When Malcolm Smith of Queens won the scrum to lead the state Senate Democrats 15 months ago, he vowed to make 2008 the year they’d win a majority.
As the campaign builds, some in his party gripe privately about Smith, who succeeded Lt. Gov. David Paterson in the post. If the Senate goes Democratic, the minority leader isn’t the guaranteed majority leader, dissidents claim.
Strains are evident. At a recent meeting, Smith bluntly asked colleagues about potential insurgencies, sources said. At a retreat with colleagues, Smith raised eyebrows by urging support for indicted member Efrain Gonzalez (D-Bronx). And, fired Senate Democratic staffer Jean Pierre has publicly accused former boss Indira Noel of forging Pierre’s signature, misusing his Social Security number, and other misdeeds.
Liberal city Democrats have clashed with Smith, an ally of culturally conservative Rev. Floyd Flake. But Smith backers cite typical Albany rough-and-tumble, and he waxes optimistic. “If you look at national trends, voters are turning to Democrats for hope,” his spokesman Curtis Taylor said. “Our message of lowering property taxes, improving health care for the underserved, and creating good-paying jobs addresses the concerns of all New Yorkers, and will lead us to the majority.”
Dan Janison