9:37 pm  •  14  January 2013

(Photo: Daily News)

Beyond the impressive fundraising total for Rory Lancman in his first City Council filing is an interesting name: Sean Crowley, the brother of the Queens County Democratic Party’s chair, U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley. 

Sean Crowley is a lobbyist with the firm Davidson, Hutcher & Citron and an attorney who has known a small amount of controversy. Though a Crowley surname on his filing does not mean that Lancman has locked down the party’s backing in the race to replace term-limited Councilman James Gennaro, it certainly is a good sign for the former assemblyman, who has hustled to escape the proverbial dog house of the county organization after he challenged their chosen candidate, Grace Meng, in a Congressional race last year.

In 2009, Sean Crowley donated to two county-backed candidates, Assemblyman Francisco Moya and Councilman Mark Weprin. He also donated to Eric Gioia’s unsuccessful Public Advocate bid, which county also endorsed.