While attending a family gathering for the funeral of my Uncle Bob -- younger brother of the late Schenectady
Surrogate Court Judge George E. Severson -- the subject of the GOP candidate using Judge Severson's name
in his radio ads came up.    While he was alive and serving as a judge (which was the last 13 years of his life),
Judge Severson made it a policy of NEVER becoming involved in politics .. especially campaign politics .. He
would never endorsed a candidate for a judicial position or any other position after he himself rose to the
bench.   The family feels that the use of Judge Severson's name is implying an endorsement -- and
endorsement that simply was never or would never have been given.  The Severson family respectfully asks
that Mr. Kileen stop using Judge Severson's name in his ads.  They don't want his name being used by any
candidate for public office in any ad or in any way to further their candidacies.

I don't think he says that in the ads. I actually think he was just stating a fact. I am sure you "politicized" the event, like you do everything else you and the Savagettes touch. But then again, I never heard of Judge Severson until now, so maybe the ads are informing younger people that there was such a gentleman. I would think that is kind of an honor. I am sure you are volunteering to write a letter.

P.S. If the man is deceased, how can it be construed as an endorsement?

The family does NOT want his name used in association with ANY political advertisements.  

Did that man Killeen work for him or are you saying that it is a lie?

The family does NOT want his name used in association with ANY political advertisements.
It does not matter which candidate or which political party.

Maybe you should then sue to stop him from repeating his actual work history. You and the rest of the family seem to have trouble hearing, and understanding context. You can no more tell him to not mention his past employment and experience than you can ask a former employee to "leave it off" the resume. Now if Killeen signed some contract with the Judge that there was some confidentiality involved and that the job was a secret (which I imagine is not true) then maybe you have a leg, but I would also guess that the contract died with the Judge. I can understand that this is a bad time for the family but when you have a high profile judge in the family who has passed away, I don't know how nieces and nephews and even children can demand that his name not be used in reference to this gentleman's  election run. If you had a modicum of understanding of the First Amendment as it applies to an election race, you would just be grumbling to yourself. At this stage you are sounding patently ridiculous (as usual.)

But I suggest you ask for an injunction if you feel so strongly about it. I don't even see Kramer (a LIVE DEM JUDGE) who is similarly mentioned, asking for such. You might give Killeen some good publicity.

The family does NOT want his name used in association with ANY political advertisements.
It does not matter which candidate or which political party.

Not demanding .. just asking .. out of respect for the late Judge.

I have no dog in the race, but I fail to see how it is disrespectful at all! he is mentioned as having ONCE chosen him to work in some capacity, ALONG WITH TWO OTHER SURROGATE JUDGES! having never heard of the man until the ads, I never assumed that he ENDORSED HIM. I heard what was said- that he "CHOSE HIM TO WORK FOR HIM!" No one contstrues an endorsement because THE MAN IS DECEASED! HOW THE HELL CAN HE ENDORSE HIM IF HE IS DEAD? When you run-if you mention Thomas Jefferson WILL YOU GET A LETTER FROM LUCIAN TRUSCOTT IV AND THE MONTICELLO ASSOCIATION ASKING YOU TO NOT USE HIS NAME? Be real.

When he became a public official you lost ownership to the name in a sense. He is in the history books now, and the family should be grateful someone remembers him and is reminding people of him.

The family does NOT want his name used in association with ANY political advertisements.
It does not matter which candidate or which political party.

Who demands that JFK's name, or Pataki's name, or Judge Bagodounuts' name NOT BE USED? Where is their protection committee. I hate to ask this, but is your whole family as unreasonable as you? Really. Severson should never have run for office if his family wanted a gag order on the mentioning of his name. He should have been a  librarian. but he actually had a life outside the family and it apparently included him hiring a guy who 30 years (or whatever) later decided to run for that seat. I can just hear the new edited ad "I worked for Judge Kramer, Judge Jones and another Judge who passed away but his family asked me not to mention it..."


Rotterdam is filled with delusional people like you and your family. But you have such a bad handle on what is reality that you could actually be a dangerous person if ever (big if) elected to any office.

The family does NOT want his name used in association with ANY political advertisements.
It does not matter which candidate or which political party.

The only delusional person is you GB .. you are making up comments like "demand" and "gag order" ..when
all it was ..was a polite request.  But then you are not civil enough to understand a polite request.

...you want to stifle a person who is simply stating a matter of record in order to use the death in the family as a political blunt instrument. A very DEMOCRAP tactic.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

The only delusional person is you GB .. you are making up comments like "demand" and "gag order" ..when
all it was ..was a polite request.  But then you are not civil enough to understand a polite request.

I agree actually.  It seems like a polite enough request. What I'm not understanding is the purpose of posting it in a forum in Rotterdam NY.  What are the chances that Mr Killeen will see, respond or even hear about this request? I'd suggest posting this in a letter to his campaign office - or directly to him.  I just don't see the point of posting it here. It's your "freedom of speech", but ... just sayin.