Schenectady County GOP head on Tedisco payroll

PHOTOGRAPHER: Michael Lamendola

The chairman of the Schenectady County Republican Committee has worked for Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco as a part-time attorney for the last two years.

Tom Buchanan is a special counsel for the Republican Conference in the Assembly, according to SeeThroughNY.net. The connection was largely unknown outside a tight Republican circle.

Tedisco Chief of Staff Bill Sherman said he hired Buchanan Nov. 17, 2006. Buchanan became leader of the county committee in June 2006, replacing Armando Tebano.

Tebano resigned the committee chairmanship several days before his arrest on three misdemeanor sex counts involving a minor. A year later, Tebano pleaded guilty to a violation harassment charge, heading off a trial on charges he inappropriately touched a 14-year-old girl.

Sherman said he approached Buchanan to serve as chief counsel for the minority conference in 2006, but instead Buchanon agreed to become a part-time counsel. Buchanan retained his full-time job as a private practice attorney for Hacker & Murphy. His firm knows of his outside work, Buchanan said.

“They offered [the chief counsel job] to me first. I did it before,” having worked for both the state Senate and Assembly, Buchanan said. “Politics has always been a hobby of mine and I enjoy it.”

Sherman said Buchanan is one of 15 full- and part-time attorneys assigned to a central staff that works for the entire Assembly minority conference, which is headed by Tedisco. Sherman said Buchanan works five to 10 hours a week, often coming into Sherman’s office.

“I am his direct supervisor,” Sherman said.

Buchanan reviews legislation that is before the Assembly and researchs bills, Sherman said.