The Hall of Chutzpah

One of the joys of having lived in New York so long is to learn interesting words like “chutpah’’ and watch it in action.

For example…

Yesterday the Republican State Committee launched a new feature on its website, www.NYGOP.org, called the "Hall of Shame," which it said is “intended to educate New Yorkers about the disturbing pattern of corruption and bad behavior among the state's top Democrats.’’

OK, they have plenty of ammunition, named Eliot Spitzer, former Comptroller Alan Hevesi who was using state workers to squire his wife around town and, most recently, former Congressman Eric Massa of “tickle me Eric’’ fame.

But please, we all know corruption is a bipartisan enterprise in the Empire State. It was only in December that former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, a Republican, was convicted of using his public job to enrich himself.

And it was only a few years ago that former Sen. Guy Velella, R-Bronx, was found guilty of taking bribes.

For some reason the GOP’s “Hall’’ didn’t include those.

It also gave a pass to Gov. David Paterson, who has admitted to numerous extramarital affairs while a senator. Of course, maybe the Republicans just don’t want to go there…

Alert readers may have noticed I screwed up yesterday the web address of the Capitol Pressroom radio show. It is http://thecapitolpressroom.org. So you have no excuse to miss any more shows.