Ricchiuti gets important union endorsements

  Retired Albany Police Sergeant turned political candidate Lenny Ricchiuti received an important endorsement Thursday.

  Ricchiuti,who is Executive Director of the Albany Police Athletic League,stood in front of Albany City Hall to receive the support of nearly a dozen local unions in Ricchiuti's bid to become Common Council President.

  Representatives of Albany Firefighters,local bricklayers and the local 294 Teamsters were among the groups endorsing Ricchiuti in his Democratic Primary bid against veteran Council member Carolyn McLaughlin.

   In accepting the endorsement Ricchiuti said he supports bringing community policing to Albany neighborhoods and wants a tougher enforcement of the city's code enforcement laws.

   Ricchiuti repreated comments from earlier this week in rejecting the actions of someone who attached yellow 'violation' stickers to McLaughlin's campaign lawn signs. He said no one in his own campaign is responsible for the tampering which an Election Commissioner this week called 'criminal mischief'.

    Ricchiuti and McLaughlin face off in the September 15th Democratic Primary.