Spitzer and Green Families: You Scratch My Back...

Why do people trust ANY of these guys?

Today's NY Times has one of those delicious little articles that expose the depth of corruption in the political world. "Spitzer and Family Help Pay Supporter’s [Mark Green] Debts"

The Spitzer family gave Green $50,000 to retire his debt.

The article says:

The contributions were the latest exchange of political largess between the Green and Spitzer families. Mr. Green’s older brother and pre-eminent political backer, the Manhattan real estate developer Stephen L. Green, donated $135,000 to the governor’s election campaign in 2006.

Why didn’t Stephen Green bail out his brother?

“He can’t help retire the debt because he was so generous before,” Mark Green said. Indeed, the elder Green and his wife donated $270,000 to his brother’s campaign, either directly or through businesses they control. Mark Green received an additional $200,000 from other family members.

“It’s a family matter, but trust me on this, Steve was so generous, as a matter of law, he cannot help retire the final debt.” Asked whether his brother had reached the legal contribution limits for his businesses, Mr. Green would not elaborate further.

During the 2006 campaign, the business donations were criticized by government watchdog groups, which said the contributions were a symptom of the loopholes in state campaign finance laws that allow wealthy businesspeople to exceed spending limits by donating through limited liability companies they control — a tactic used particularly by real estate developers.

So, the political shell game is on. Stephen Green gives Spitzer $135,000 and Spitzer gives his brother Mark $50,000 back so no one exceeds any limits. Think Spitzer will do anything that might in any way harm Green's real estate interests?

Now, here comes the funniest line in the entire piece by Mark Green:

“This is now a relationship among friends. “I am not a registered lobbyist and I have no interest before the state.”

Almost as funny as corporate job cutting down-sizer Mitt Romney telling people in economically depressed Michigan he is committed to fight for every job.

Oh, yes. The UFT has supported both Spitzer and (not too enthusiastically) Green in the past.