Connolly Says She Should Be Unnopposed

Today's Troy Record has an article regarding Town Clerk Connolly's decision to accept the endorsement of the Republican Party. In so doing she has run into significant opposition from the Democratic Committee which voted unanimously, including Connolly's own mother, Doreen, not to endorse anyone who accepted the Republican line.You can read all the comments in the Record here.

Connolly's argument is that the office is a-political and therefore she should be able to have the endorsements of all political parties. But that argument disallows voter choice in an election, something the town clerk helped engineer in the last town election when she helped now former Chairman Jeff Spain turn the party over to the GOP. No one should be allowed to run unopposed simply because it runs contrary to the purpose of a democracy.

But lets not forget the real reason the Republicans are endorsing her. Her brother Tom is Chair of the County Independence Party and gave GOP candidates at the town and county levels the party's endorsement and a slew of Wilson Pakula waivers to go with it. It had nothing to do with Greg DiJulio's comments about serving both parties as town clerk. DiJulio once told her to get off his property as she campaigned door to door so it is not as if he's a fan. His former Board Majority under Paul Tazbir tried to remove Connolly from office after they had the former comptroller sneak into her office and copy the oath book page which showed she failed to sign her own oath of office. Mr. DiJulio was not asking Tazbir and his majority to leave Connolly alone then.

The fact is Connolly was given a clear choice when she came before the Democratic Committee. Run as a Republican or run as a Democrat but you will not receive the Democratic endorsement if you want to run with Evers and his GOP gang. You have to stand for something in this world or you'll fall for anything. If Connolly runs with Evers, she supports his years of mismanagement and incompetence. The party caucus should end the argument. But beyond the argument that an election is about voter choice and not the desire of a candidate to be given a free ticket and ride to a pay check, Connolly left the Democratic Committee with another big question when she claimed she was "totally disabled". Many in the room that night were stunned by the comment which appeared to be spoken as a bizarre justification for continued political support. It implied she can't get a real job and the town's clerk's position was the only way she could support herself.

If she is disabled, then the obvious question is why is she running? You might recall we may have provided the answer to that question back in our October 2008 edition. Read it here as you hold on to your wallets.