Gubernatorial aide, journalist dies at 72
James Flateau worked for Pataki, Mario Cuomo
James Flateau, a journalist who later became a key aide to two New York governors on opposite sides of the political aisle, has died. He was 72.
Flateau, who retired to Land O’ Lakes, Fla., in 2005, had been in declining health for several years. He died Feb. 26.
A native of North Tonawanda, Flateau served in Korea with the U.S. Army. He was a 1970 graduate of SUNY Morrisville’s journalism program. Following college, Flateau became a reporter/editor with the Oneonta Daily Star. During that time, Flateau spent more than a few hours sitting on the front porch of a farmhouse in nearby Pindars Corners, sharing stories and a drink or two with the owner, Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
Moynihan won election to the U.S. Senate in 1976. Flateau shortly thereafter moved to Albany to run the Ottaway News Service’s bureau there.
It was in August 1982 that Flateau made news himself when his weekly political column predicted that then-Lt. Gov. Mario Cuomo would pull an upset in the upcoming Democratic gubernatorial primary against the heavily favored New York City Mayor Edward Koch.
“Smart guy, that Flateau!” Cuomo wrote in his diary at the time. A month later, Flateau’s prediction became reality and Cuomo went on to be elected governor.
Cuomo soon hired the “smart guy” to become the chief spokesman for New York’s state prison system. Flateau quickly became a top aide to Corrections Commissioner Thomas Coughlin, and a key Cuomo administration adviser on criminal justice issues.
In 1994, as Cuomo sought a fourth term, he came under heavy attack for his opposition to the death penalty. The job of countering “soft-oncrime” charges from Republican challenger George Pataki often fell to Flateau. Pataki won.
After Democratic control of the governor’s office for 20 years, Pataki’s term started with a wholesale house cleaning. Commissioners and their top aides were shown the door. Several powerful GOP aides demanded that Flateau join the exodus. But Pataki, heeding the advice of several other GOP advisers well-acquainted with the inner workings of state government, decided differently and kept the prison system spokesman in the job.
Pataki also came up with a new task for Flateau — write up the protocols to be used as New York reinstituted the death penalty. After delivering the document, Flateau was visiting with members of the governor’s press office when Pataki strolled in and, with a smile, delivered the verdict.
“Not bad for a Cuomo guy,” he said. The two worked well together for the rest of Pataki’s 12 years as governor.
After three terms, Pataki did not seek re-election. And, in 2005, Flateau also left the state payroll.
“Jim Flateau defined professionalism,” Pataki said on Friday after learning of Flateau’s death. Noting the toughness of criminal justice issues, Pataki said “Jim always provided sound counsel and extraordinary public service, whether it was for a Democrat or Republican governor.”
A lifelong fan of the Buffalo Bills football team, Flateau also loved literature and the theater. He served as stage manager of the annual Legislative Correspondents Association gridiron show throughout the 1980s.
In Florida, Flateau became a political force in Pasco County ( just north of Tampa) as the long-time chairman of the Ballantrae Community Development District and editor of the district’s newsletter.
Flateau is survived by his partner of 20 years, Rita Lang. He was predeceased by his son, Jamie Flateau. Donations to the ASPCA have been requested.