Pat Lynch

Here are some more people of interest on Eliot Spitzer's transition team:

Maureen Casey, Vice President at Giuliani Partners.

Ed Norton, the actor.

Dennis Rivera, president of SEIU 1199, whose members work in hospitals through out New York state, some of which may be closed because of recommendations from an independent panel due out in December.

Ken Rasky, head of the Greater New York Hospital Association, who also has concerns over hospital closings.

John Kest, head organizer for left-leaning housing advocates, ACORN.

Pat Lynch, President of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association.

Alan Van Capel, head of the Empire State Pride Agenda.

Michael Carey, son of former governor Hugh Carey.

C. Virginia Fields.

Rev. Floyd Flake, whose political operation in southeast Queens lays claim to Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith and Rep. Gregory Meeks.

Bruce Raynor, president of UNITE HERE.

Stuart Appelbaum, head of RWDSU, who also helped elect Andrew Cuomo.

Joyce Brown, wife of Carl McCall and head of the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Diana Fortuna, head of the Citizens Budget Commission and wife of David Yassky, a Democratic congressional candidate whose primary opponent Spitzer endorsed.

-- Azi Paybarah

Andrew Cuomo completed the trinity of law enforcement labor endoresements this morning when the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association's president Pat Lynch pinned the group's broach on Mr. Cuomo's lapel at PBA headquarters.

But Lynch and the PBA haven't always been behind Cuomo. The PBA, like many Democratic unions, took a pass on Cuomo during his ill-fated campaign for governor. Lynch explained the change of heart by saying that the PBA looks at each candidate only for the job they are up for. "We base it on that," said Lynch. "Not the past candidacies nor the future aspirations."  read more »

That much, certainly, is true: In the 2001 mayoral election, the PBA endorsed... Mark Green.

-- Jason Horowitz

Would-be governor and sometime Spitzer-stalker Tom Suozzi lashed his rival earlier today for his "hypocritical stance" on the controversial Turning Stone Casino in Verona New York -- and he raises some rather bold questions:

Did Eliot Spitzer, fearless crusader against Wall Street bad boys and white shoe scam-mongers, decide not to go after the upstate gambling den because one of his very generous donors is a lobbyist for the casino's owner, the Oneida nation? Or did he simply do some election-season math and decide that trying to shut down a large upstate employer wasn't such a wise idea while running for governor?

The way Suozzi lays it out, Spitzer's initial stance, as of May at least, was that he would consider taking legal steps to shutter the casino (the compact that allows the casino to operate is apparently invalid, and the land on which it operates is not allegedly Oneida land). Then, in June, Spitzer said, "nobody is going to immediately move to close a business that is...employing thousands of people." Suozzi also notes that the Oneida Nation lobbyist, Pat Lynch, has donated $49,500 to Spitzer's campaign and pledged to raise a hefty $235,000.

"Apparently, he was for the law before he was against it," Suozzi said, in a faint echo of George Bush's attacks on John Kerry in 2004.

When asked about the Lynch connection, Spitzer (and former Kerry) spokesperson Christine Anderson said simply, "It's absurd to suggest a conflict."

As for the broader suggestion made by Suozzi -- that Spitzer should still be trying to shut down the casino -- Anderson responded: "If the license for a power plan lapses, you don't immediately shut it down and cut off power to thousands of homes. Instead you move to re-license the facility. So rather than political grandstanding, you find a constructive solution that preserves jobs and ensures that business operate on a level playing field."

So there.

-- Lizzy Ratner

Ben reports that the Spitzer people are "elated" to have Bill Weld out of the race, setting up the prospect of a campaign against a "known, predictable and conservative quantity."

I don't doubt it for a moment.

Interestingly, though, I heard from a Suozzi advisor yesterday who said that Faso was great for their guy, too.

His logic:

a) without Weld around, Faso will be able to focus on Eliot Spitzer b) without Weld around, the media will be able to focus on Eliot Spitzer

Suozzi will be putting that last point to the test in just a few minutes when he holds a press conference to denounce Spitzer's ties to super-lobbyist Pat Lynch.

Which campaign has the more compelling post-Weld spin?