Dueling Scandals — NYS Democrat Chairman turns tables on NYS GOP Chairman Cox — Demands that Cox come clean on his part in the State Senator Malcolm Smith’s alleged attempt to “buy” a GOP Wilson-Pekula for a shot at the GOP’s mayoral line

In reply to the NYS GOP Chairman’s renewed demand that the Governor Cuomo appoint a Special Prosecutor to look into Shelley Silverman’s involvement in the Vito Lopez scandal, the Democrats' NYS party leadership countered with a declaration that GOP Chairman Cox has yet to “tell all that he knows” about the Malcolm Smith scandal  —  In the Brooklyn GOP leadership contest, a flare-up of this scandal would not be beneficial to the Eaton faction

According to reports on the Capital Tonight blog, the whole thing started early on Friday when State Republican Chairman Ed Cox repeated his call for a special prosecutor to take a look at Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s handling of the Vito Lopez sexual harassment case (See “Cox Once Again Calls For Special Prosecutor” by Nick Reisman, 6/7/13, YNN Capital Tonight [http://capitaltonightny.ynn.com/2013/06/cox-once-again-calls-for-special-prosecutor/]).

Later in the day, New York State Democratic Committee Executive Director Rodney Capel countered Cox’ comments about the Democratic Party scandals with those involving Republicans; specifically mentioning Ed Cox’ possible involvement in the Malcolm Smith controversy, as follows: “Ed Cox took the wrong lessons from the Nixon playbook....  Cox should stop ranting and raving and answer for any involvement he may have had in the plot to sell the Republican nomination for Mayor. It’s not too late for Mr. Cox to do the right thing – he should come clean about any knowledge he may have had of the bribery and corruption scandal that has gripped his party. What did he know, and when did he know it? If he knew about it and looked the other way, he should resign immediately.” (See “Capel Drops A Nixon, Ties Cox To Smith” by Nick Reisman, 6/7/13 YNN Capital Tonight Blog [http://capitaltonightny.ynn.com/2013/06/capel-drops-a-nixon-ties-cox-to-smith/]).

Although it is unlikely that yesterday’s mention of the Malcolm Smith scandal by Rodney Capel alone will revive it as a top story. It does show that it wouldn’t take much to get the story back into the news. If the past is any guide, locally that would not do any good for the side that is supporting John Catsimatidis, the GOP Organization team of Craig Eaton.