ALBANY – Westchester District Attorney Jeanine Pirro has set Wednesday on the state Capitol’s steps for what could be a major announcement on her political future, officials said yesterday.
The state Office of General Services granted a public-event permit to a Pirro representative for up to 50 people to attend the 2 p.m. announcement.
GOP insiders said they expect Pirro to reveal if she’ll run for attorney general – as New York County GOP Chairman James Ortenzio urged her to do yesterday – or governor, as some of lame-duck Gov. Pataki’s political advisers have been urging.
GOP insiders said Pirro, who had also been considering a race against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, has ruled out running for the Senate, although Pirro herself would say only “no comment” when asked about the Senate race earlier in the week.
Pirro had reserved the Capitol steps for an announcement last week, but it was canceled after it was learned Pataki planned to announce he wouldn’t seek re-election.
One senior GOP official expressed frustration with Pirro’s seeming indecision.
“She’s been doing what I call a Pirro-ette to the Four Seasons: Is it the ‘season’ of governor, the season of senator, attorney general or maybe even the season of [state] comptroller,” the leader sarcastically said.
Pirro said two months ago she would forgo running for re-election this year in order to concentrate on seeking some statewide office in 2006.