Schenectady County GOP head on Tedisco payroll Tuesday, August 5, 2008 By Michael Lamendola (Contact) Gazette Reporter
SCHENECTADY — The chairman of the Schenectady County Republican Committee has worked for Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco as a part-time attorney for the last two years.
Tom Buchanan is a special counsel for the Republican Conference in the Assembly, according to SeeThroughNY.net. The connection was largely unknown outside a tight Republican circle.
Tedisco Chief of Staff Bill Sherman said he hired Buchanan Nov. 17, 2006. Buchanan became leader of the county committee in June 2006, replacing Armando Tebano.
Tebano resigned the committee chairmanship several days before his arrest on three misdemeanor sex counts involving a minor. A year later, Tebano pleaded guilty to a violation harassment charge, heading off a trial on charges he inappropriately touched a 14-year-old girl.
Sherman said he approached Buchanan to serve as chief counsel for the minority conference in 2006, but instead Buchanon agreed to become a part-time counsel. Buchanan retained his full-time job as a private practice attorney for Hacker & Murphy. His firm knows of his outside work, Buchanan said.
“They offered [the chief counsel job] to me first. I did it before,” having worked for both the state Senate and Assembly, Buchanan said. “Politics has always been a hobby of mine and I enjoy it.”
Sherman said Buchanan is one of 15 full- and part-time attorneys assigned to a central staff that works for the entire Assembly minority conference, which is headed by Tedisco. Sherman said Buchanan works five to 10 hours a week, often coming into Sherman’s office.
“I am his direct supervisor,” Sherman said.
Buchanan reviews legislation that is before the Assembly and researchs bills, Sherman said.
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Brad Littlefield
August 5, 2008, 1:51pm
Guest User
A connected Republican party leader and Attorney being on the staff of a powerful and influential long-time elected Republican.
Where is the news here? I must be missing something.
SCHENECTADY GOP chairman doing work for Tedisco BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
The chairman of the Schenectady County Republican Committee has worked for Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco as a part-time attorney for the last two years. Tom Buchanan is a special counsel for the Republican Conference in the Assembly, according to SeeThroughNY. net. His Assembly connection was largely unknown outside a tight Republican circle. Tedisco’s chief of staff Bill Sherman said he hired Buchanan Nov. 17, 2006. Buchanan became leader of the county committee in June 2006, replacing Armando Tebano. Tebano resigned the committee chairmanship several days before his arrest on three misdemeanor sex counts involving a minor. A year later, Tebano pleaded guilty to a violation harassment charge, heading off a trial on charges he inappropriately touched a 14-year-old girl. Sherman said he approached Buchanan to serve as chief counsel for the minority conference in 2006, instead becoming a part-time counsel. Buchanan retained his full-time job as a private practice attorney for Hacker & Murphy. His firm knows of his outside work, Buchanan said. “They offered [the chief counsel job] to me first. I did it before,” Buchanan said, having worked for both the state Senate and Assembly. “Politics has always been a hobby of mine and I enjoy it,” he said. Sherman said Buchanan is one of 15 full- and part-time attorneys assigned to a central staff. The central staff works for the entire Assembly minority conference. Tedisco heads the conference. Sherman said Buchanan works five to 10 hours a week, often coming into Sherman’s office. “I am his direct supervisor,” Sherman said. Buchanan is paid $879 every two weeks. Buchanan reviews legislation that is before the Assembly and researches bills, Sherman said. Sherman and Buchanan are part of a tightly knit political apparatus based in Rotterdam, Princetown and Duanesburg, one of the few places in Schenectady County where Republicans hold sway. Republicans control Rotterdam and Duanesburg town boards and have considerable strength in Princetown. Democrats dominate in the city, the county and in the towns of Niskayuna and Glenville. In 2005, Sherman ran for Schenectady County Legislature in District 4, which covers Rotterdam, Princetown and Duanesburg. He ran with incumbent Republican Joseph Suhrada against Democrats Christine Mallozzi-Chiaravalle and incumbent Judith Dagostino. Both incumbents won. The race was marked by hardball politics and mud slinging on both sides. It also was one of the most expensive races that year with both sides pouring in money for mailings, polls, phone calls and more. Sherman joined Tedisco’s staff shortly after the race ended. Sherman said he hired Buchanan for his qualifications. Buchanan graduated from Albany Law School with top honors. “I have know Tom personally for quite a while. It is part of my job to recruit qualified candidates all the time,” Sherman said. Since taking over as party chairman, Buchanan has worked to reenergize the county committee, winning some victories against Democrats. City Republicans, on the other hand, remain a moribund organization with few committee members and lackluster leadership, party insiders say.
More corruptuion and illegality. Do the Demos ever do this stuff? NO? Well maybe they do but what I am saying is sarcastic and I mean the democ do it all the time in the county from what I read. but I am not a fan of this guy Buchanan since I think we used to have an Italian running the repubs and I would like that better since the Italians get a bum rap all the time.
Oh my goodness......a Republican attorney representing the Republican assembly minority, who came up with this silly idea???? And to think there are 14 other attorneys??? I, like Sal, am being sarcastic. We should have a little icon to represent sarcasm. This article isn't worth the paper its printed on or the time it took to write it. Sal, I don't know what the problem is with this, do you think the dems hire republican lawyers? I don't think there is any illegality or corruption at all.
Somebody should check Michel Lamendola's affiliation as Brian Quail's personal press secretary. I don't understand why the Schenectady Democrats would even have concern with the power struggle within Conservative Party. A party with less than 3000 registered voters in the County. It would appear that Mr. Quail and the Democrats aren't going to give up their control of the Conservative or Working Family's Parties without first slinging a little mud. The Democrats want their candidates to have ALL available party lines on election day. I wouldn't be surprised if the Democrats threaten to file lawsuits against forums like this one and Schenectady's, in attempts to silence any opposition voice to the Democratic machine. They are unable to control and slant the information as they see fit, like they can with the Daily Rag.
Somebody should check Michel Lamendola's affiliation as Brian Quail's personal press secretary. I don't understand why the Schenectady Democrats would even have concern with the power struggle within Conservative Party. A party with less than 3000 registered voters in the County. .
I think that's been answered in the past week or so. I've learned a lot about their affiliation - and I've learned that may be changing with this upcoming election.
yes I wholeheartedly am begining to see that the demos should not control the conservs. I heard through some police friends that they are against Ang and this in and of itself makes me ready to throw my vote to the new faction that is doing the challenge. I wont tell the police to their face but this is now looking hopeless for the policemen and when I found they backed this Finn guy my heart skipped a beat. It is getting to be too much for me now
There are many conservative Republicans and conservative Democrats that are sick to death with what's happened to their parties and are sick of both parties tax and spend policies and would welcome a true conservative to vote for.
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