That Wright? Dem boss a lobbyist, too

Former Harlem Assemblyman Keith Wright has joined a highpowered lobbying firm — but he’s keeping his other job as Manhattan Democratic Party leader.

While Wright insists the dual roles are legal, critics say the conflict of interest is glaring.

Wright joined Davidoff Hutcher & Citron this week, where he’ll “focus on a variety of issues at the city and state level,” the firm said in a statement.

Jeanine Johnson, Wright’s spokeswoman, argued there’s no issue with a lobbyist also wielding political power. “It is legal,” she said. Good-government groups are not so sure.

“It’s an obvious conflict of interest. It’s unethical, and maybe illegal, for the county leader to be a lobbyist,” said John Kaehny, executive director of Reinvent Albany.

“The potential for abuse and corruption is sky high. It’s the worst of Albany culture.”

Citizens Union Executive Director Dick Dadey said the arrange- ment “should be taken seriously and addressed.”

“It poses a challenge if not an outright conflict of interest,” he said. “He’ll have a distinct advantage when lobbying elected officials from Manhattan.”

The state public-officers law prohibits “political-party chairmen” from being paid to work on “the adoption or repeal of any rule or regulation having the force and effect of law.”

Wright, who last year lost a bid to succeed longtime Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel, also is prohibited from lobbying the state Legislature for two years.

The state Joint Commission on Public Ethics, which enforces the law, declined to comment.

While Johnson argued that Wright no longer has “any control over any public activities” as New York County chairman, he’s in a prime position to influence whether elected officials face primary challenges — leverage that could come in handy for a lobbyist.

Charles Capetanakis, a member of the lobbying firm’s government-relations unit, said it would make sure Wright’s activities stay within the law.

“We’re well aware of the restrictions of the public-officers laws,” he said. “Anything Keith Wright does here will not run afoul of them.”

Wright won’t be the first political-party chairman from New York City to earn a living as a lobbyist.

Stanley Friedman, a former Bronx County Democratic leader, was a registered lobbyist for taxi-fleet owners.

In 1986, Friedman paid for his double-dealing when he was convicted of corruption charges in a wide-ranging scheme to defraud the city Parking Violations Bureau.

He served four years in prison and was released in 1992 before landing a job running a hotel on Staten Island.