Lancman, Former Ackerman Intern, Unfazed by Snub

Rory Lancman stood behind a podium in Rego Park on Tuesday, talking about the influence of big money in politics. But most of the questions he got were about something a little more personal.

Minutes before, U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman, with whom Lancman first interned as a high school student, endorsed Assemblywoman Grace Meng in the primary.

Already this year, Lancman has been somewhat stung by Ackerman’s actions. When the Sixth Congressional District was drawn into existence in March, Lancman made no secret of his plan to run, only to have Ackerman announce that he would be going after the same seat.

Undeterred, Lancman said he planned to run against Meng in a primary, after preparing to run against current U.S. Rep. Bob Turner, R-Forest Hills —

Are you caught up? Good, ‘cause there’s more. Lancman has since been joined in that race by City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley and Dr. Robert Mittman.

No one in the race is likely to be as personally affected as Lancman by Ackerman’s actions, though he insists the contrary. He grouped Ackerman’s endorsement in as part of a package deal that Meng received along with the backing of the Queens Democratic Party, making it seem less personal.

“I don't feel disappointed by Gary's decision whatsoever,” Lancman said. “I understand that the Queens establishment is endorsing Grace and I understand that Gary's endorsement is a part of that. I don’t take any endorsement or non-endorsement personally.”

Lancman described his internship with Ackerman’s office as his second political experience — after helping to form a tenants’ association in his childhood apartment building.

Despite Lancman’s insistence that the endorsement was wholly political, he couldn’t help but fire off a small dig as questioning wound down.

“Gary was a nice guy to work for,” he said. “When I get elected to Congress, I look forward to drawing on his years of experience as an adviser.”