Only Loyal Democrats Welcome in NG

Queen Isabella would be proud of Jeff Spain. Democrats have now revolted over his attempt to purge Mark Premo from the party. First came a request to post details of a golf day sponsored by a group of Democrats who fully intend to support Highway Superintendent Mark Premo’s bid for the Democratic nomination for re-election. The North Greenbush Pipeline granted the request which will be posted later this week. Then came a nasty letter worthy of the a modern day Inquisition from Jeffery Spain, the Chairman of the so called Reform Democrats who narrowly took charge of the regular Democratic Committee from Dan Ashley earlier this year denouncing the golf fundraiser and inferring those sponsoring were not “true Democrats”.

The formation of the North Greenbush Democrats Club is in part due to Mr. Spain’s refusal to back the town’s highest vote getter, Highway Superintendent Mark Premo. Of course this refusal to embrace Mr. Premo has nothing to do with the outstanding job he has done, but rather is rooted in his demand that he pledge loyalty to Mr. Spain which means he must publicly denounce Spain’s adversaries, including Dan Ashley.

Hence, Mr. Spain without the support of the 16 member committee he in part chairs, has decided that “true Democrats” cannot support a candidate he has been told not to support. He claims his committee does not support Mr. Premo. In reality his committee has never met to consider endorsing anyone, probably with good reason. Spain does not have the majority of the votes needed to endorse the developer he plans to nominate at a party caucus. That’s right, he wants to put a developer in charge of the Highway Department! How smart is that for Spain and his allies,Jim Germano and Casale Excavating, too angry at Mr. Premo for his friendship and support of Dan Ashley, to see the iceberg they are aiming for.

Endorsing a developer for highway superintendent seems to follow the pattern of candidates Spain intends to support for town board, with one potential exception, Jack Rogers. Louis Desso is a developer’s candidate having run with the GOP team of Bob Ashe and company who were soundly defeated for their blank check development polices. Mark Evers turned out to have misled the Democratic Committee to get their endorsement and is doing every thing possible to sabotage the Comprehensive Plan Committee with hacks from the Reform Democrats and Casale Construction Conservatives, including the head contractor himself, J.R. Casale.

It is as doubtful that Mr. Evers could be endorsed by this Democratic Committee just as it is doubtful that anyone other than Mark Premo would be endorsed by the members. The swing vote, Tony Farina is solidly behind Mr. Premo and is said to be upset with Spain’s pig headed nature.

So the war begins with battle lines drawn over the Democrats single largest vote getter. From the party’s Man of the Year last year to Jeff Spain and Jim Germano’s Goat of the Year this year. Voters will decide this one.