ALBANY — City lawmakers voted Thursday night to advance the nomination of John Reilly Jr., Mayor Dorcey Applyrs’ pick to lead Albany’s Law Department.
The 3-2 vote by the Common Council’s Law, Buildings & Code Enforcement Committee came at the end of a 90-minute confirmation hearing during which Reilly, 31, faced questions about his experience and his work on a city lobbying contract with a firm that has ties to the mayor’s political operation.
There were two votes. Councilmembers Deirdre Brodie and Meghan Keegan, two skeptics of Reilly, put forward a motion to advance his nomination with a neutral recommendation for a vote by the full council. That proposal was voted down, but a measure advancing the nomination with a positive recommendation was adopted, with committee Chair Owusu Anane and members Lormenzo Jones and Mark Robinson voting in the affirmative…