Litigation

Five for fighting: N.Y. Attorney General's race

By Carter Wood

Next Tuesday, Sept. 14, is the last big multi-state primary day before the Nov. 2 elections, and the most interesting race is the one for the Democratic nomination for attorney general in New York. Five candidates are running to succeed Andrew Cuomo, who is running for governor. Running on the Republican and Conservative Party lines is State Island District Attorney Dan Donovan (campaign website).

The New York Times covered a candidates' forum last night, "In Attorney General Debate, Humor and Surprise," reporting that state Sen. Eric Schneiderman came under the most criticism in a race that really has no front-runner. A point of debate: Who's the outsidiest of the Albany outsiders?

The candidates:

• Richard L. Brodsky, an Assemblyman from White Plains, who cites his legislative history and investigatory experience. (campaign bio)
• Eric T. Schneiderman of New York City, a "lifelong progressive Democrat" elected to the state Senate in 1998. (campaign bio)
• Sean Coffey of Bronxville, a class action securities lawyer (who was once a federal prosecutor) who resigned as a partner at Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann to run for AG. (campaign bio)
• Eric R. Dinallo of New York City, a former assistant district attorney, assistant attorney general and head of the New York State Insurance Department. (campaign bio)
• Kathleen M. Rice of Garden City, District Attorney of Nassau County. (campaign bio)

The New York Law Journal has profiled each of the five:

• Dinallo, "Former Prosecutor and Regulator Sees Office as the 'Great Leveler'"
• Coffee, "Former Class Action Lawyer Promises to Be an 'Agent of Change'"
• Rice, "Rice Says That Long Experience as a Prosecutor Gives Her an Edge"
• Schneiderman, "Schneiderman Stresses His Commitment to 'Fighting for Reform'"
• Brodsky, "Legislator Vows to Use His Political Skills as 'People's Protector'"

Full post as published by Point of Law on September 08, 2010 (boomark / email).