Schneiderman: 'Too Early' For East Hampton Endorsements

Following an announcement that the East Hampton Independence Party wasn't endorsing Bill Wilkinson, the sitting supervisor called the county legislator, a registered Independent, to make a decision.

But Legislator Jay Schneiderman, I-Montauk, said he isn't ready to offer any endorsements in the 2011 East Hampton Town election. 

"As of right now, it's too early," Schneiderman said on Wednesday. "It's a long time to November."

Schneiderman supported fellow Montauk resident, Wilkinson, whom he calls a friend, when he first ran for supervisor in 2007 and then, again, in his successful 2009 campaign.

On the town's finances, the Democratic supervisor candidate Zachary Cohen has long been critical of the budget officer -- Len Bernard who came back to the town under Wilkinson -- during Schneiderman's own tenure as supervisor.

But last week, Schneiderman endorsed Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst, who is seek re-election and has been endorsed by the Southampton Democrats.

"Anna is an Independent, as am I. As of now she doesn't have an opponent, maybe she will, but as of now she doesn't have one. I have a Democratic line and so does she," he said. 

Still, Wilkinson said he is disappointed about not yet receiving an endorsement from Schneiderman. "It's unfortunate that one does not get an endorsement for one's own merits," he said. "I come from a business world -- it's right or wrong, good or bad."

Asked to comment on Wednesday, Cohen said, "What does an endorsement mean from Jay when he hasn't even had a chance to meet with me?"

Schneiderman, once a registered Republican, joined the Independence Party in 2008. He received Suffolk Democratic backing after a primary in 2009 against George Guldi, who once held his seat and now is incarcerated and awaiting another trial on mortgage fraud. This year, Schneiderman has received the Democratic nomination. 

While he received the Republican Party line in the last election, Schneiderman said he does not expect to receive it this year (The Suffolk Republican convention is on Thursday night).

"It may very well turn out I don't have the 'R' line, maybe I'll have the 'C' line, I don't know," Schneiderman said. "It just doesn't seem like I should be pushing for making trouble."

However, he acknowledged that Wilkinson has brought much-needed change to the town after the McGintee administration. "He has delivered on that promise to get the finances in order." But, he said, cutting taxes wasn't the only thing residents were looking for.

Cohen said he wants to meet with Schneiderman, whom he said he hasn't met more than a few times.

Cohen said his criticisms of Bernard have had nothing to do with Schneiderman. "I am very interested in talking to Jay about the way he had, I'm not sure what he called it, an administrative assistant, Eric Brown. Everybody said the town never worked so well."