North Country Lawmakers movin’ on up

In Washington, Roll Call is reporting North Country Congressman John McHugh’s ascension to ranking Republican on the House Armed Services committee, along with his reputation for bipartisanship, have put him in the spotlight.

In Albany, a State-Senator gone mad has thrust Democrat Darrel Aubertine to the helm of the influential Senate energy committee. Ironically, this is a position recently held by Aubertine’s Republican predecessor, Jim Wright, who’s retirement (at least, until he resurfaced as director of DANC) opened the door for Aubertine.

Another irony: remember the flap when Aubertine announced he offered chairmanship of the New York Power Authority, only to have Gov. Paterson say it wasn’t true? Well, now Aubertine runs the committee that oversees that chairman.

For the record, Aubertine will retain his chairmanship of the Senate agriculture committee.