Albert aide is new Fenty flack

Another member of Mayor Adrian Fenty's mayoral administration is moving over to help his reelection effort.

Sean Madigan, 32, is taking leave from his post as a top aide to City Administrator Neil Albert to handle media inquiries for Fenty 2010.

That comes as welcome news to us reporters: Neither Fenty's mayoral administration nor his campaign have placed a high emphasis on responding to journalists. But, as one of the few ex-reporters employed as Fenty flacks, Madigan is respected in city newsrooms.

Madigan spent five years covering development for the Washington Business Journal at the height of the real-estate boom before moving to the Fenty administration, as communications director for Albert, then deputy mayor for planning and economic development.

Helen Hare, another ex-bullpen staffer who had been handling media inquiries for the campaign, remains communications director, Madigan says, adding that she'll be focusing on running the campaign's social media effort and preparing for forums and other campaign events.

In another high-level move, Sara Lasner, who left a post as Fenty's deputy chief of staff to join the campaign this year, left this week to attend to personal matters.

"I'll be back for my final push," Lasner said yesterday. "I love my job. I love the mayor."