Nassau legislator takes job with county lobbyist (UPDATED)

Nassau Legis. Laura Schaefer


According to Newsday, Nassau Legis. Laura Schaefer (R-Westbury) has taken a job with McBride Consulting and Business Development Group, a company that lobbies the Nassau legislature.

Newsday reported Wednesday that Laura Schaefer of Westbury was hired as a senior associate and counsel at the Melville firm headed by Robert McBride. The blurb didn't note that she also is a county legislator but it appeared to use the same photo that is on Schaefer's Facebook page. (see above) 


McBride Consulting is a registered lobbyist in Nassau County. This year the firm's  registration says McBride represents Transdev Services, which operates the Nassau bus system, as well as Standard Valuation  Services, the company headed by Matt Smith that did the residential reassessment of the county.


The firm acknowledges that it has lobbied the county legislature, County Executive Laura Curran and various county officials, such as Deputy County Executive Mike Santeramo.


Robert McBride used to work with former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D'Amato's Park Strategies consulting/lobbying firm but broke away to create his own company.


Schaefer, who has been mentioned as as  possible challenger to Democrat Curran for county executive next year, is a member of the Rules Committee, which votes on contracts for TransDev and SVS.

Schaefer gives Republicans the critical fourth vote on the seven-member committee. Presumably, Schaefer would need to recuse herself on any contract for a company represented by McBride.

 A county source said the legislature voted unanimously in August to extend Transdev's contract, but the legislature's clerk has yet to respond to a request for a copy of the contract vote and date.

Chris Boyle, spokesman for the legislature's Republican majority, said in an email, "When considering outside consulting work, Legislator Schaefer obtained an opinion by the Nassau County Board of Ethics which confirmed the absence of any conflicts of interest as she will not take part in lobbying any Nassau County official or vendor vote on any contracts related to her consulting relatonships."

Boyle did not respond to a request for a copy of the ethics decision, when Schaefer asked for it and when she started working for McBride.

Schaefer did not respond to a request for comment.

A registration form filed this year and signed by Robert McBride states the firm is  registered as a lobbyist in Nassau, Suffolk New York City and New York State.

The firm acknowledges campaign contributions in the past year to the Legislature's Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams (D-Freeport),  Presiding Officer Richard Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park), Republican  Oyster Bay supervisor Joseph Saladino, Democratic Nassau Comptroller Jack Schnirman and Curran.

Here is a copy of the portion of the McBride registration form that lists the persons lobbied:





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