Republican Harry Wilson is slamming his Democratic target, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, for being willing to accept the Working Families Party line when his party’s standard-bearer, AG Andrew Cuomo, and Democratic AG contender Sean Coffey refuse to do so.

“It is mind-boggling that Mr. DiNapoli would accept the endorsement of a political party that works day in and day out to raise the taxes of actual New York working families,” Wilson said in a statement released yesterday.

“Andrew Cuomo and other Democrats, including a Democratic candidate for Attorney General, have taken the principled position of rejecting the WFP because of its extreme left-wing ideology – and because it is under investigation by the United States Attorney.”

“Of course, Mr. DiNapoli is, himself, under investigation by the office of the New York State Attorney General.”

“Mr. DiNapoli is supposed to be serving as the taxpayers’ watchdog, not as the lapdog of the ACORN-inspired WFP. They are the very people agitating for higher government spending, higher taxes, and higher debt on our children. Once again, Mr. DiNapoli disappoints.”

A few thoughts:

Neither Cuomo nor Coffey have ever said anything about “extreme left-wing ideology” when discussing their respective decisions to take a pass on Row E. (And, in Cuomo’s case, this might be more of a trial separation from the WFP than a permanent divorce).

It hasn’t been lost on observers, however, that Cuomo’s fiscally conservative platform is at odds with the WFP agenda, which supports things like taxing rich people and opposes property tax caps.

The WFP is holding its convention in Buffalo this weekend and won’t be voting on its statewide slate until today.

A YNN reporter caught up with DiNapoli at the convention last night and asked him about accepting the party’s line.

“I’ve appreciated the invitation to speak here to the members today, and if they are so inclined to support me, I’d certainly welcome that support,” DiNapoli said.

I asked Wilson campaign spokesman Bill O’Reilly how his candidate could slam DiNapoli for being willing to take the WFP line when he has agreed to run with the support of the state Independence Party, which is also the subject of an investigation (by the Manhattan DA’s office).

“The WFP is bankrupting New York State,” O’Reilly replied.

“It has a far left-wing philosophy that is antithetical to reform. Also, the WFP, as a party, is under investigation. The IP is not.”

The latter part of O’Reilly’s response is similar to what Cuomo, who is also running on the Indy line, has said. Press reports have indicated that GOP operative John Haggerty is the target of the DA’s investigation into the Indy Party.

But since a grand jury has been empaneled, and that’s a secret process, it’s really impossible to know for sure.

Also, it’s worth noting that the conservative PAC New Yorkers for Growth has been on an anti-WFP crusade for some time now. The PAC was co-founded by John Faso and state GOP Chairman Ed Cox. O’Reilly worked on Faso’s 2006 gubernatorial bid and has been involved with the PAC, too.

Share|