The political consulting firm that recently hired Public Advocate Bill de Blasio’s wife is representing Rep. Carolyn Maloney’s challenger.
The Mack Crounse Group, based in Washington, D.C., is working for Reshma Saujani, a hedge fund attorney vying to unseat Maloney, a longtime fixture in Manhattan’s Upper East Side Democratic political scene.
MCG recently hired Chirlane McCray, de Blasio’s wife, as its senior vice president.
Maloney avoided making any endorsement in the competitive Democratic primary for public advocate.
She did, however, consider opposing Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in a primary this year, but, like many others, was discouraged by the White House. The effort to guard Gillibrand from a challenge spearheaded by political operative Patrick Gaspard, director of President Obama’s Office of Political Affairs and a close friend of de Blasio’s.
Spokesmen for Saujani declined to comment.
UPDATE: De Blasio sent in this statement via a spokesman: “I am strongly supporting Congressmember Maloney in her re-election campaign. Obviously my wife’s professional career is completely separate from my role as Public Advocate.”