FOR THE RECORD

Former Mayor Ed Koch, contending that state government has become "a national disgrace and laughingstock," earlier this month called for creation of a new political party that "has as its goal the sweeping out of Albany of all incumbents."

Citing the scandals that forced Governor Spitzer and State Comptroller Alan Hevesi to resign, the ongoing Federal investigation of Joe Bruno that many believe was a factor in his stepping down last month as Senate Majority Leader, and Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver's receiving as much as $1 million a year as a partner in a law firm specializing in negligence cases, Mr. Koch asked on his blog, " ... what am I doing in this zoo?"

He said the new party should use as its model the reform wing of the Democratic Party a half-century ago, which he said had rid the city of the last vestiges of Tammany Hall - an endeavor aided by Mr. Koch's defeating of Manhattan Democratic chieftain Carmine De Sapio in three races for District Leader in Greenwich Village.

"Those victories led to many reform changes in Manhattan which spread to the other boroughs," Mr. Koch wrote. "Regrettably, as often happens, reform ultimately tires with the return of the regular forces, and reformers, once elected, become regulars."

What the former Mayor did not mention about the last part of his account was that it aptly described his own political journey. After campaigning against the bosses for years, he was elected Mayor in 1977 with the support of the Democratic County Leaders in four boroughs during a runoff with Mario Cuomo.

What began as a strong mayoralty took a distinct turn for the worse in 1986 with the revelation that two of those officials, Donald Manes of Queens and Stanley Friedman of The Bronx, had conspired in a scheme to win a $22-million Department of Transportation contract for a then-nonexistent hand-held computer to write parking tickets. Mr. Manes committed suicide and Mr. Friedman went to prison.

The boss of Brooklyn, Meade Esposito, was later revealed to have extensive ties to the Gambino Crime Family, and Staten Island Democrats were found to have monopolized jobs on the Staten Island Ferry as a reward for their political backing of Mr. Koch.

The moral of the story is that the best of intentions often melt when they get too close to the heat generated by the prospect of gaining real political power.

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A new Web site blasting U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney for her sponsorship of a bill to secure Federal funding for 9/11 medical monitoring and treatment alleges it would adversely affect members of the Fire Department.

The site, www.nomoremaloneybaloney.com, alleges that the bill would limit firefighter and Emergency Medical Service responders suffering from 9/11-related illnesses to an employer-based monitoring program.

Congresswoman Maloney, who introduced the bill along with U.S. Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Vito Fossella, has maintained that the bill assists all responders.

She noted that "everyone in the program can go to any of the centers of excellence for treatment."

The Uniformed Firefighters Association, the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, and Local 2507 of District Council 37 representing Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians, support the Zadroga Act as currently written. Local 3621 of DC 37, which represents EMS officers, has protested keeping its members in an FDNY monitoring and treatment program, though its president, Tom Eppinger, denied involvement with the Web site.

The unions that support the bill as written have argued that the Federal Government needs data on 9/11 health problems in order to secure further funding, and claim that altering the section relating to the FDNY's monitoring and treatment program would compromise the integrity of the research.

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A fundraiser will be held July 19 for a Suffolk County correction officer suffering from pancreatic and bile duct cancer.

Brian Connelly has lost 90 pounds in the last three months and much of his treatment is not covered by his insurance. He is the father of four children.

The fundraiser will be in Quogue starting at 4 p.m. and will feature a softball game between the Suffolk County Department of Correction team and the M and Ms women's team. Several bands will perform.

Donations to support Mr. Connelly's family can be sent to the Brian Connelly Fund, Mission of Kindness, PO Box 917, Quogue, N.Y. 11959.