A Democratic contender for the state attorney general's job is jumping into the turbulent waters of Erie County Democratic politics today by endorsing Sen. William Stachowski for re-election.

But Sean Coffey, a former federal prosecutor, says he has motivations beyond Stachowski: stop Steve Pigeon, the former Erie County Democratic Party boss and counsel to an embattled state senator from the Bronx.

"Steve Pigeon is not a force for good in New York state government," said Coffey, one of five Democrats vying in next month's party primary for attorney general. He will be in Buffalo today to endorse both Stachowski and Marc Coppola, who is running against Republican Sen. Michael Razenhofer.

Coffey said Pigeon is too close with Tim Kennedy, the Erie County legislator challenging Stachowski, a Lake View Democrat, and that Pigeon wants to get more of his allies elected to office in Albany.

"It's really focused based on what I've seen Steve Pigeon up to. Him increasing the number of puppets he has in Albany ought to be vigorously opposed," said Coffey, a former Navy aviator who left a lucrative private law firm in Manhattan last year to run for attorney general.

Pigeon dismissed the criticism, and said Coffey has been making donations to the Erie County Democratic Party to win over Chairman Leonard Lenihan's backing. "He's Lenihan's puppet," Pigeon said of Coffey.

Told of Coffey's remarks about him, Pigeon said, "That's insanity. I think he lowers the office of attorney general by entering into such discussions."

"It's such a pathetic campaign. He will just say anything," Pigeon said of Coffey.

Coffey targeted Pigeon for his role in the 2009 Senate coup that temporarily saw Republicans, with the help of Sen. Pedro Espada, a Bronx Democrat, retake control of the chamber. After a month, Espada rejoined the Democrats, with a new title as majority leader. And Pigeon joined Espada's staff as a $150,000-a-year counsel.

Espada is under investigation by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and the U.S. Attorney's office for his outside business dealings. Pigeon, too, is facing a probe over what Gov. David Paterson's office says has been a string of possible election law violations.

Coffey will use his Stachowski endorsement todaythurs in Buffalo to also try to tie one of his opponents, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice, to Pigeon. Rice was introduced by Pigeon to Buffalo Sabres owner Tom Golisano in Florida, where he now resides; Golisano, founder of the state Independence Party, is still a force in the small but influential party. Rice also attended a dinner in Buffalo arranged by Rep. Brian Higgins and attended by Pigeon.

The Rice campaign has previously said Pigeon is not a part of her campaign - directly or indirectly.

Coffey said his endorsement of Stachowski comes, in part, because "he won't stand for" Pigeon's political power reach. "I intend to be an attorney general who is a catalyst for reform. One of the things we can do is reduce the influence of Steve Pigeon," Coffey said.

But Pigeon hit back, noting Coffey has had questions raised about his own attempts at political influence. The Wall Street Journal this week reported on sizable, personal contributions by Coffey, including $20,000 to former New York comptrollers Carl McCall and Alan Hevesi; the comptroller's office, which runs a big state pension fund, later hired Coffey's Manhattan law firm to handle several major pension litigation cases.

"I was hired because I was one of the finest securities lawyers in the country," Coffey said of his government pension work.

tprecious@buffnews.comnull