Congressman-elect Katko announces transition team

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — U.S. Representative-elect John Katko (R–Camillus) has announced his 12-member transition team as he prepares to represent the Syracuse–area Congressional district in the next Congress.

Katko defeated incumbent Daniel Maffei (D–DeWitt) by 20 percentage points in the Nov. 4 general election for the 24th Congressional District.

Katko announced in a news release that Arthur Jutton, a former chief of staff to three members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Carol Fletcher, president of recruitment firm C.R. Fletcher Associates Inc. in Syracuse, will serve as co-chairs of his transition team.

The lawmakers under whom Jutton served included former U.S. Representative James Walsh, who is also part of the Katko transition team.

The team also includes J. Ryan McMahon, chairman of the Onondaga County Legislature.

Katko’s transition group will focus on hiring staff, setting legislative priorities, and outlining an agenda for Katko’s first 100 days in Congress.

“We have assembled a strong and experienced transition team comprised of individuals who bring an unparalleled wealth of experience, knowledge, and leadership to this process,” Katko said in the news release. “I appreciate their early commitment to making this transition as seamless as possible so that we can hit the ground running with strong leadership for the people of [the 24th Congressional District] come January.”

The other eight members of his transition team are:

• James O’Connor, former staff of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Henry Fust, Fust Charles Chambers LLP
• Steve Wells, American Food & Vending
• Gordon Cuffy, Onondaga County Attorney
• Mary Nelson, Syracuse community leader and activist
• Sue Dwyer, Cayuga County Clerk
• Kim Parks, Wolcott Town Supervisor
• Shane Broadwell, Oswego County Legislator

Katko has been in Washington, D.C. this week participating in an orientation program for first-time members of Congress.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com