Michael Caputo talked to Buffalo’s WKBW this morning, applauding Lee’s quick handling of the Craigslist tryst scandal and calling it “remarkable crisis control.”
Ex-Rep. Christopher Lee resigned yesterday only hours after reports of his attempted affair via Craigslist, replete with shirtless photos, hit the internet. Caputo, who would know a thing or two about crisis control, said that he believes Lee’s resignation will prevent further harm to Lee’s reputation and allow New York officials to focus on the very real issues they’re currently facing.
“I think that regardless of whether it’s true or not,” said Caputo (ever the campaign manager). “Congressman Lee saw it as something that’s going to distract from the business at hand in Washington, especially for his constituents here in New York. And by resigning, he converted a hot political issue into a personal issue, and now we move on.”
He also talked about the special election that will be held to replace Lee, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
“I think that we’ve heard a lot of people urge the governor to move that special election as soon as possible,” he said. “There are a lot of people jockeying for the seat.”
Caputo was managing Carl Paladino’s campaign when the gubernatorial candidate came under fire for forwarding racist and sexually explicit emails, and later when he became embroiled in a scandal after reports surfaced that he had a ten-year-old child out of wedlock, unbeknownst to his wife.
“As most congressmen will tell you today, and certainly anyone who ran for governor,” Caputo said–perhaps in a nod to his experience with Paladino–“no matter what you say or what you do, it becomes a scandal.”
