Is there no end in sight to the parade of Queens’ lawmakers and political operatives who face indictment and then corruption trials that conclude with a guilty verdict? The latest to join the roster of disgraced officials are former Democratic state Sen. Malcolm Smith from Jamaica and Vincent Tabone, once the vice chairman of the Queens Republican Party.
Both were convicted of an outlandish bribery scheme that had already brought down former GOP Councilman Dan Halloran, who used the powers of his northeast Queens office to arrange a $200 million caper in a bid to get Smith a Republican berth in the 2014 mayoral race.
Tabone and Halloran were bit players in public life, but Smith was the Democratic majority leader in Albany briefly and part of the powerful triumvirate known as “three men in a room.” He also served in other leadership positions.
Membership in this exclusive club of three can be dangerous. Longtime Democratic Assemblyman Sheldon Silver just resigned his speaker post after 21 years because of corruption charges and Sen. Dean Skelos, the Republican majority leader, is reportedly being investigated by sharp-shooter Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney.
Even though Silver’s forced departure rocked the halls of the capital, little seemed to have changed in Albany despite vows from legislators to open the selection of the next speaker to public scrutiny. As the closed door negotiations intensifed, the Feb. 10 vote was rolled back to Feb. 1 and Cathy Nolan of Ridgewood, who has a strong record in the Assembly after serving 30 years, finally dropped out of the race.
The all-boys’ band was playing a familiar tune and Nolan couldn’t muster the support of the Queens Democratic Party chorus. If elected, she would have been the first woman speaker.
But history was made with the victory by the Bronx’s Carl Heastie, the first black to hold the post, who has promised to enact serious reforms in the troubled legislature.
Cuomo, who shut down the Moreland Commission that was investigating ethics breeches in Albany, has threatened to veto the state budget unless reforms are passed.
Back in southern Queens, Councilman Ruben Wills was indicted again on charges of filing false reports and former Dem District Leader Albert Baldeo was sentenced to 18 months for witness tampering. Assemblyman William Scarborough has been charged with fudging on his per diem travel expenses.
We hope it’s no longer business as usual in Queens. But the question remains: Who’s next?
