Comptroller race: Wilson supplants Chrysler, in an odd L.I. way

Some find it ironic -- even weird -- that Republican comptroller candidate Harry Wilson, who advised President Barack Obama’s auto industry task force, opened his local headquarters in a closed Chrysler dealership in Lindenhurst.

Former auto “czar” Steve Rattner, in his recent book “Overhaul,” discusses Wilson’s key role in the General Motors bailout — but also notes Wilson’s fierce opposition to bailing out Chrysler. Wilson faces Democratic inbumbent Thomas DiNapoli.

Reached for comment, Wilson campaign spokesman Bill O'Reilly said, "Our greatest hope is that car salesmen will very soon remark, 'you know, this used to be a campaign headquarters.'"

Closures like the one in Lindenhurst -- at the prompting of the task force -- brought expressions of disappointment from dealers when it occurred. Here is a look back.

Later an audit report by the special inspector general for the TARP program criticized the task force's dealer-closing actions -- which of course would have sacrificed local jobs at least in the short term.