BLAGOJEVICH IS GUILTY OF TELLING THE TRUTH

By Dan Rattiner

While the big headlines this week were about the governor of Illinois loudly demanding compensation in exchange for his appointing someone to Barack Obama's vacant senate seat, a smaller story unfolded here in New York State that might shed a little light on it.

Malcolm Smith, the idealistic Bronx legislator who is Governor David Patterson's nominee for State majority leader, was forced by Senate Democrats to hold a meeting in secret with three democratic dissident senators who said they could not support Smith unless he makes certain concessions to them. It turns out that without these three, a republican could be named majority leader.

The secret meeting was held, with the Governor in attendance, and when it was over, it was announced there had been an agreement and the three dissidents would receive top posts.

The next day, the deal unraveled. Smith said that after sleeping on it, "it became clear to me this was about personal interest and not about the reform that the senate democrats ran on."

One of the three dissidents, Pedro Espada Jr., who would have been given a newly activated high post said, "Malcolm Smith is not ready for prime time."

So what was the big crime that will very likely send Governor Rod Blagojevich to jail?

He said aloud what sometimes goes on in secret. He must be crazy. He will get the maximum.

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