Now that Sheekey’s Machine is safely out of commission, the mayor can go back to his true colors — protecting landlord’s rights (”Mr. Bloomberg said the bill, while well-intentioned, prohibited landlords from making sound business decisions and required them to enter into contracts with government agencies that they might otherwise avoid”) and helping State Senate Republicans:

While declaring his commitment to nonpartisanship, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is quietly injecting himself — and his money — into one of the most explosive partisan battles in decades in New York.

Several weeks ago, the mayor wrote a $500,000 check to help keep the dwindling and increasingly imperiled State Senate Republicans from losing their grip on power, according to an official with direct knowledge of the donation.

The Democrats are seeking to gain control of the Senate for the first time in 40 years, and the race is growing personal and bitter.