Reports of political rot in Albany keep a-comin’ — with revelations this week by The Post of probes of top Democrats in a sleazy deal that, by his own admission, even ensnared ex-Gov. David Paterson.
For starters, the feds are investigating whether state Sens. John Sampson and Malcolm Smith and others were involved in a scheme to steer a multibillion-dollar contract to a politically juiced firm, AEG, to run a racino at Aqueduct Race Track.
And on Wednesday, the ex-gov admitted that he backed AEG for political reasons — as opposed to what was best for the state.
Paterson said he sided with Sampson because he wanted to help the “vulnerable” Democratic majority leader.
Yet the AEG plan involved folks with shady backgrounds and clearly should’ve been shot down.
The Post also reported that a second, broader probe targets Sampson, involving his ties to Queens Rep. Greg Meeks and convicted real-estate magnate Edul Ahmad.
Smith, by the way, is also a subject of the broader inquiry.
Does it ever end?
Gov. Cuomo must sure be glad he’s chosen to keep Sampson at arms length — even though he’s drawn considerable criticism from liberals for having done so.
Indeed, had the gov thrown his support behind the ex-Senate boss, he’d have a hefty helping of egg on his face now.
Meanwhile, Paterson’s admission of his own sordid role in the affair is just more evidence of his lack of fitness — to put it mildly — for the position he accidentally acquired.
At the least, both he and Sampson put crass cronyism ahead of what was best for the state. Whether that rose to the level of criminal behavior remains to be seen.
Clearly, though, New York is better off with both men far away from the levers of power in Albany.