Senator Díaz. (Photo: NYS Senate)

If you're a gambling man, you might try guessing which New York politician will be arrested for corruption next.

So wrote State Senator Rubén Díaz in his latest "What You Should Know" missive, where he claims bets are being placed on who in Albany will be the next to be indicted. As corruption charges rock Albany, Mr. Díaz says the state capital is now an "ambulatory casino."

"You should know that here in Albany, you can find bookies taking and placing bets all over the place," Mr. Díaz wrote. "Ever since U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara released the names of six Democratic Senators who were recorded by disgraced Senator Shirley Huntley, Albany has become an ambulatory casino in New York State."

While implying that former State Senator Shirley Huntley, recently sentenced to a year in prison on embezzlement charges, was a hypocrite for wiretapping colleagues, Mr. Díaz wrote that there are "high-rollers," either figurative or literal, that are also betting on whether Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver ultimately keeps his job. Mr. Silver has drawn scrutiny for initially trying to cover up the sexual harassment allegations against former Assemblyman Vito Lopez.

"Some high-rollers here in the State Capitol are also betting on the odds of Assemblyman Sheldon Silver’s future as Speaker after his secret handling of sexual abuse cases in the Assembly," Mr. Díaz wrote. "It’s hard to walk in any room in Albany without hearing someone discussing the odds of how much time Assemblyman Silver has left."

Mr. Díaz also opined on the nature of friendship, criticizing those who are "inviting their colleagues to dinners and parties under the guise of friendship, just to put them in jail." Of course, odds are being placed on who is wearing a recording device, Mr. Díaz claimed.

"With friends like that, who needs enemies?" Mr. Díaz asked.

And Mr. Díaz saved some fire for his colleague, State Senator Tony Avella, who is trying to leave the chambers by running for Queens borough president. Mr. Díaz was bothered by a comment Mr. Avella made recently to the Daily News that he was "not surprised" Senator José Peralta, one of his opponents, was one of the elected officials that Ms. Huntley recorded.

"It appears to me that Senator Tony Avella placed himself in the role judge, jury and executioner to publicly condemn Senator José Peralta to the world," Mr. Díaz wrote, lamenting that Mr. Avella may have ruined Mr. Peralta's chances of becoming Queens borough president. "If Senator Avella does not know about actual wrong-doings by Senator Peralta, then Senator Tony Avella owes a public apology to Senator José Peralta, to Senator Peralta’s constituents, to his Democratic colleagues, to the Hispanic community – and especially to the Dominican community," he wrote.

"So, ladies and gentlemen, with friends like Tony Avella, Senator Peralta needs no enemies," Mr. Díaz added.

Mr. Avella did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Caesar's Wife Pompeia (Photo: Wikimedia)

State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., infamous for sending out somewhat odd "What You Should Know" statements, has another one out this afternoon, and it's a good one.

For example, the statement, which is about The New York Times' report that Governor Cuomo solicited casino contributions for an independent group that advocates on his behalf at the same time he was pushing for casino legalization in the state, references Caesar, feces, and "some kind of celestial beings" before the first paragraph is through.

It can be viewed below:

Caesar’s Wife Should Not Only Be Pure…

You should know that back in time, when the world was run by Roman Emperors, the Emperors could do no wrong. They were supposed to be some kind of celestial beings, to the point that even their feces were supposed to never stink. Even their wives were supposed to be perfect… not only pure, but have an appearance of purity.

Caesar or the Emperor could associate with anyone he desired and accept money and gifts without impunity. Only peasants were to be careful in order for them not to be found guilty of corruption or accused of some illicit act.

There were incidences when people were found guilty by association. In many cases they visited the homes, ate and/or received gifts, public praises and words of encouragement from people with ulterior motives and of dubious character.

Today, Tuesday June 5, 2012, while reading an article in the New York Times by Nicholas Confessore, Danny Hakim and Charles V. Bagli entitled “Gambling Group Gave $2 Million to a Cuomo Ally,” I had no choice but to remember the Roman phrase “Caesar’s wife should not only be pure, but have the appearance of purity.”

You should also know that according to Mr. Confessore, Mr. Hakim and Mr. Bagli:

“The contributions went to the Committee to Save New York, a business and labor coalition that raised $17 million and spent nearly $12 million in 2011, much of it on campaign-style television and radio advertisements praising Mr. Cuomo and supporting his proposals to cap property taxes and slash state spending.

“Founded by real estate developers and business executives at Mr. Cuomo’s urging shortly after he was elected governor, the committee has rapidly become the biggest spender on lobbying in Albany, providing not only critical backing for Mr. Cuomo, but also a counterweight to the labor unions whose money and political muscle have traditionally dominated the Capitol.”

Could you imagine, dear reader our Governor, the former State Attorney General, the one who is supposed to be above everybody else, better than Caesar’s wife, being associated, according to the New York Times, in a situation that, if it were anybody else, this same Governor would be the first one to request an investigation by the Joint Commission on Public Integrity or appoint a special prosecutor?

You should remember, dear reader, as I said before, that this kind of behavior and association was good and ok for the Roman Emperors because they were above the law, they were supposed to be pure and celestial. This kind of association and gift-receiving was only illegal and would open an inquiry for us peasants, not for celestial beings.

I am State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.

Marty Markowitz (Photo: Facebook)

At last night's State of the Borough address, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz took some time to reiterate his call for a new casino in the Coney Island neighborhood.

"I'm not talking about turning Coney Island into Atlantic City, that's not what I'm not suggesting," he said, before pivoting into one of his many jokes of the evening. "Although I look forward to setting my DVR to recording the smash HBO drama Coney Island Boardwalk Empire."

"One casino would draw even more visitors, it would be a boom for local restaurants, bars and other establishments, while providing well-paying jobs for Coney Island residents," he continued. "And we will be pressing that with Governor Cuomo."

Currently, casinos are illegal in New York State outside of Native American territory, but Governor Cuomo recently announced a push to change the New York State Constitution to allow them.

Some of the legislators that represent Coney Island have been skeptical of the specific plan to bring a casino to their neighborhood, including State Senator Diane Savino and Councilman Domenic Recchia.

Watch Mr. Markowitz make his pitch below: