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State Sen. Serphin Maltese (R-Glendale) lost a critical ally last week.

The senator’s longtime friend and political ally, Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio (D-Glendale), was arrested following a federal investigation into his consulting practice.

Seminerio occupied a somewhat ambiguous political sphere during his 30-year tenure in the assembly. He ran on both the Republican and Democratic party lines during his last election and has frequently joined Maltese in sponsoring conservative values-based legislation, including a same-sex marriage ban in 2007.

The pair developed a close relationship in Albany and they frequently supported the other’s campaigns despite their opposing political affiliations. The two senior representatives sometimes helped each other by pushing odd-ball legislative initiatives in both the assembly and senate, including a 1995 bill to punish graffiti vandals with a “paddling” and a 1992 initiative to secede the borough of Queens from New York City.

Their relationship was questioned in 2003 when Joseph Suraci, a Republican lawyer blocked from seeking a Queens Civil Court judgeship, cried foul after Maltese, then the Queens County Republican Party Leader, supported Seminerio’s daughter, Anna Seminerio-Culley, for the position. Seminerio-Culley ran on both the Democrat and Republican lines.

“Tony Seminerio is a close friend of Serf Maltese, he’s also a very influential Democrat who in the past has delivered democratic votes to the senator,” Alexis Grenell, Addabbo’s press secretary, said.

For now, Maltese is standing by his friend despite the political danger, insisting that these are accusations and that Seminerio has yet to be convicted of a crime. He said he’s confident that voters on both sides will support him even without Seminerio’s help in swaying district Democrats this election cycle.

“I think everybody in the end stands on their own two feet when they face the voters, and I certainly expect to be judged on what I can do for my district and my constituents. These side issues I think are distractions that take time away from the issues,” Maltese said.

Maltese avoided a narrow defeat in 2006 against Democratic candidate Albert Baldeo, winning by one percent. Seminerio crossed party lines, supporting Maltese in that election, while the Democratic Party leaders stood on the sidelines.

But unlike the previous election, Democrats are throwing all their support behind Addabbo in an effort to take the majority in the State Senate.

It anyone’s guess how Maltese-Seminerio voters will take the news and whether they will continue to support Maltese. It’s been quiet so far, according to one Community Board member. “Hell if I know,” he said.

A string of big endorsements, including one from Mayor Michael Bloomberg, gave Maltese a boost in his State senate fight against Councilman Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach).

The district election will take place on Nov. 4.