Senate Minority Leader John Sampson is not exactly on firm footing these days.

Earlier this spring, Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson made the somewhat delightful error of telling Ken Lovett that she was interested in replacing Sampson as the top Senate Democrat, perhaps this year.

Sen. Mike Gianaris danced around the question of whether he would back Sampson in 2013 for another term.

And then there was his car accident, which totaled his Senate-issued Ford Taurus.

Who shall come to the Brooklyn Democrat’s rescue?

Sen. Ruben Diaz, that’s who!

In another one of his patented, I-could-care-less-what-you-think emails, Diaz notes it seems “that John Sampson has been abandoned” by African American groups who, in his opinion, have aligned themselves with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, not exactly a friend of the Democratic conference.

But Diaz tells Sampson not to worry; he’s got his back. In the What You Should Know missive, Diaz says Sampson deserves to keep the leadership post.

From Diaz:

I can remember that from time to time, my mother used to give my father grief when he would be out spending time with his friends. I remember how my father used to tell my mother: “My friends are my friends with their virtues and their defects.”

My humble suggestion to the NAACP, to Rev. Al Sharpton, and to Rev. Jesse Jackson is to wake up and smell the coffee. It’s time to get behind Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson right now and make sure that the African American community takes action to ensure that he doesn’t lose his leadership in New York State. I only hope it’s not too late to make them realize what they may have lost already.

Instead of bowing to Governor Andrew Cuomo and others who make a mockery of what the African American community has already achieved, now is the time for the African American leadership nationwide to take a stand and extend to John Sampson, New York State’s highest ranking African American leader, the support he needs. It’s time to show him the courtesy and respect he deserves and give him everything he needs to maintain his leadership position.

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