Kicking a man when he’s down. How better to describe last week’s mysterious revelation of Assemblyman Jim Tedisco’s payment last summer of $32,500 in funds from the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee to his thenchief of staff William Sherman? No, Sherman didn’t want the money to cover Assembly campaign costs; he’s never run for Assembly. He did run, unsuccessfully, for Schenectady County Legislature a few years back, and got sued by the Mallozzi family (one of whose members was in the race) for defamation in connection with some campaign mudslinging he and his running mate Joe Suhrada did. Sherman (and Suhrada) won the suit, but needed help with legal bills, so Tedisco decided to give him some. (Under Judge Vincent Reilly Jr.’s court order, Sherman was supposed to recover those costs from the Mallozzis, but it’s unclear whether he did.) Tedisco’s willingness to shower his top staffer with money reserved for Republican Assembly campaigns was ethically bankrupt but, thanks to the state’s lax campaign finance laws, not illegal. And it was especially sneaky of him to take it from a “housekeeping” account, with its minimal disclosure requirements; as opposed to the RACC general account, with its greater disclosure requirements, including the candidate’s name. Suffice it to say, Tedisco would probably have had more difficulty selling his Republican colleagues on the payment had they known it was for Sherman and completely unrelated to any Assembly campaign. When they finally found out last week (after a copy of the check to his attorney and a note from Sherman reminding him to keep it in the “strictest of confi - dence” were mailed anonymously to members of the minority conference, the Albany County district attorney, state attorney general and Times Union newspaper), they were reportedly livid. They ought to have been. Better yet would be if the episode persuaded them to embrace real campaign finance reform, something serious enough to make abuses of this kind illegal. To simply say it won’t happen again, as new Minority Leader Brian Kolb did to the Times Union, is no guarantee. Politicians (and others) have shown that when there’s so much money sloshing around, the temptation to play fast and loose with it is often too great. That’s why stricter laws are absolutely necessary.
Great indepth reporting in the Gazetto? They buried the scoop from the TU in their lame whitewash for sheeple version. As PG-13 reported this is only the tip of the iceburg. Many more shoes to drop and drop out. Keep waking up Rotterdam ostriches.
I've lost confidence in EVERY SINGLE Republican and Democrat in NYS (with the exception of maybe TWO - Woodward, Esposito). I can't think of one other one I'd support, in either party at this point.
Since I won't be a resident of NY for the Nov elections, I leave it in your capable hands to VOTE THE BUMS OUT!
That's the problem. Every thinking County voter is packing a moving van. The thought of one candidate elections is not appealing? How about paying more Metrograft taxes? Ms Savage keeps saying the County is just wonderful. She should see her neighbors for sale signs.
If ya notice, when one person/party spills the beans about another person/party, they go to the TU. You just never see that happen in the Gazette.
I am a registered blank but I have a conservative ideology. But I think it is time that the present standing rep party falls. (not that they have too far to go) I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't an arsenal of dirt on them that we will be hearing about in the coming months.
I will probably not vote this year. First time in over 20 years. There is absolutely no one that I would vote for that I think would make a difference. Not even Esposito or Woodward.
Every single endorsement that came from the rep/con/dem camp is not worth my vote.Between the tax & spend dems, the arrogant reps and the political strong arming cons clinches it for me.
Is that the best they've got?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I will probably not vote this year. First time in over 20 years. There is absolutely no one that I would vote for that I think would make a difference.
Not voting is definitely not the answer and I hope you reconsider that sentiment.
Not voting is definitely not the answer and I hope you reconsider that sentiment.
None of the established "parties" have given us any reason to vote. Each is as corrupt as the other. They don't give anyone the inspiration or the feeling that their vote matters, or they'll care about our vote. From the "Electoral College" right down to towns and county seats, nobody listens. Until they give me a reason to vote and care about elections, I'm probably with Bumble - along with a LOT of other people.
I will vote only for those positions for which candidates that I support are campaigning. If there is no one running who I believe represents my values and principles, I won't vote in that race.
I will be voting for my Town Supervisor (Rene) and all, both Republicans and Democrats, who are running for reelection to the Duanesburg Town Board. I likely won't vote for any of the presently announced or rumored candidates for District 4 Schenectady County Legislature. This includes Dagastino, Vellano, Viscusi, or Zampino. Perhaps, there will be another choice. Perhaps, I will reconsider and throw my hat in the race. But, without a party endorsement awarded, I will have to begin by primarying for lines.
Only Sal could be delighted when good REPS sit home, allow blank slates to be offered, and refuse to demand any accountability. It's all nobody's fault and it isn't the right time to change anything-lol!
At some point voters in Rotterdam are going to put two and two together. What a difference a day makes! And of course, it doesn't get better than this!
I am hoping for the good of the town and all the kids that trhe repubs become the outcast and outlaw party I know they are over here and when you repubs here have plegged to sit it all out there then we will get the demos we need and this time we wont let it go since us true conservs need demos in there to get the jobs done. Thanks to you all over here thank you
Only Sal could be delighted when good REPS sit home, allow blank slates to be offered, and refuse to demand any accountability. It's all nobody's fault and it isn't the right time to change anything-lol!
At some point voters in Rotterdam are going to put two and two together. What a difference a day makes! And of course, it doesn't get better than this!
Benny, you're wrong. Yes, there had to be a first time.
it's not "only sally" - what you said is true of the entire dem/conserv/liberal party structure.
They count on sheeple adding 2+2 and getting 5 .. that's their "fuzzy logic" coming through
Right MT-lol! Like when the County Kratz raised property taxes 10% in a recession and then blamed "State Mandates" which every other County dealt with. What them worry?
They pulled the same opera buffo in the worst School District in the State. Don't blame the Kratz ruining the City Schools-pester your State legislators because they hadn't dumped enough into this bottomless pit. It's not their fault -Kratz just can't stop wasting your tax dollar.
Logged
Great indepth reporting in the Gazetto? They buried the scoop from the TU in their lame whitewash for sheeple version. As PG-13 reported this is only the tip of the iceburg. Many more shoes to drop and drop out. Keep waking up Rotterdam ostriches. 
That's the problem. Every thinking County voter is packing a moving van. The thought of one candidate elections is not appealing? How about paying more Metrograft taxes? Ms Savage keeps saying the County is just wonderful. She should see her neighbors for sale signs.
