Politicians as the new Mafia in New York?

 Yup !!   Even more deadly.  This story has a big UGH all over it.  The looming question should be: "where did all the never ending supply of bribe money come from?  Was it all  Malcolm Smith's or did the money come from Democrat coffers with an all out intent to entrap as many bribe-taking Republicans along with a couple of  Democrats the party can do without?  

The  Democrat Smith was plotting with a  Republican to run as a Republican in the mayoral race and had enough moolah to sprinkle around to smooth and tailor their deception to perfection....almost.  Politicians ...  be always wary of them. Crooks in designer suits paid for with your money (or probably received free as bribes.)

Smith must have thought: "If Bloomberg who is on the far, far, far Left  disguised as a Republican can hold sway over the world's #1 city for two terms,  I too have a big chance because the Right is mega stupid."

State Sen. Malcolm Smith,  city Councilman Halloran arrested in 'bribery plot' to rig mayor race. Dem Smith schemed to run as GOPer . Faces rap with Republican Halloran
Prosecutors are planning to lay out the whole sordid scheme during a news conference later today......
....“Elected officials are called public servants because they are supposed to serve the people. Public service is not supposed to be a shortcut to self-enrichment," FBI Assistant Director George Venizelos said in a written statement today.....
.....“Today’s charges demonstrate, once again, that a show-me-the-money culture seems to pervade every level of New York government. The complaint describes an unappetizing smorgasbord of graft and greed involving six officials who together built a corridor of corruption stretching from Queens and the Bronx to Rockland County and all the way up to Albany itself, " US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement.

...."As alleged, Senator Malcolm Smith tried to bribe his way to a shot at Gracie Mansion – Smith drew up the game plan and Councilman Halloran essentially quarterbacked that drive by finding party chairmen who were wide open to receiving bribes. After the string of public corruption scandals that we have brought to light, many may rightly resign themselves to the sad truth that perhaps the most powerful special interest in politics is self-interest.

"We will continue pursuing and punishing every corrupt official we find, but the public corruption crisis in New York is more than a prosecutor’s problem.”............
.......Smith was trying to buy off Republican leaders because he needed the party’s support in at least three boroughs in order to run as a GOP candidate without even changing his own party affiliation, the sources said......
.....To get on the GOP ballot, Smith allegedly enlisted Halloran, a Republican, to set up meetings with party leaders and negotiate thousands of dollars in bribes. The money was masked as payments for legal and accounting services, sources said.....

Smith and Halloran, if convicted, could be looking at up to 45 years in prison. Tabone and Savino are facing 25 years each. And the Spring Valley duo are staring at a possible prison sentence of 20 years apiece.

Smith’s arrest is a remarkable turn in what was once viewed as an ascendant bid to succeed Mayor Bloomberg......