Lynch Aide Not Going to Albany

It looks like Bill Lynch’s associate, Luther Smith, will not be joining David Paterson’s administration after all.

Smith is a longtime consultant in Lynch’s firm who also worked for Paterson’s 2006 lieutenant governor campaign. So, when Paterson became governor earlier this month, Smith was a logical guy to reach out to.

As Lynch told me on March 12, Paterson “plucked one of our guys, out of my firm, to go work for him, Luther Smith.”

But that job hasn't materialized and, as of now, Smith is still working at Lynch’s Harlem-based firm. When asked if Smith was still joining the administration, a spokesman for Paterson emailed yesterday to say, "No comment."

When reached via email this morning, Smith said he never planned on joining the administration. "The day after the Spitzer story broke, I went up to Albany at Paterson’s request," he said, adding that "Paterson just wanted a few familiar faces around him and a few extra hands in his office. A couple of us were there to pitch in." Smith said he stayed there through Paterson's swearing-in ceremony on Monday "and left Albany the next day."