On Sunday the D&C endorsed Pirro. The D&C is certainly entitled to endorse whomever they please but as James Lawerence (editorial page editor) said:

Of course, our recommendations are not the last word. Never were meant to be.

Let me say that the D&C’s endorsement policy seems to be uneven. Sometimes they abstain from endorsing when neither candidate is satisfactory to them (e.g. last year’s state legislature candidates), sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they are concerned about ethical failings (Hevesi), sometimes not (Pirro).

I was struck by this passage (Bold text is mine.)

In a meeting Friday with the Editorial Board, Pirro raised many reasonable questions about Cuomo’s lawyerly and prosecutorial skills and background. Cuomo, unfortunately, failed to meet with us despite numerous attempts over the past few weeks to schedule an interview. A last mintue [sic] phone call he made to us late Friday was insufficient. Because his record as a lawyer is spotty and he’s been out of the public’s eye in recent years, the interview was even more essential.

So, Jeannie Pirro is raising issues with Cuomo’s ability and the D&C is upset that the Cuomo did not grant a timely or “complete” interview.

So, D&C did you take down Jeanine’s talking points? If I understand the D&C endorsement process, they spend an hour with each candidate. Part of that precious hour Jeanine chose to bash her opponent? Whose hour is it? The Editorial Board’s or Pirro’s?

OK – let’s talk about Jeannine Pirro.

This is person is running for Attorney General. The AG enforces the laws. Jeanine is under investigation for attempting to wiretap her husband. One would think the Westchester County DA would know the difference between legal and illegal. She even admits per the D&C endorsement letter

It was a mistake to do so, she admits. More than that, it was a display of poor judgment.

Then further in the endorsement the D&C points out that Jeanine’s personal issues didn’t interfere when she was Westchester County DA and she says she won’t allow personal issues to interfere with official duties. The NYS AG is a much bigger fish bowl that the Westchester county DA.

The issue that they are endorsing a candidate who had to actually say that family baggage won’t interfere with her job is a story in and of itself.

And just when you thought no bid contracts were the domain of Haliburton. Jeanine steered No-bid contracts to Rudy Guiliani and Bernie Kerik. Fredric Dicker at the New York Post has the details:

While she was Westchester district attorney, Jeanine Pirro steered a no-bid contract to Bernard Kerik and Rudy Giuliani’s security firm, rebuffing protests about the arrangement, The Post has learned.

The 2004 contract was ordered despite Pirro being warned by a lawyer in the DA’s Office that it might be illegal or unethical to award a contract in that way. It also came in the face of protests over the cost of the deal by the private company that had to pay Kerik and Giuliani, a source close to the case told The Post.

OK – So Jeannine gets warned by someone in her office and still does something unethical? How much back scratching should we tolerate?

Yet on the same editorial page, the D&C endorsed Chris Callaghan because of the issues with Alan Haversi. The endorsement says about Callaghan (again my bold text):

but nothing in his background suggests he’s ready to be the sole trustee of the state’s $140 billion-plus pension fund. Hevesi, on the other hand, has been a top-notch comptroller. His auditors revealed shocking pension abuse at the Monroe County Water Authority and the serious mismanagement of the high-speed ferry. The state’s pension fund, the source of retirement for state employees, is flourishing.

So the D&C endorses Callaghan, someone with no experience, because of Hevesi’s lapses in judgment.

My question is what about Jeanine’s lapses in judgment? The D&C doesn’t like Cuomo’s lawyer skills? Well the D&C endorsed Callaghan and per the D&C NOTHING IN HIS BACKGROUND suggests he can do the job. Yet Jeanine raises questions about Cuomo’s ability as a lawyer and the D&C publishes that?

Jeanine Pirro is a person who has demonstrated that she believes the law doesn’t apply to her.

I certainly don’t want someone in the Attorney General’s office who believes that the law doesn’t apply to them.

Much of the D&C endorsement is who is the heir apparent to Eliot Spitzer. Both Pirro and Cuomo have laid claim to being the next Eliot Spitzer. Big shoes to fill for sure but who knows better than Eliot the rigors of the AG job. Who did Eliot endorse? Cuomo.

Click here for other posts, on the subject of Jeanine Pirro. They are worth the read.

Me I can’t wait to see who the D&C endorses in the Reynolds Davis race.