By MARV CERMAK COVERING SCHENECTADY First published in print: Tuesday, July 6, 2010
I received a few who is Darlene Lee e-mails after she was elected chairwoman of the Schenectady Republican city committee. She is the wife of Fred Lee, head of the Neighborhood Watch and also Schenectady United Neighborhoods.
Some political snipers cried foul. They advised me that Fred Lee is a Democrat committeeman. This connection prompted the critics to allege that Darlene Lee will sabotage the GOP and be a stooge for Democrats.
Well, causing more damage to the city GOP is an oxymoron. For all practical purposes the city Republican committee has been nonexistent for many years. Even Chairman Tom Buchanan's GOP county committee is on life support.
In recent city elections, Democrat City Council and County Legislature candidates have run unopposed. There is no need for Darlene Lee to torpedo the city GOP. It already self-destructed.
Mike Brockbank -- there is no more staunch Republican -- says the Lees are the Schenectady version of nationally known Democrat James Carville and Republican wife Mary Matalin.
She will fight right in with the others in REP "leadership". Anyone that compares them to Carville and Maitlin is hopeless. Maitlin still has a little fight in her.
Fred Lee is known for one thing-hosting a Hamilton Hill debate right before every City election to help out the unopposed DEM incumbents. Help turnout the sheeple to reelect these dolts.
Fred is really a republican posing as a democrat to stay in good graces with City Dems. Most Republicans have left the City for lower taxed municipalities. All that is left is senior citizens and patronage dems.