Coffey looking to cap career with AG spot

John P. “Sean” Coffey has made a career on keeping Wall Street accountable for its misdeeds. Now the Westchester County Democrat has embarked on an 11-month interview for the one job he says can cap his career: state attorney general.

“New Yorkers are going to hire a new lawyer,” the former federal prosecutor said during a Watertown stop Monday. “They ought to hire the best one available.”

Mr. Coffey, one of a dozen potential applicants for the job currently held by Andrew M. Cuomo, met Monday with Jefferson County Democratic Chairman Sean M. Hennessey as well as party leaders in Syracuse.

“My ask is simple: Keep an open mind,” he said. “Keep your powder dry. And over time, I will earn your support.”

As part of his pitch, the candidate is touting his decades of public service, including nine years of active service and 18 years in reserves with the U.S. Navy. Mr. Coffey, through his stint with the agency, served as personal military assistant to then-Vice President George H.W. Bush, a role he held from 1984 to 1986.

He was also assistant U.S. Attorney for New York's Southern District from 1991 to 1995.

Mr. Coffey, 53, spent seven years defending Fortune 500 companies in civil and criminal complaints at Latham & Watkins, New York City, before switching sides 11 years ago to prosecute those companies for their misconduct. The Bronxville attorney found notoriety when he recovered more than $6 billion from the underwriters of WorldCom, a telecommunications company, on behalf of thousands of investors, including the New York State Common Retirement Fund.

Bloomberg Markets magazine dubbed him “Wall Street's new nemesis,” although the candidate is quick to note that Wall Street is a “tremendous industry in New York” when companies play by the rules.

Mr. Coffey said, if elected, he'll ask the Legislature to give the attorney general the authority to pursue political corruption cases.

“I want to cut the political corruption tax,” the candidate said. “New Yorkers are paying more for things because there are too many sweetheart deals behind closed doors.”

Mr. Coffey would also like to create a new division and provide staff to advocate on behalf of military veterans who are encountering roadblocks in obtaining benefits from the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.

“There are many in New York who need help,” said the candidate. “But, in my humble opinion, veterans need ‘front of the line' privileges.”

Mr. Coffey said he will end his campaign if Mr. Cuomo opts to seek re-election instead of running for governor. The attorney also said he would not use the position to seek the governor's seat at a future date.

“I don't view it as a stepping stone,” he said.

Mr. Hennessey said he found much to like about Mr. Coffey, including their similar backgrounds. Both are first generation Irish Americans who grew up in boroughs of New York City — Mr. Hennessey in Queens, Mr. Coffey in the Bronx.

“He's done well for himself,” the chairman said. “His prosecutorial background is strong and he's put together a strong team as well.”

Mr. Coffey has hired a-political, the New York City ad firm run by Jimmy Siegel that produced Darrel Aubertine's television spots during the Cape Vincent senator's two 2008 campaigns.

Mr. Hennessey said Mr. Coffey was “off to a good start,” but said it was too early to make any definitive pronouncements on his committee's preferred candidate. The chairman said he would meet with two prospective attorney general candidates later this month: Eric R. Dinallo, former state Superintendent of Insurance and Kathleen M. Rice, Nassau County's district attorney.

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Six fun factoids that didn't make this story:

• 1. Mr. Coffey's wife, Anne, played Reba the Memphis hotel clerk in "This is Spinal Tap." He met her on during an "ambush blind date."
• 2. Mr. Coffey was studying law at Georgetown University while simulatenously serving as aide de camp to Vice President George H.W. Bush. He read Miranda v. Arizona in the Kremlin while he waited for his boss to finish a meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev. He even offered to explain the case to his KGB escort.
• 3. Mr. Coffey said his responsibilities to the vice president required him to find unique times to study. "Mrs. Bush used to say I studied more above 30,000 feet than below."
• 4. Mr. Coffey represented more than 13,000 investors who used the Baptist Foundation of Arizona as their bank after the organization went bankrupt. Arthur Anderson paid investors $217 million for failing to identify the group's fraudulent activities, which was, at the time, the largest amount ever paid out by the accounting firm.
• 5. Although Mr. Coffey's duty assignments included armed flights in support of the embargo of the former Yugoslavia and counter-narcotic patrols over Latin America, he never served in combat. "I'm saving that for Albany," he quipped.
• 6. Mr. Coffey graduated from Chaminade High School, the same Long Island prep school that Rep. William L. Owens attended. The AG candidate befriended the Plattsburgh Democrat during last fall's special election and gave Mr. Owens $500. Mrs. Coffey gave $2,400.