Spain "Non Partisan"?

The spin machine at the county legislature is working overtime on behalf of "Democrat" Al Spain the Republican candidate for town supervisor. Spain's announcement and effort to oppose himself and have no real Democratic opponent or otherwise is in the Times Union.

We especially love the part where he says he's non partisan and that "they" complain when they appoint people other than Democrats to town positions. Gee, the only chance "they" had an opportunity to complain is when "his" majority appointed his brother, "I Love Wolf Road and I Wiped Out the Party Treasury" Jeff Spain to the Planning Board.

Other than that, there haven't been a lot of Democratic appointments to complain about. His best anti Democratic appointment was Lou Desso himself when he could have stood with the Town Supervisor and kept his GOP boss off the Board until he had to face a real election. But heck, he wouldn't have anyone there to tell him how to vote.

No Mr. Spain, Democrats fault you and your brother for your ethics, your destruction of the party's treasury, your efforts to help brother Jeff avoid a judge's order to pay back the money he misappropriated from the party checking account, an act you continue to support as a sterling testament to your total lack of judgement. They also question your illegal hiring of two non resident attorneys when you could have hired two qualified town residents but you always put politics ahead of the public interest and in this case common sense. You pay taxes here, you have a stake in this community and you should get first consideration for a job you are qualified for. We'll even overlook the criminal conviction record of one of those attorneys for whom you changed the town residency law after two years as unlawful appointees in order to continue to accommodate them on the town payroll. What a guy! But a Democrat, Al Spain stopped being a Democrat long ago and that's what he should face in a primary campaign.

Al Spain may be able to spin his actions on behalf of the GOP interests he represents, but he can't run away from his record as a REPUBLICAN operative endorsed by the GOP, owned through his city job by the GOP and his failure to exercise good judgement time and time again with regard to ethics here or in the county he lives in.

Hey folks a blast from the past for you. Remember when David Grandeau fired those 47 city employees in Troy. Al survived the mess by sucking up to Grandeau. He even brought in his own mother to do some of the work of the fired people in city hall to ingratiate himself to Grandeau. There's a word for all of this and we'll leave it to your imaginations to fill it in.

Spain"s Stand on Ethics Law

Well in addition to Al Spain's announcement that he's "non partisan" there was another "non-announcement" of sorts from Spain yesterday on ethics. Spain said not a word of criticism about his running mate's vote on the County Legislature to gut the county ethics law by removing its protections for HVCC. The County Executive held a Public Hearing yesterday and Democrats Smith and Kern spoke in opposition to Desso's plan to put party chairmen back in business at HVCC. Can North Greenbush be far away as the next target of this "ethical majority" running the town board?

Here's a link to the Record and the Times Union.