In a statement last night, Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, a Buffalo Democrat and father of two, did not deny that the e-mails, posted on PoliticsNY.net , were his.
But he rejected the blog's contention that he had affairs with two legislative interns, relationships that would violate Assembly rules implemented in May 2004.
In a November 2003 e-mail to the then-19-year-old titled "What I wish..." Hoyt wrote of "painting your toenails right now" and hoping that "I could see you do that little cheerleader move."
He also wished that "I could be modeling my cool penguin boxers for you tonight," and that "I could tell you in person that no woman has ever done for me physically what you do for me."
In a June 2004 e-mail written after the anti-fraternization policy was in effect, Hoyt tried to set up a tryst, saying he chose being with her over going to Buffalo.
Things turned ugly days later when the woman wrote a scathing e-mail to Hoyt asking, "How many girlfriends do you have exactly??? I hate you. I knew you were lyingbut I was so stupid."
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) said last night that he forwarded the allegations against Hoyt to the Assembly ethics committee for "appropriate action."
"The Assembly has strict policies regarding fraternization," Silver said. "Violations of these policies will not be tolerated."
The blog threatens more e-mails each day unless Hoyt, an assemblyman since 1992, ends his reelection bid.
Hoyt acknowledged "a difficult time" in his marriage several years ago.
"While my past actions were unfortunate, and for which I have expressed to my family my sincere apology, one blogger has alleged that official rules or laws were broken. That simply is not true."
Hoyt vowed not to leave the race, charging that his political opponents "have chosen to resort to the lowest tactics" 21 days before his tough primary.
"I leave this in the voters' hands," he said.
The former intern Hoyt is alleged to have had an affair with did not return an e-mail seeking comment.
The Hoyt scandal follows former Gov. Eliot Spitzer's resignation in March after he was outed as a client of a prostitution ring and his successor, Gov. Paterson, admitting he had extramarital affairs.
klovett@nydailynews.com
Previous story: Scorecard: The Week's Winners and Losers
Next story: Horizons: Joan Fitzgerald's Artwork at Art Dialogue
Next story: Horizons: Joan Fitzgerald's Artwork at Art Dialogue
Pigeon Under Glass
by Jeremy Toth
My analyst tells me I'm obsessed with Steve Pigeon, but if this is crazy then I don't want to be sane
Okay, I admit it. I am obsessed with Steve Pigeon and his endless political machinations. My therapist says it’s good for me to admit I have a problem and I do.
Steve Pigeon
But it’s not like I think Steve Pigeon is behind every major political upheaval and controversy under the sun. For example, last week Florida Governor Charlie Crist announced he will run for US Senate as an Independent rather than as a Republican. I am certain that Pigeon had nothing to do with that. (Although Pigeon did bring at least one New York State attorney general candidate to Florida to meet with its newest resident billionaire, Tom Golisano, who created the New York State Independence Party and was rumored to be interested in running for Senate there. Hmmm. Okay, bad example).
The point is, just because Steve Pigeon is my white whale does not mean I am wrong. Disturbed, maybe pathetic, certainly; but definitely not wrong. And so, after giving thanks to the editors of Artvoice for letting me exorcise my personal demons, let me catch you all up on some of Pigeon’s latest devious shenanigans.
Jack O’Donnell is just a few Republican hypocrites away from becoming the next chairman of the Erie County Water Authority. We who live in the City of Buffalo don’t really care who runs the Erie County Water Authority. I suspect most people in Erie County don’t care. They get their water, they’re overcharged for it, and they forget about it. But politicians and the hacks that surround them care deeply. As highlighted in a recent Buffalo News article, the Erie County Water Authority will continue to spend $20 million on capital projects annually. That’s a lot of money for lawyers, architects, engineers, accountants, and construction firms, and everyone wants to wet their beak a little. Pigeon knows if he can direct some of those contracts to allies and friends, he can then ask them to contribute to the candidates he supports. And of course there is the patronage, the sweet taste of publicly funded paychecks. (I get tingle just thinking about it. I have had an on-again, off-again public career and can certainly be criticized for being a proud recipient of patronage). If Pigeon can get a few of his soldiers on the payroll, then he has more people to help the campaigns of Joe Golombek and Tim Kennedy.
Thus we have the candidacy for Erie County Water Authority commissioner of Jack O’Donnell: political consultant, son of powerful parents, long-time acolyte of Steve Pigeon, utterly devoid of any experience qualifying him for the position. O’Donnell has as much business being an Erie County Water Authority commissioner as I do, the only difference being that my parents are a retired librarian and a psychotherapist, as opposed to a New York State Supreme Court judge and a former US Attorney and commissioner of the new York State Division of Criminal Justice Services.
All that has to happen is the Republicans in the Erie County Legislature have to step up and place O’Donnell’s name in nomination. Chairwoman Barbara Miller Williams can’t because of procedural issuesand the majority of the Democratic caucus will not. Will the Republicans violate the “honor of the house” and nominate a Democrat as a commissioner? If they do, which one of them will lead that effort? And whoever does, what will the reward be? Will Ray Walter by our next Deputy County Executive?
Another front in Steve Pigeon’s war with our community is Assemblyman Sam Hoyt. (Full disclosure: In February, I went back to work for Hoyt part time for a third time. It’s something else my therapist and I discuss.) After much anticipation, North District Councilman Joe Golombek announced last week that he is challenging Hoyt again. Golombek ran against Hoyt in 2004, too. Six years ago he relied on Pigeon spending several hundred thousand dollars of Joel Giambra’s money to attack Hoyt. And he watched from the sidelines two years ago when Pigeon orchestrated a few hundred thousand dollars of Golisano’s money against Hoyt. Honestly, I must commend Golombek for his honesty when he recently told the Buffalo News that he hopes for and expects the same thing to happen this year. In 2004, Golombek would never admit that Pigeon had anything to do with his campaign.
A bit of history: Pigeon waged the same sort of war against former Erie County Legislator Greg Olma, and it took three primaries before he could finally take out Olma. It is a battle of attrition, and Pigeon is like the World War I general blowing the whistle to send young politicians charging toward the enemy’s trench. Sure, the first few hundred get mowed down by the machine guns, but, who knows, maybe a few will get there.
Defeating Hoyt will be no more decisive than was the taking of a trench in that tragic war. Pigeon, if he is successful using Golombek to take out Hoyt, will find a new arch enemy, a new obstacle to his political conquests. In fact, I hear he’s mad at Florida Governor Crist…
Jeremy Toth is a local attorney and proud political hack.
Reader Comments (posting new comments is closed!)
|
Kevin 06 May 2010, 12:56
Hi Steve !! How's Mike Caputo and 06 May 2010, 18:57
Roger Stone doing? see you soon, the boys of Elmwood and North
Bruce Kogan 08 May 2010, 00:26
I keep waiting for the day that law enforcement will deal with Steve Pigeon myself. He's a cancer on the body politic.
mike hudson 08 May 2010, 23:11
pathetic? yes, but also hilarious. an unsuccessful political insider ranting on, year after year, about a far more successful one, and seeking to criminalize the very same system he admittedly participates in enthusiastically. the niagara frontier has not seen an honest politician in so long it's forgotten what one looks like. here's a clue: they don't look like sam hoyt or len lenihan or alan bedenko or jeremy toth.
Buffalopundit 12 May 2010, 13:03
I'm a politician? That's news to me. Your boss - he said I was a failed one, Mike. Past tense.
|
|
Issue Navigation> Issue Index > v9n18 (week of Thursday, May 6) > Pigeon Under Glass This Week's Issue • Artvoice Daily • Artvoice TV • Events Calendar • Classifieds |