Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, who was once on the short list to be Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Andrew Cuomo’s running mate this fall, has announced his support of Sen. Eric Schneiderman’s bid to replace Cuomo in the AG’s office.

“Eric Schneiderman is a true leader who has always fought for what’s right, not just what’s politically popular,” said Brown in a statement released by Schneiderman’s campaign.

“I am proud to support him to be our next Attorney General. We need a smart-on-crime Attorney General who will keep our streets safe and keep our communities whole. We need an Attorney General with the guts, the leadership and the experience to bring equal justice to all New Yorkers. Without question, that person is Eric Schneiderman.”

Erie County Legislature Chair Barbara Miller-Williams also announced her support of Schneiderman, who has been working hard to build support in the Western end of the state.

UPDATE: As a commentor reminds me, Brown and Schneiderman were Senate colleagues before Brown departed to run for mayor in 2005.

This is an interesting turn of events, particularly since it comes on the heels of Schneiderman’s Times endorsement.

Cuomo has made it quite clear that he doesn’t think an Albany elected official – be it Schneiderman or his fellow legislative AG contender, Assemblyman Richard Brodsky – should be the party’s choice to go up against the Republican candidate, Staten Island DA Dan Donovan, in the general election.

Schneiderman has retaliated by suggesting the frontrunner (at least among those polled who are paying attention to the race and in fundraising), Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice, who was believed to be Cuomo’s favored candidate – for her ticket-balancing capability, if nothing else – lacks sufficient independence to be the state’s top attorney.

In spite of Cuomo’s perceived preferences – and remember, the AG has not yet made a primary endorsement, and it now appears he might even choose to keep his powder dry until after the Sept. 14 election – Schneiderman is amassing supporting from labor unions, clubs, the LGBT community, fellow Democratic officials and two newspaper editorial pages, the Times and the Amsterdam News.

The fact that Brown, who is African American, has decided to back Schneiderman is a not-so-subtle snub to Cuomo, who came under fire from black and Latino leaders after he tapped Rochester Mayor Bob Duffy to be his running mate, effectively ensuring an all-white Democratic statewide ticket with – at this moment, anyway – just one woman and one upstater (Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, on both counts).

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