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Sen. Charles Schumer has several statewide proteges

Dan Janison | dan.janison@newsday.com

November 17, 2008

The national spotlight may be swinging back to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, but inside the state, alumni of Charles Schumer's Senate and congressional offices have come to occupy a slew of political and public posts.

Now, 10 years after Democrat Schumer ousted Republican Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, the political Seed of Chucky may be growing.

On a shortlist for U.S. Attorney in Manhattan is Preet Bharara, chief counsel to Schumer on the Senate Judiciary Committee and visible player in the probe last year of U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' office.

This fall Schumer backed a primary by the co-author of his book "Positively American," Daniel Squadron, who ousted veteran state Sen. Martin Connor in Brooklyn. One Democratic source mentions ex-aide Chris Hahn, head of United Way of Long Island, for a run for Brookhaven supervisor, though at least one other candidate seems right now to have stronger chances. Schumer's three-year man on Long Island, Matt Cohen, now directs government relations for LIPA.

Onetime Schumer aides, now elected, include: Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Forest Hills), Assemb. Michael Cusick (D-Staten Island), Assemb. Alan Maisel (D-Brooklyn), and Brooklyn City Council members Michael Nelson and David Yassky.

Among the well-connected private consultants formerly in Schumer's employ: Michael Tobman of the New York City firm Hudson TG. There's also Josh Isay, of the Knickerbocker division of Squier Knapp Dunn Communications - which even carries on its Web site a friendly plug from Schumer: "If you need television advertising, direct mail or communications advice, I can think of no better place to go."

In various campaign and government press offices: Risa Heller, Phil Singer, Blake Zeff, Stu Loeser. The list goes on ...

NASSAU HASSLES: Nassau Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs said his party organization has inspectors inside all polling stations - but not outside, where leafleteers say they've been wrongly challenged beyond the required 100-feet from poll entrances. As in the 9th S.D., he said, there were hassles reported in the 6th S.D. on Election Day, where Kirsten McElroy ran against Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City). (Final numbers: Hannon, 60,564, McElroy, 57,548.) Separately, electioneering by Democrats was alleged at one Hempstead site.

POLL VAULTER: One New Yorker in the politics business whose prestige spikes with the new presidency: Joel Benenson, pollster for President-elect Barack Obama. The New Republic placed him 27th on a list of "30 people who matter most in Obama's Washington." Clinton was 20th. Past Benenson clients included Gov. Mario Cuomo and Gov. Jim McGreevey and Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey.

PATERSON PICK?: Albany insiders wonder what happened to Gov. David A. Paterson's statement last month that he was considering former family court judge Karen Burstein for chief counsel - a seemingly elusive appointment in the executive chamber.