Here we go again? Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos had some harsh words for Minority Leader Malcolm Smith when asked today by WABC-TV/Channel 7's Dave Evans for his reaction to reports ( here and here ) of Smith's hard-sell fund-raising pitch at a recent DSCC event in Kingston. Evans caught up with Skelos at the Sheraton in Midtown Manhattan outside the AFL-CIO's endorsement meeting (which resulted in no endorsements). He was kind enough to send over the following comments from the majority leader: "I think it borders on criminality. You cannot threaten people to give contributions. Certainly that's not the change I think people are looking for. That's thuggery and I think totally inappropriate to make those types of statements. You're not allowed - quid pro quo is a crime - you go to jail." On the heels of Skelos' comments comes a press release from Senate Investigations Committee Chairman George Winner calling Smith's pitch "disburbing," "outrageous," "over-the-top" and something that warrants "further review" by either the US attorney's office or the Ulster County DA. "These comments should confirm the worst fears of neutral government observers and Albany watchdogs, and remind New Yorkers of corrupt, Tammany-Hall style politics," Winner said. "If true, these comments are potentially criminal and show that Senator Smith may have broken a number of laws - including coercion, official misconduct, attempted bribery and even con ...
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