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Steve Cuozzo is just about the last guy you would expect to be sticking up for the Cipriani family. The Post's hard-boiled columnist hates ripoffs and despises sleaziness generally; the Ciprianis are past masters of both. But with their liquor license likely to be pulled by the State Liquor Authority as a result of tax-evasion convictions, the Cuozz sees only disaster ahead for New York. “Anyone who thinks the Rainbow Room complex or the 42nd Street ballroom can be turned over to another operator overnight has had too many bellinis. In fact, all of Cipriani's venues might take years to find new users,” writes Cuozzo, who also estimates that more than 1,000 jobs will be lost with the Ciprianis.

But really, can the likes of the Cipriani clan really be allowed to do whatever they want without any consequences at all, just because they operate a big business? By that logic, no large corporation should ever be sued, because of the damage the economy would suffer. We think Cuozzo gets a little carried away here, fearing that yanking the Cipriani's liquor license would “leave our most iconic celebration spaces empty for the foreseeable future, and knock the fizz out of the city's culture of excess — the golden goose that keeps the talent-fleeing, jobs-hemorrhaging ‘Empire State’ afloat.” Don't worry, Steve. New York can do just fine without the Ciprianis. The city was here before they showed up, and it will be here after them.

No Booze, We Lose [NYP]
Earlier: Ciprianis May Lose Their Liquor License, Finally