Pick for state comptroller sets off fireworks in Albany
BRIAN ACKLEY Political Columnist
If there was any doubt about Eliot Spitzer's approach to being governor, it was erased last week in the wake of a capitol meltdown of historic proportion. Erie County has King Joel. New York State has King Eliot.

The parallels between the two are already striking, if not a bit unnerving. Giambra, of course, came into the county executive's office on the wave of reform and change which voters embraced. A few fallacious furniture deals later -- and who knew he would treat his role as caretaker of the county coffers like a Polish tourist who dropped his cell phone at Niagara Falls - the Giambra administration will need an amazing 2007 rally just to reach "disaster" in its final assessment.

Last week's Albany theatrics was just the curtain raiser on what is sure to be a drama of Arthur Miller-like proportion. Spitzer's reaction to the legislature's pick of Tom DiNapoli to be New York's next comptroller "was, by Albany standards, a shocking breach of etiquette," the Albany Times Union reported.

The New York Post termed it "breathtakingly aggressive." The New York Times couched it as "an all out war" and a "sharp escalation of the take-no-prisoners approach that has characterized his administration in its first six weeks."

Not that lawmakers were all that interested in the best person for the job, mind you, just their person.

"I'm very proud of the Assembly," New York City Democratic member Anthony Seminerio told the Times. "Let's assume I was chosen to be state comptroller. What the hell's so hard about it?"

As an exclamation point to his displeasure, Spitzer canceled a "get to know you" breakfast with Assembly Democrats scheduled earlier this week. Shelly Silver can live with that.

The governor also, however, canceled a $10,000-a-plate fundraiser for the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee next week. That will leave Silver's skivvies in a serious snarl.

For context, know that it's a poorly kept Albany secret that Spitzer's laser-like focus is zeroing in on a much bigger prize: control of the state's Republican-led Senate.

It seems like a long stretch, even to hardened political observers, but it isn't impossible, With the GOP holding only a five-seat majority, the Democratic tipping point is closer than many might realize.

There are at least three unhappy Republicans who, with proper wooing, are considered at least possibilities as potential party switchers. Several others are considered candidates for mid-term retirements, but would likely be willing to ride out the term or even run again in 2008 as a favor to their worshiped deity Joe Bruno. (See Volker, Dale.)

In the first true 2007 test of just how far Albany is willing to go to reform, there were 56 lawmakers with unusual guts, 150 with the usual gall.

For future reference, here are Western New York's legislative brave: Antoine Thompson, Mike Cole, George Maziarz, Jack Quinn III, Bill Stachowski, Joseph Giglio and Stephen Hawley.

Here are this area's legislative bootlickers: Sam Hoyt, Francine Del- Monte, Mary Lou Rath, Volker, Catharine Young, Dennis Gabryszak, Crystal Peoples, Robin Schimminger, Mark Schroeder, Bill Parment, Dan Burling and Jim Hayes.

In truth, it was hardly a shining moment for either side. The Legislature threw a fit because it wasn't happy with a list of comptroller finalists, even though members agreed to the process. Spitzer's hissy was far more vitriolic than the occasion called for. Well, he did say it would be different. We just didn't know how different he really meant

"Eliot has no friends anymore," one Democratic activist told the Post. "The lawmakers are mad at him. The unions are mad at him. He has no base. He's out there all by himself."

That's not exactly true. There's still the 70 percent of state voters who said yes to the Spitzer agenda last November. Many are still entranced by the king. Let's just hope Eliot's office has all the new filing cabinets and computer chairs it needs for now.

(Brian Ackley is a columnist for the Weekly Independent Newspapers of Western New York. Opinions expressed here are those of the author.)