Pataki vs. D'Amato: GOP feud for thought

NY Daily News ^ | February 13, 2006 | Rush & Molloy

[presidio9]

Is everything okay between George Pataki and his political creator, Al D'Amato? Sources say relations between the governor and the former senator have grown increasingly frosty.

"There's no love lost there at all," says one Republican official who knows them both. "It's happened over the years. They still get together socially. But not much, and when they do, it's a painful thing to watch."

"They're having a major league p—ing match going," concurs another GOP insider. "It's like a bad Thanksgiving dinner."

Their major rift at the moment is over Pataki's support for gubernatorial candidate William Weld. D'Amato has made no secret of his contempt for Weld because of his supposed role as a U.S. Justice Department official in prosecuting his brother, Armand D'Amato, in the early 1990s.

"Weld says he wasn't even there in Washington at the time," says a source. "But Al has made up his mind."

Sources claims D'Amato is also still burning over Pataki's signing legislation to close the loophole that used to spare D'Amato's Park Strategies from reporting what it spent lobbying state agencies for contracts.

What's more, says one official, "Al believes Pataki has screwed up the state party. There's no organization now. Pataki won't even talk to [state GOP chair] Steve Minarik."

Pataki's office didn't a return a call for comment. But D'Amato tells us that talk of a feud with the man he groomed for the governor's mansion is "preposterous."

"He understands my enmity toward Weld," says D'Amato. "It is what it is. He hasn't tried to talk me out of what I believe."

As for his supposed resentment over Pataki's disconnecting those phone calls worth $500,000 that D'Amato has reportedly made, he says, "That's nonsense. I've always said we'll comport ourselves under the terms of any legislation. There are a lot of things in the law that are difficult to address. But I think it keeps honest people honest."

D'Amato also says he's above state party squabbles.

"I don't want to sound high­handed," he says, "but do you think I care if the governor talks to Minarik? It doesn't matter to me."

D'Amato also denies that he's opposed to Weld because his lobbying business would do better under Democratic candidate Elliot Spitzer. "Nonsense," he repeats. "I'm not worried. Because there is no way Weld is going to be the gov of New York."

D'Amato admits that he and Pataki don't dine together as often as they used to. "But that's because he's often in Iowa," says D'Amato. "He's more interested in his future in the presidential race."

And does the one-time kingmaker think Pataki stands a chance?

"Let him try," he says. "I'm prepared to help him."

[sittnick]

Pataki thinks he has a chance in the GOP primaries? He should get out of NY State (and Iowa) more often.

[oceanview]

I wonder if Al is behind a possible cross endorsement of Suozzi as a republican for governor.

[metesky]

Two has-beens shadow boxing.