Coffee with Coffey in Valley Stream

Potential New York state attorney general candidate Sean Coffey stopped by Valley Stream for a cup of coffee last week, shared his views with a few local residents and listened to their concerns.

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo will be running for governor in November, leaving the seat wide open. Coffey is one of five possible Democratic candidates for the state’s head prosecutor, including Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice. At Mitchell’s restaurant on Rockaway Avenue last Thursday afternoon, Coffey said why he believes he is the best candidate for the job.

A novice to the political arena having never even run for public office, Coffey said this is a good year to be an outsider. Citizens are frustrated with the status quo, he said, and are looking for a change. “I think our state government is failing us,” he said.

Coffey said he believes that Cuomo has done well, and he is not running to fix the attorney general’s office. Rather, he is looking to reform New York state government. He wants non-partisan redistricting of all state and federal election lines, a transparent and equal member item system for legislators, and increased power to go after political corruption. Additionally, he said campaign finance reform is needed, including lowering how much individuals can contribute to candidates.

Once named “Wall Street’s new nemesis” by Bloomberg Markets magazine, Coffey said he will target misconduct in the financial industry. He was a lead attorney in the WorldCom corporate fraud suit in 2005, recovering more than $6 billion from directors and executives.

But Coffey said he won’t use bullying tactics to keep Wall Street in line. As attorney general, he would want to work with financial leaders. “It’s our most important industry,” he said. “The best way to keep it growing is to keep it honest. I don’t have to beat up on Wall Street to prove I can do it.”

Coffey said that when people don’t have faith in Wall Street, they pull their money out and that sinks the economy. He said his knowledge of the financial industry puts him above other Democratic candidates. Attorney general, he said, is more than a “super D.A.”

“No one’s legal record compares with mine,” he said.