BTM Deal: Blame Freddy?

In yesterday's NY Times Charles Bagli and Robin Shulman focus on the Bronx Terminal Market development and place some blame on Freddy Ferrer for not being more vocal in his opposition to the "sweetheart" nature of the deal. While we would agree that the whole stinking mess could benefit from some stingent criticism from the Democrats' leading mayoral candidiate it is fair to say that the entire piece is no more than a sidebar to the main story: the machinations of Deputy Mayor Doctoroff on behalf of his good friend Steve Ross.

Our definite impression in talking with the Times is that the paper has by no means finished with this unseemly topic. They are going to spend a great deal of time and attention on the deal itself and, hopefully, lay some serious blame on the real culprits: Bloomberg, Doctoroff, Ross and Buntzman. When they do, it will create the appropriate context for their criticism of Ferrer, someone who is no more than a bystander to the mayor's ten car pile-up off the Major Deegan at the BTM.