A Queens political operative who spent her career working behind the scenes for several shady lawmakers is emerging from the shadows to run for public office.

Joan Flowers, 65, a Springfield Gardens lawyer, has declared her candidacy to replace Queens Councilman Leroy Comrie.

Flowers drew up the incorporation papers for the New Direction Local Development Corp., a nonprofit founded with the help of Rep. Gregory Meeks and state Sen. Malcolm Smith.

After The Post in 2010 exposed the group’s lack of accounting for Hurricane Katrina donations, federal prosecutors opened a probe.

Flowers was once a law partner of former Assemblyman Clarence Norman Jr., who was sent to prison in a judgeship-selling scandal.

Flowers was a campaign treasurer for Meeks from 2001 to 2007, when the Federal Election Commission fined Meeks for improper campaign spending.

When asked to comment, Flowers told The Post she is running because “I’m very concerned about my community.”