Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch yesterday became the state’s first Democratic official to meet with President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team in Washington, D.C.

Lynch, who heads the National Association of Attorneys General, traveled to the nation’s capitol with several of his colleagues from around the country for a daylong sit-down with the transition group at the Department of Justice.

The topic: How the federal government and state-level law enforcement leaders can collaborate on a national and local level to address issues such as predatory lending, mortgage foreclosures, cyber crimes and greenhouse gas emissions.

In a statement, Lynch said he was looking forward to building a constructive working relationship with the new administration, one that includes limiting the federal preemption of state laws that he believes has become more common practice under the Bush administration.

The group had hoped to meet directly with Eric Holder, Obama’s pick for U.S. attorney general, but Holder was unable to attend and sent his deputy at the last minute.

Through a spokesman yesterday afternoon, Lynch reported that the meetings were productive and informative.

Some in the Ocean State have speculated that Lynch’s early interest in Obama — back when many Democrats in this state, including his brother, Democratic Party Chairman William J. Lynch, were still firmly behind New York Sen. Hillary Clinton — could lead to a potential role in the new presidential administration.

In a brief interview at the State House this week, Lynch again brushed off that speculation, deferring the conversation to the historic nature of Obama’s victory.

His spokesman said he had no plans to stay in the Capitol City for meetings with other Obama politicos. In fact, Lynch is scheduled to return to Rhode Island this evening in time for a skating party hosted by his political action committee, Friends of Patrick Lynch.

Lynch was not the first Rhode Island official to meet with the Obama team. Earlier this month, Governor Carcieri traveled to Philadelphia with governors from around the country to meet with Obama.

cneedham@projo.com