of the politicians."

That's startling. The perception for a while now has been that there's little to no daylight between the two men, leading one of Smith's critics to say he is "a wholly owned subsidiary of the governor." Which seemed to be on display when Smith and the Senate Democrats supported a bill opposed by Spitzer--only briefly.

One explanation could be that the only way to shake money out of lawmakers in D.C. is to play down redistricting reform. Obviously, members of Congress get nervous when the little guys in the state legislatures start talking about redrawing their districts.

I emailed Spitzer and Smith's offices to get some clarification on all this and will update you if any is forthcoming.

UPDATE: Citizens Union is concerned with Smith's position on the issue.

In this day of stealth campaigns and non-stop politicking, it’s easy to see endorsements in just about anything.

Case in point: At a fund-raiser for Lieutenant Governor David Paterson on Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith had some very kind words for City Comptroller Bill Thompson, whose interest in running for mayor is well-known.

Smith had jokingly offered to endorse Thompson for mayor that night, according to a source, who said of Smith‘s remark‘s, “It definitely sounded like a resounding endorsement to me.”

I ran into Malcolm Smith last night outside a fund-raiser for the state Senate Democratic Campaign Committee and asked him about it.

"Somebody yelled it out," Smith told me. "They were trying to drag it out of me."

To be clear, Smith said he made no endorsement in that race, but seemed amused at being asked.

Read into that what you will.

What latitude does the leader of a political conference have in speaking for his conference?

That question is at the heart of Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith's complaint about the Republican Majority Leader Joe Bruno, who said yesterday that he gets plenty of feedback from his conference members and could therefore speak on their behalf at meetings of legislative leaders.  read more »