Anthony Como is still waiting to hear on the job he says was
promised to him to be a commissioner for the New York City Housing Authority.
But if that does not work, State Sen. Joe Addabbo could have something to worry
about.
“I think my wife would kill me [if I passed on the NYCHA
job]” Como said. “I’m upset. I’m hoping it comes through sooner rather than
later. As long as I can stay in government, that’s what I’m looking for.
Whether it’s the city level somewhere in the administration, or on the state
level in the State Senate, I don’t know.”
Como said he was offered the $172,311-a-year
commissionership last spring by Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s campaign around the same time Bloomberg
sought support for his mayoral campaign from a recalcitrant Queens Republican
Party.
Como said the last time he was in contact with the Bloomberg
administration about the NYCHA job was in late November or early December, and
was told the Department of Investigation inquiry was still ongoing into several
zoning violations Como committed while renovating his Middle Village home in
2007.
One local GOP operative said that Como appeared unlikely to
get the position at this point. The operative said tensions between the
Bloomberg campaign and the Queens Republican Party, which on several occasions
bashed the mayor after giving Bloomberg their Wilson-Pakula endorsement, were a
factor in Como likely not getting the position.
Addabbo unseated State Sen. Serf Maltese by 15 points in
2008 and, although the GOP is desperate to regain the seat, it could be an
uphill climb. Council Member Eric Ulrich, a rising star in the Republican Party
who holds Addabbo’s former Council seat, was the top choice to run for the seat,
but appears to be taking a pass.
“I have no intention of running,” Ulrich said.
Maltese was also initially approached about running for his old seat by the Queens Republican leadership. He declined.
Como served for a decade as Maltese’s Senate office
counsel, and the two recently met with Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos to
discuss Como’s candidacy. Como would also have the backing of Queens Republican
Party chair Phil Ragusa if he ran.
If Como does run for the Senate, he could be slowed by a civil
war within the Queens GOP. Como is aligned with the faction of the Queens GOP
led by Ragusa, while a sizable minority of the party is aligned with a
dissident faction led by brothers Bart and John Haggerty.
Members of the Haggerty faction have suggested that Como is
not really interested in the seat, but is floating his name in order to angle
for the Bloomberg administration job.
One member of the Haggerty faction noted that Como had not
yet reached out to dissident members who hold a number of district leader spots
in the Senate district, or the elected officials in the area who are part of
that faction, including Ulrich and former Council Minority Leader Tom Ognibene.
Ognibene is setting up a screening committee for the Senate
seat around mid-February and said he hopes Como agrees to be screened. Other
possible candidates include Gabriel Tapalaga, president of the Middle Village
Republican Club and 2008 Assembly candidate Anthony Nunziato, a district leader
who is part of the Haggerty faction. Ognibene said he is not interested in
running.
Ognibene said he likely would support Como if he does reach
out to the dissident faction of the party. Otherwise, Ognibene said he feared
that the inter-party warfare could lead to divisive Republican primaries.
“These people have taken credit for electing a number of officials that they have nothing to do with, including Eric Ulrich’s election,” Ognibene said, referring to the Ragusa faction. “Instead of healing the wounds between the existing factions, they continue to act in a foolish manner—and will continue to see challenges to the candidates they select for public office.”
