Thompson Blasts Hynes' Decision To Run For Brooklyn DA As Republican

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- He's not done yet.

Brooklyn District Attorney Charles "Joe" Hynes lost the Democratic primary and said that he would not seek re-election.

Now he says he's on the ballot and in it to win it, CBS 2's Dick Brennan reported Tuesday.

The re-launch of Hynes' campaign got off to a bumpy start when hecklers tried shouting him down. Hynes formally announced a run for the job he's held for decades, but this time on the Republican and conservative lines, in part because he says the low turnout in the Democratic primary made it unfair.

"Eighty-two percent of the registered Democrats in Brooklyn didn't vote," Hynes said.

Hynes was beaten in the primary by Ken Thompson, and on Election night offered a concession.

"I just spoke to Ken Thompson. I wished him great success. I told him I would work with him on an orderly and a good transition. We would have nothing but a smooth transition," Hynes said.

But smooth went quickly to rough, when Hynes claimed he found out disgraced former Assemblyman Clarence Norman worked on the Thompson campaign.

Hynes convicted Norman of corruption charges years ago.

"Now what on Earth was Norman doing running and managing a race for the U.S. District Attorney's Office?" Hynes said.

However, Thompson said the charge is nonsense.

"He has to come up with a reason. He has to come up with a pretext. It is an outright lie," Thompson said.

Thompson said he categorically denies even speaking to Norman, let alone having him work on the campaign.

"Dick, he had no part in my campaign. This is a distraction. This is a desperate move by Joe Hynes. I won the primary fair and square and he knows it," Thompson said.

Hynes claims that Thompson is ready to dismantle many of his programs. Thompson said that is also a lie.

Election Day is less than a month away.

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