ALBANY — Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who controls the state Education Department through its governing board, helped a motorcycle-riding ex-beauty queen and a former Assembly ally land a job at the schools agency.
Although he opposes efforts he says would politicize the agency, Silver (D-Manhattan) helped former Assemblywoman Janele Hyer-Spencer, who is close with the speaker, land the $84,000-a-year job as legislative liaison last September.
That’s a $4,500 raise from the $79,500 she was previously paid representing Staten Island for four years before a bitter 2010 defeat.
Although most of Hyer-Spencer’s responsibilities involve lobbying Congress, the tall, leggy blonde will be based in Albany.
Hyer-Spencer, 47, is a lawyer who never worked in the education field before joining SED.
“There’s no question she was hired because of Shelly Silver,” said one source close to the department.
“Do you think [the department] would have hired her without checking with the speaker’s office?”
“It was an open secret for some time that Shelly and Janele were very close and that the speaker was interested in doing what he could to advance her,” added another source close to Assembly Democrats. “He was very disappointed, and I’d say upset, when she lost her election, and the word around is that he’s been trying to help her.’’
Silver essentially controls the selection of regents, who appoint the state education commissioner, through a joint vote of the state Legislature. Silver is a friend of Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch.
Education officials confirmed the speaker’s recommendation, but said they were the ones who settled on Hyer-Spencer out of 100 applicants and would have called Silver’s office anyway.
“We weren’t looking for someone who knew education; we were looking for someone who dealt with legislators and was used to reading bill memos and tracking legislation,” said department spokesman Dennis Tompkins.
Silver recommended Hyer-Spencer “in addition to many other former Assembly members for various positions because he believes individuals who have served in the Legislature make some of the strongest advocates and are extremely effective,” said Silver spokesman Michael Whyland, asserting Hyer-Spencer has “exceptional credentials.”
Hyer-Spencer did not respond to a request for comment.