Queens pol families in ethics battle royale

Queens Democratic Party officials are retaliating against GOP City Councilman Eric Ulrich for filing an ethics complaint against City Council member Elizabeth Crowley — a relative of a powerful congressman, according to sources.

Sources say Crowley and her allies — including cousin Joe Crowley, a congressman and the borough’s Democratic leader — have reached out to uniformed-officers unions to ask why they’re endorsing Ulrich.

They pointed out that he was recommending a “yes” vote on the proposal for a state constitutional convention, which the unions fiercely oppose.

Joe Crowley, who had shown little interest in Ulrich’s re-election race, also suddenly endorsed his Democratic opponent, Mike Scala.

“People are really rallying to Liz’s side and defending her integrity and her right to look after her kids,” said Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Queens).

“There’s disappointment that a political dispute would develop into an unjustified ethics complaint. This should not have escalated into a spurious attack on her integrity,” he said.

The fight started after Elizabeth Crowley’s son was beaten up in a fight last year near a waterfront restaurant in Ulrich’s district, the Bayview Grille, where he worked.

Crowley proceeded to sic government agencies on the eatery’s owners, Ulrich later claimed.

Inspectors responded in force, and the restaurant was shut after getting numerous violations.

When the owners reached out to Ulrich this year, he filed a complaint with the Conflicts of Interest Board, the city’s ethics panel.

Asked if Democratic Party officials pressured labor leaders to back away from Ulrich, Lancman said, “Opposition to a constitutional convention is the No. 1 litmus test for the labor movement. I would not be surprised for labor leaders to hear from the Democratic Party saying, ‘ Why are you backing him?’ ” Ulrich felt the pressure. This week, he reversed his position on the constitutional convention, posting a statement on Facebook saying he now opposes it.

Ulrich declined to comment, as did both Crowleys.

The councilwoman, through a spokesman, instead questioned why Ulrich had accepted a $250 campaign contribution last year from alleged Bonanno crime-family associate Robert Pisani.

“The real ethical question is why Eric Ulrich took money from a violent mob associate and dangerous sexual predator who is coowner of this bar [the Bayview], and has yet to give it back or donate it to charity,” said Crowley spokesman Doug Forand.

Pisani, who was charged this year in loan-sharking and sexcrime cases, is no longer affiliated with Bayview Grille.

This should not have escalated into a spurious attack on her integrity. — Rory Lancman on council member Elizabeth Crowley (left)