Brendan J. Lyons is reporting for the Times Union newly sworn-in Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin added his campaign director, Richard Crist, to his Assembly payroll last September in a part-time position that paid the equivalent of about $67,000 a year. Crist, a longtime Republican political operative in Rensselaer County, filed time sheets with the Assembly indicating he worked as McLaughlin's communications director from Sept. 21 through the end of the year. The time sheets show Crist usually worked no more than 17 hours per week, including holidays and weekends. "I was the only staffer performing duties, on a part-time basis, in his office during the time period cited," Crist said in a statement Friday. He said that his "work included interaction with state, county and local offices on various issues, response to correspondence, preparation and delivery of proclamations and commendations ... review of emails, collection and review of physical mail, answering phones, research of various Assembly and Senate bills, transport and/or accompanying the Assemblyman to various public appearances ... ." Most of Crist's hours listed on the Assembly payroll sheets indicate he worked between one and four hours per day, seven days per week. He also worked on state holidays. Read the full story in the Times Union.