Bishop, Atlschuler Spar Over East Hampton Election

With less than four weeks until the election, officials have, for the most part, towed the party line in endorsing candidates for East Hampton Town Supervisor.

Last week, Senator Ken LaValle, R-Port Jefferson, and Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., I-Sag Harbor, .

Now, Rep. Tim Bishop, D-Southampton, has endorsed Democratic candidate Zachary Cohen, while taking a shot at Supervisor Bill Wilkinson for working closely with Republican congressional candidate Randy Altschuler of St. James, who came close to beating Bishop in last November's election and has vowed a rematch in 2012.

"Despite winning with the support of many Democrats, East Hampton’s Republican Town Supervisor has injected partisan politics into government, taking the unprecedented step of inviting my opponent to an official government meeting in the midst of the 2010 campaign," he wrote in a letter to East Hampton residents sent out last week.

Wilkinson has said that Bishop is referring to an "oil summit" he held in June 2010 to which he invited Altschuler, who was then seeking the Republican nomination. Neither men attended the event, according to The East Hampton Star.

"He has also chosen to nationalize the current campaign by insisting on having my 2010 opponent serve as one of his campaign chairs," Bishop said. "East Hampton can do better." 

Bishop points to Cohen's "financial expertise" and his "compassion to make sure we are not pennywise and pound foolish by eliminating leaf pickup and cutting back zoning enforcement." 

He also encouraged voters to support Democratic candidates for town board, Sylvia Overby and Peter van Scoyac.

Altschuler has responded, sending a letter to East Hampton residents on Monday. He said Bishop was using his letter of endorsement for Cohen "as a platform to attack me and inject Washington, DC politics into your local election."   

"While I know Congressman Bishop can’t resist “going negative” when it comes to me," Altschuler said, "it’s disappointing that he doesn’t understand that your local race isn’t about me, and it isn’t about him; it’s about the future direction of your community."   

He said Wilkinson has "put problem-solving ahead of party politics," while reducing spending by $10 million, cutting property taxes by 17 percent in 2011, pursuing wind energy and working to get the emergency dredging of the Montauk Harbor done.

"Bill brings a business approach to government that is sorely lacking in Washington, and he has a strong track record of saying what he is going to do, and then doing what he says," Altschuler said.

Legis. Jay Schneiderman, I-Montauk, has not endorsed either candidate. While he would not say definitely, he said for right now he is going to refrain from endorsing anyone in East Hampton, though he spoke highly of Independence candidates Bill Mott and Marilyn Behan.

In Southampton, , Councilwoman Bridget Fleming and candidate Brad Bender, who are essentially his running mates.

"Everyone wants to read into my silence," Schneiderman said on Monday, "I don't typically make a big deal out of endorsements," he said, adding that it's easier for officials not on the ballot to offer their support.