We here at All Fired Up in the Big Smoke made an editorial decision to not write any further about the Adam Giambrone affair(s). The damage was done and mocking begun. What more was there left to say?

But I simply cannot allow one item to go without comment. I know, I know. By not letting it drop, I am contributing to the continuation of a sordid story that should never have seen the light of day. But I think there is an important issue now in play that needs to be remarked on and my colleagues are otherwise occupied as they are both traditionally late risers, so I can get this out there and posted before they’ve even opened their eyes to greet the day.

With his head already on a pike and put up on display for public perusal, Adam Giambrone’s troubles are hardly at an end. The yapping chorus of partisan jackals is demanding his resignation as TTC chair. Much of it is emanating from the usual suspects, Toronto Sun, National Post and zealous anti-David Miller councilors like Denzil Minnan-Wong and Rob Ford (who only but a day ago displayed a rare flare of graciousness by stating that the brewing sex scandal was Giambrone’s “…private life…” but by this morning added his considerable heft to the pile on, demanding the resignation for Giambrone’s behaviour both on and off the job).

Yawn, right? Same old, same old.

But then this from mayoral candidate George Smitherman: “Today more than ever Torontonians deserve leadership at the TTC that is 100 per cent focused on the urgent task of improving service and responsiveness to the public. It is clear that Mr. Giambrone is not in a position to commit that degree of focus nor provide the leadership that is necessary to get the job done for riders, workers or taxpayers. With those interests in mind, he should step down as chair of the TTC.”

Why George, why? Why step into this fray now?

Much has been written, almost exclusively negative, in the pages of this site about the candidacy and platform of Rocco Rossi. His refusal to take part in this debasement of another candidate other than saying he will not comment on the personal lives of others speaks volumes. It may be purely a political move on his part. Why go after someone who is no longer a rival? The battle’s been won without you having to lift a finger. Or maybe, Mr. Rossi is a genuinely decent human being who is not prone to inflicting further damage on an already wounded entity.

Not George Smitherman, though. By contributing to the cacophony of braying and howling for more of Giambrone’s blood, he is helping to create the unworkable environment that Smitherman states as the reason why Giambrone should resign as TTC chair. It is a self-serving, self-fulfilling situation that Smitherman is simply using to further his own political gain.

It is nasty and mean-spirited and unbecoming in any candidate other than George Smitherman. He seems to revel in it. The misanthropic cut-throat tactics of Furious George served him well enough during his time at Queens Park but will not function at City Hall if he is elected mayor.

Despite the recent move towards having a strong mayoral system in Toronto, ultimately the mayor is simply one vote along with 44 others. While certainly some bullying and hard nosed tactics are needed to pull together the support to get an agenda up and running, diplomacy and compromise are also necessary. George Smitherman has shown no flair for either during this campaign. His love of fractiousness does not augur well for his ability to run things smoothly as mayor. By opportunistically exploiting another candidate’s private missteps, Smitherman reveals his own inadequacies to administer good public policy.

— admonishingly submitted by Cityslikr