SENATE Minority Leader Malcolm Smith, a Queens Democrat caught last week plotting with Gov. Spitzer against the Senate Republican leader, is now under attack from both the governor and the GOP, insiders have told The Post.
Democratic sources said Spitzer became enraged after learning that Smith had admitted the governor’s aides encouraged him to sic the Internal Revenue Service on Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno for possible income-tax evasion resulting from his possible misuse of a state helicopter.
Smith’s admission – first to The Post and then in a public statement – contradicted Spitzer’s claim that he wanted to put the earlier Dirty Tricks Scandal, in which aides to the governor used the State Police to gather purportedly damaging evidence against Bruno, behind him.
“Malcolm basically threw Spitzer in and totally undermined his public position that he just wanted to focus on government issues, not politics,” said a source close to Smith.
“The governor wasn’t happy about that at all because he was then forced to admit that he was involved, that he was again trying to get Bruno,” the source continued.
Another Democrat contended the governor had angrily called Smith and “questioned his ability to remain as the minority leader.”
Smith didn’t return over a dozen telephone calls seeking comment.
Senate Republicans, meanwhile, quietly retaliated against Smith late last week by canceling service on six of the cellphones used by his top aides.
They also halted a construction project designed to enlarge the office of his press secretary, Curtis Taylor.
“I think they’ll get the message that trying to damage Sen. Bruno isn’t a smart thing to do,” said a Senate source.
Senate Republicans are also sending out word that they’re furious at prominent Albany lobbyist Patricia Lynch for hiring Spitzer’s just-resigned communications director, Darren Dopp, who was suspended in July for his central role in the original Dirty Tricks Scandal.
“This is a guy who tried to kill us, and she hires him?” declared a senior Senate Republican.