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Sunday, June 6, 2010

Judge Orders Spain to Pay


A Rensselaer City Court Judge has issued an order in favor of the North Greenbush Democratic Committee against former party Chairman Jeff Spain which requires him to pay more than $3,300 to the committee for monies he improperly and unlawfully expended to various charities days after he lost control of the committee in 2008.

The ruling from Judge Carmelo Laquidara dismissed all of Spain's claims that he had the right to give away all of the party's funds after he lost control of the committee and cripple its ability to function and run campaigns on behalf of Democratic candidates in the town elections. Both Spains continue to function as tools of the Republican Party in North Greenbush and Rensselaer County, one as a town board member and the other as a Democratic Committeeman who is part of a team of GOP operatives who use their status as registered Democrats to try and take control of the Democratic Party on behalf of the GOP.

Spain testified extensively at the trial held last month as did party Treasurer CB Smith who has been a favorite target of Spain's malicious and libelous attacks in in letters to the editor claiming that Smith and Chairman Dan Ashley had misappropriated the party's funds. Spain's printed lies went so far as to assert that the District Attorney was investigating them.

Talk is evidently cheap because Spain did not and could not back up his smears with legal action. Smith and Ashley, however, could and did back up their claims of misappropriation of funds against Spain who personally signed all of the checks to charities after he lost control in 2008. He was even so kind as to attempt to throw blame on former Treasurer Kyran Devery for the disbursements even though Spain alone had personally signed each of the checks. Hey what are friends for!

You'll get a kick out of Spain's reasoning in trying to defend giving away the money. The judge notes on page 7 that Spain himself testified that the committee's purpose in raising funds was to "elect good democratic candidates". Yet in 2007 when he controlled the party, he endorsed the Republican slate in an effort to deny voters a choice in the election and ensure his GOP coalition would win the town board.

The decision should make folks like Lou Desso and Al Spain real comfortable since they took this man with his horrendous judgment and lack of integrity and put him on the town Planning Board where he can wreak havoc on town residents.

A copy of the judges decision and order can be read here. In the mean time enjoy this morning's Troy Record and Talespin column written by one of Jim Germano's favorite editors, Jim Franco, aka NGBGCS.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The guy should be showering with Bruno...in prison- PERIOD. Crooked is as crooked does. Back up the truck, seal the vault....he's one of the first to accuse others...let he who is with sin, eh, Jeffy?

with love....Capt. Calvin Spaulding
FACS, 53rd AirRescue (Ret)