Clothes encounter! Barron gets flak over jacket

ALBANY — Newly minted Assemblyman Charles Barron, the former Brooklyn city councilman known for his racially inflammatory rhetoric, showed up for his first day in the Legislature last week in his signature South Asian Nehru jacket — angering many of his new coat and tiewearing colleagues, who claimed he was violating official dress code.

“People felt he was violating the rules and receiving special treatment from Speaker Silver,’’ said Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin (RRensselaer County).

“We have to wear suits and ties, that’s what we’ve been told the rules require.’’

A Silver spokesman said there’s no hard and fast rule.

“Generally members of the staff wear business attire . . . taking into consider ation things such as religious beliefs or cultural background,” spokesman Michael Whyland said, adding Barron met the Assembly standard.

Fredric U. Dicker