It's a day of dueling endorsements: Just hours after Assemblywoman Grace Meng's campaign received the backing of Congressman Gary Ackerman, her assembly colleague Rory Lancman stood with former New York City public advocate Mark Green to receive his blessing as the candidate for Congress in the 6th district in Queens.

The press conference was both an endorsement announcement and an opportunity for Lancman to go after "Big Oil" and "the corrosive influence of corporate money on democracy, and a clear demonstration of the need for comprehensive campaign finance reform."

"The 6th District and America need to stop big corporate money from privatizing our democracy, which means public funding for public elections as we have in NYC and a DISCLOSE act so anonymous money from billionaires doesn’t buy our government," Green said in a statement. "Because Rory Lancman has been a leader to take the 'for sale' sign off our State government, I'm to endorsing him today because he'll continue to lead that charge when he gets to Washington. We need a smart, strong progressive voice in Washington – Rory’s it."

A two-term public advocate until 2001, Green last ran for office in 2006 when he lost in the Democratic primary for attorney general to Andrew Cuomo 2009, when he tried to get his old job back as public advocate. He and Lancman called on Congress to pass three separate piece of campaign finance legislation, including "a constitutional amendment that would allow Congress to reverse the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case."

“Taxpayer subsidies for oil companies – companies that are already making money hand over fist – are clear examples of why campaign finance reform is so desperately needed,” Lancman said in a statement. “I’ve fought to get corporate money out of our state government, and I’ll take that fight to Congress. Queens needs a representative who will fight for the needs of working New Yorkers – not the desires of special interests, big corporations and wealthy campaign contributors.”