Public Advocate Letitia James emerged Wednesday as the early front-runner to replace scandal-tarred Eric Schneiderman as interim Attorney General — but blowback against a perceived Albany back-room deal has now slowed the race.
James had quickly mobilized her aides to rally the legislative support she needs to become the state’s top law enforcement officer, and by Wednesday morning, the Assembly’s powerful leader, Speaker Carl Heastie, was on board.
A possible deal was brokered, sources told The Post: in return for the Assembly backing James, she would back Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, a longtime Heastie crony, to be her own replacement, sources told The Post.
Public advocate is a springboard to the mayorship, as Bill de Blasio has proven, and Diaz has been clear he intends to run in 2021.
But by Wednesday afternoon, with word leaking out about a possible back-room James coronation, a backlash was underway.
“This should be an open and deliberative process,” Gov. Cuomo said when asked about James.
“Let’s see who’s interested. Let’s have a discussion. Let’s have a vetting process, and there’s no great rush to me.
“I think it should be done right, not fast,” he said — before boosting the “great credentials” of Schneiderman’s second-in-command, Solicitor General Barbara Underwood, who’s at the helm at least until a vote in Albany or a November ballot, whichever comes first.
Even Al Sharpton weighed in, saying, “We need to go through a deliberative process. This is a serious job. Why aren’t we considering other talented people with New York roots — former US Attorney Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch?” he asked.
By day’s end, in an apparent about-face, Heastie announced a bipartisan committee to select Schneiderman’s replacement. Diaz, meanwhile, says he’s not seeking James’ job.
“The Borough President is not running for public advocate,” he said through a spokesman.
And already, there is balking at Heastie’s plan for a bipartisan selection committee.
“The majority and minority conferences of both houses have been invited to participate,” Heastie said. “The Senate Majority has declined to participate but members are welcome to reconsider joining the public interview process.”
State Sen. Majority Leader John Flanagan said he was in no rush to come up with an interim Attorney General, given that Underwood was already tapped by Schneiderman to serve as acting AG.
“It’s not as if there’s a mandate that it be done in 72 hours,” he said.
Heastie’s fellow Democrats in the state Senate refused to comment on his plan.
“It’s going to give someone a leg up,” one source said.
That’s because the interim person will have their name out there and an incumbent advantage when the Democratic party’s primary takes place Sept. 13 and in the general election after that.
Another political veteran involved in talks said that while the committee makes the process appear democratic and transparent, James remained the most likely eventual pick.
And as a not-so-wild card, State Sen. Mike Gianaris, a Queens Democrat, was reportedly among those also interested in the position. He holds sway tremendous sway over his fellow Democratic senators because he oversees their campaigns.
Senate Dems would not comment on Heastie’s selection committee plan.
Assemblyman Matthew Titone, of Staten Island, who will serve on the committee, insisted that no one is favored.
“We’re going into this with a very open mind,” he said.
Titone said that Underwood appears qualified but to leave her in the position would be “abdicating our constitutional and legal responsibilities,” he said.
Assembly Republicans tapped two members of the committee and Diaz insisted he is not running for public advocate and told the Post he does not want that seat.
Additional reporting by Carl Campanile and Laura Italiano