New DA May Cost Taxpayers Special Prosecutor

It was at a GOP victory celebration held at Brown's Revolution Hall where GOP campaign organizer and prolific absentee ballot harvester Richard Crist was making public remarks bragging about victory in the District Attorney's race. Part of the bragging included a line about "Wait till he gets my bill", implying that Crist was retained and paid a fee as other GOP candidates have done , to assist in Abelove's campaign. We're told by a source in attendance that Mr. Abelove was present at the event.

Already a walking conflict of interest for the incoming district attorney because Crist gathered minor party petition signatures after his arrest on domestic violence charges which are still pending in court and which are being prosecuted by the District Attoney's Office. By adding to the conflict a paid consultant to the incoming DA's campaign, it's apparent that Mr. Abelove's first test of integrity will be to recuse his office from handling the Crist case and thus remove even the appearance of a conflict of interest in the resolution of the rather serious charges Crist faces.

If however, Mr. Crist reaches a deal with the current DA's Office that serves the interests of justice and the protection of his son who was injured in an altercation with his father, the issue will be dissolved and taxpayers would need not bear any costs associated with a special prosecutor.

If Mr. Crist puts off any resolution of the charges against him until Mr. Abelove takes office on January 1st, all eyes will be on Mr. Abelove's decision to either recuse himself from the case in favor of a request to the county court to appoint a special prosecutor or allow his office to continue to prosecute Mr. Crist and all of the ethical fallout that it would entail.

We hope that Mr. Abelove gets off to a good start in January. There are many serious high profile cases awaiting his attention and he does not need the distraction of a campaign volunteer and possible paid consultant, getting him in an unfavorable spotlight of special treatment with the prosecution of domestic violence charges.

You can read more about the case which is pending in Sand Lake Town Court  here.