Once again it's time to circulate petitions under State Election Law to seat and organize the committees of the various Political Parties in New York State. One would think that that means the Democrats would prepare the petitions for Democrats and the Republicans and Conservatives, WF etc would do the same for their members.
But here in Rensselaer County, political parties are the targets of each other and there are some who engage in clearly corrupt practices in order to circumvent the opposing party's ability to organize itself with party members loyal to which ever ideology held by that party. So that's why were about to be treated once again to a group of petitions listing the names of so called "democrats" for Democratic Committee seats in North Greenbush whose petitions were created by the Republican Commissioner at the Rensselaer County Board of Elections.
This slate of so called Democrats will be controlled by the same Republican organization that runs the town board here in North Greenbush. Their goal will be to win enough of the party's seats to control endorsements and quell opposition to the current GOP majority on the town board which includes one of the so called Democrats on team GOP, Councilman Al Spain.
The GOP is using this team of persons registered as Democrats to subvert the two party system and, as in 2007, throw the Democratic Party endorsements for town offices to the GOP candidates leaving voters with NO CHOICE on the ballot box come election day.
That's how Councilman Lou Desso won his town board seat in 2007, by subverting the electoral process and that's how he'd like to run again if given the chance. He's been busy taking care of some of these so called Democrats with appointments at town hall, appointments like putting Democratic Committeeman and Wolf Road advocate Jeff Spain on the Planning Board. This came just a month after Spain's brother, Councilman Al Spain, used his vote to reappoint Desso to the Town Board.
GOP Elections officials are understandably busy preparing GOP party committee petitions for their party's committee seats. But they are also preparing a series of Democratic Petitions for their pals in North Greenbush who include, Jeff Spain, Bill Madsen, Ernie Kern and GOP town clerk candidate Kathryn Connolly, to name just a few. Jeff Spain you will recall, is being sued by the Democratic Party in small claims court for giving away all the party's money after he lost control of the committee in 2008. Now there's a loyal Democrat for you!
Why Ms. Connolly would want to enter the fray of a committee seat primary on the Democratic Party side after seeking and accepting the GOP endorsement for Town Clerk last year is anyone's guess. (We still suspect its the really expensive Troy water we have out here!) But whatever the reason, this slate of GOP created "Democrats" will likely do their masters bidding and ask unsuspecting enrolled Democrats in the town to sign their petitions and of course vote for them in the resulting primaries created come September for control of the town's Democratic Committee and Party.
If the GOP is successful, they will control all of the big four party lines in next year's town elections and voters will be voting Republican whether they like it or not because only Republicans will be on the ballot. Don't forget that the current GOP town board members Desso and Hoffman both had their names entered into the nominating caucus of the town Democratic Committee in an effort to grab the only opposing ballot line and leave themselves unopposed. Desso was successful because GOP operative Jeff Spain was briefly Chairman of the party at the time of that caucus. Hoffman was not as lucky as Democrats held party power when she attempted the same maneuver at last year's caucus.
Whatever happens this year, one thing is undeniable, Republicans, not Democrats, are creating the petitions of their favorite candidates to hold Democratic Party Committee seats in North Greenbush. As should be expected, Democrats will create their own candidate petitions and a primary will result if both sets of petitions are validated.
The GOP, however, is engaged in as corrupt a practice as any we've seen in the electoral process. It's designed to do one thing, eliminate a competitive election and ensure one party rule. Democracy, Republican style!
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