Posted on 11/23/2005 11:44:43 AM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
WATERLOO — The state Commission of Investigation will be asked to look into allegations of inappropriate activities by Democrats prior to the Nov. 8 general election.
The Seneca County Board of Supervisors’ Government Operations & Technology Committee voted 4-1 Tuesday to consider four specific points Committee Chairman David Kaiser of Romulus brought up Nov. 7, when the measure was tabled because it was the night before the election and two of the committee’s members were facing a challenge.
Kaiser, a Republican, alleges county property may have been illegally used for political purposes. He specifically cites the listing of Democratic Elections Commissioner Ruth Same’s direct office line on campaign fliers sent out by Democrats in Waterloo and Seneca Falls instead of using what he called the “agreed upon official contact number” published in the telephone book and listed on the county’s Web site.
He also objected to Same explaining to the Times how voters could write in a particular candidate’s name; county Demo cratic Committee Chairman Ted Young spending a lot of hours at the office, often behind closed doors; and Seneca Falls Supervisor Peter Same voting on his wife’s re-appointment.
Ovid Supervisor David Dresser, a Democrat, said he thought it might be wise to have an independent body review the allegations.
"[But] not because I believe they have merit,” he said. “I believe the opposite.”
Dresser pointed out that all four elections commissioners’ numbers are published in the county directory and that the contact number Kaiser referred to is the direct line of Republican Deputy Commissioner Joan Mooney.
Kaiser said that is exactly why it should be looked into by the Commission of Investigation and that committee members were not in a position to try the matter. He said the review was advised by an attorney for the state Board of Elections.
“I’m not trying to try it here,” Dresser said.
“If that’s all correct, they’ll point that out, and everybody will be exonerated and we can move on to more important things,” said Fayette Supervisor Edward Barto, who ran on both the Republican and Democratic lines in November.
Peter Same said if the commission was going to be asked to investigate the Democratic portion of the office, it should also look into Republican activities.
Barto noted Ruth Same had already said county Republican Committee Chairman Angelo Bianchi is hardly ever in the office, but Peter Same said it could apply to other members, such as Seneca Falls Town Republican Committee Chairman Domenick Paradise.
As for Peter Same voting on his wife’s nomination to be re-appointed Democratic election commissioner, Dresser said it was done at a caucus he attended with Peter Same, who is minority leader; Barto; and the board’s only other Democrat, Varick Supervisor Joan Teichner.
Dresser said he suggested Peter Same might want to abstain, which he did. Barto voted against the measure, which failed for lack of a majority. Peter Same then researched the matter, was told he could vote for his wife and called a second caucus, which Barto didn’t attend. The three in attendance passed the measure.
“I believe he was operating in good faith,” Dresser said.
“Let’s move the question,” said Barto. “This is asinine.”
Seneca Falls At-Large Supervisor Sean Anglim, a Republican, abstained.
After the meeting, Peter Same said the county Democratic Committee had recommended his wife for reappointment and filed it with the board clerk, but that it did not get forwarded to the appropriate committee for board approval within the 30-day deadline, so it was referred to the board’s Democratic members to make the nomination.
upstate bump
Rules? Rats don't need no stinking rules.
What's shocking is not that the Dems are engaged in another scandal, but rather that they got caught, and someone is actually making noise like they are going to investigate.
My favorite parts of the article are:
1. The "Johnny Did Too" defense (The Democratic Party Leader did it, so let's accuse the Republican Leader; oh, wait, you mean that won't work? Okay, let's accuse a lower ranking Republican...)
2. The "its all the Republicans fault anyway" defense: (I wouldn't have had to break ethics laws if the mean old Republicans had allowed my wife to take the job in the first place).
Rules and Democrats mix like oil and water.
No way, there has to be some mistake. How can there be democrat irregularities in upstate N.Y.?
If my wife was spending hours of time behind closed doors with another man, I might not want to vote for her to keep the job... but that's just me.
RATs, corruption, NY, NJ -- all go together so seamlessly!
LOL! You and me both....
Maybe they're the upstate version of Bill and Hillary. I only hope that, for his sake, the other guy stays out of parks at night.
It will be interesting to see who covers my case in repeated violations of NYState Elections Law.
5 counts will be filed next week against the 10th district Republican committee in my campaign.
They did this without my knowledge, several people called and complained on a local talk show that they were told they could not vote for me.
NYCLU Files Complaint With Erie County Board Of Elections
http://wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=33039
Posted by: Sally Durwald, Producer
Created: 11/9/2005 10:47:56 AM
Updated: 11/9/2005 7:36:37 PM
NYCLU has filed a complaint with the Erie County Board of Elections over the alleged actions of poll workers in the 10th legislative district.
Officials from the New York Civil Liberties Union says its Western New York office received several complaints from voters who in that district who wanted to vote for a write-in candidate. Some were allegedly told by poll workers that it was not allowed.
The NYCLU says that's a violation under the State Election Law. The group is looking for anyone who may have encountered a similar problem. If you have call the NYCLU at 332-4658.
http://www.rusthompson.com/
We may need to get the Federal EPA involved here. Last I knew, Dimmycrats were a threatened species across most of upstate, except for isolated populations in large urban centers.
I sense that the upstate environment is becoming much more hostile towards today's Democrats, as it did towards the anti-war, anti-Lincoln, "bring our troops home now" "Copperhead" Democrats during the Civil War.
Isn't the birthplace of the Republican party not far from Seneca county? Friendship, NY is in Allegany County, I think. (Ripon, WI was the site of the first national Republican convention, not the birthplace of the party.)
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