Desso Takes a Leak on Democracy

Republican Lou Desso has a lot of people buffaloed in North Greenbush and sadly many of them are registered in the Democratic Party. Desso and his so called Democratic ally, Town Clerk Connolly ignored their official paid duties and refused to attend a Town Board meeting and three Public Hearings to attend a political caucus. That's right, taxpayers paid them to attend a political caucus instead of attending the official meetings on which those tax dollars were expended.

Power is too important to Desso and his band of followers. It's too important to permit a fair election where voters are given a choice. It's too important to grab a second elective office and hijack the powers and duties of an elected town supervisor.

And the voters in North Greenbush who let it happen will get exactly the government they deserve. Republican Desso was present at the caucus site from 6:30 PM on. About the only time he took a break from his campaigning in the building was to take a hefty leak in the corner of the parking lot of the Elk's next to an SUV. We're not going to publish the "short" video taken from the second floor window of the Elk's Lodge because we have much more class than the leaker. Suffice to say that both men and women watched the spectacle in disbelief from the picture window of the caucus room.

The vote tally was 138 to 71 which means Lou Desso at this moment will be running against himself with no one on the ballot to oppose him. His fellow County Legislator Leon Fiacco was in the bar and was heard to say, "We own this town". Also at the bar was a myriad of developers cheering Desso on. Need we say why?

For now, town residents can thank not only the GOP but the GOP's fan club enrolled in the Democratic Party for talking away any choice in the town election. As Desso remarked to one person when asked why he wasn't attending the Board meeting, "This is my seat they are trying to take and it's MORE IMPORTANT that I be here". Desso later told the Troy Record that the vote was an affirmation of his campaign slogan, stolen from a Democratic candidate for county executive, Marlyn Douglas, "People before politics" he said, but tonight, Desso ignored that slogan and instead put "Politics before Official Responsibility", taking his taxpayer paid position and putting it aside to attend and subvert a political caucus.

Desso is wrong on both counts. A seat on the town board is a public office and does not belong to any individual. Deliberately attending a political caucus instead of the official duties taxpayers are paying you to perform is neglect of one's public office. But for Desso it was all for a good cause, subverting democracy and preventing an election where there is more than a single name on the ballot. Buy a few more rounds at the bar Mr. Desso. The town board meeting isn't as important and the votes are cheap. A glass of beer! Incidentally, there is a public restroom on every floor.