Democrats Slam Attorney Appointments

Editor's Note:
The following submission comes from members of the North Greenbush Democratic Committee who oppose Jeff Spain, Kathryn Connolly and their GOP led led ticket which sold out the Democratic Party in North Greenbush.

Town Democrats Call Appointment of Attorney with Criminal Record Appalling

Several members of the North Greenbush Democratic Committee expressed outrage over last evenings Town Board Meeting in which 4 Board members endorsed by the Democratic Party appointed an attorney with a criminal record to prosecute cases in town court. The Committee members include County Legislator Kevin Harrington, Josephine Ashworth, Dan Ashley, Clark Cavanaugh, Charles Smith, Patricia Noel, and former town attorney Josh Sabo.

The Committee members stated that the appointment of attorney Joshua Ehrlich to prosecute cases in town court is both “ appalling and an affront to the ethical standards of the voters of this town”. Further Ehrlich as an Albany County resident cannot under the Public Officer’s Law reside outside of Rensselaer County and serve as a town attorney within Rensselaer County.

This is an attorney who only two years ago pled to serious crimes in Colonie Town Court and who can no longer drive himself to court because his license was revoked by the Colonie Court. They called on the attorney to immediately release his entire arrest history including any additional arrests involving drug use and resisting arrest. The members released his criminal conviction from Colonie. That record shows that Ehrlich pled guilty to serious charges on January 11, 2006 including Operating a Motor Vehicle while Intoxicated and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation. He also plea bargained away other charges involving resisting arrest and operation of a motor vehicle involving drugs.

The members also questioned the appointment of another attorney with a tarnished ethical background who was removed from the bench by the State’s highest court for violating the rights of defendants. Clearly these board members were following the orders of the Rensselaer County Republican Chairman with their appointment of City Councilman and former Judge, Henry Bauer. They questioned the ethics of North Greenbush Councilman Al Spain who voted for this appointment despite being warned that a conflict of interest was apparent given Bauer’s status as a City Councilman with authority over Spain’s Troy City job. Spain voted to give one of his bosses in Troy a town job which is exactly what former councilman Robert Ashe was roundly criticized for during his tenure.

This appointment seriously diminishes the credibility of the town courts and justice itself in North Greenbush. We have two respected Judges who must be wondering what Evers, Desso, Spain and Kern were thinking in appointing these individuals to a position of public trust.

They called on Board members to rethink their bizarre behavior and to reinstate the two attorneys who have served with distinction for the past two years administering justice in North Greenbush.