AG candidate Coffey on LI to kick off listening tour

Democratic Attorney General contender Shaun Coffey is kicking off a statewide listening tour at noon Thursday, dubbed "Coffee with Coffey," in Centereach with Democratic Brookhaven Supervisor Mark Lesko.

The noontime event is scheduled to last about an hour and is being held at Suffolk Diner in Centereach where Coffey and Lesko will listen to taxpayers concerns about state problems. Lesko about a month ago endorsed Coffey, a fellow former federal prosecutor, in the five-way primary for the Democratic nomination that includes Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice.

Coffey will hold a similar even in Nassau at 3 p.m. with Democratic Assembly candidate Vincent Grasso at the Mitchell Diner along with a number of community leaders.

Tammy Sun, Coffey's spokeswoman, said similar events are planned across the state from Westchester to Buffalo. Asked if the Long Island kickoff had anything to do with Rice's candidacy, Sun said, "I'll leave that for you to decide."