Which was the most fevered lunge for self-promotion by a power player?
1. New York City Buildings Commissioner Pat Lancaster proclaiming after the arrest of an employee who allegedly faked an inspection of the E. 51st St. crane that collapsed, killing 7: “I do not and will not tolerate any misconduct in my department.”
2. Gov. David Paterson saying if it turned out he did not pay back his campaign for a hotel room he used for a tryst with a woman friend “I will do it now.”
3. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver praising Paterson’s disclosure of infidelities, saying: “The governor said ‘let me get a budget done, I’m putting this out of the way.’”