If anyone is wondering why there is a Greek flag hanging alongside Old Glory outside Troy City Hall it is to recognize Greek Independence Day, which is, for those of you who didn’t know, on March 25.


Now I got nothing against the Greeks and am actually glad they are now independent from the Turks and have been, near as I can tell, since 1829. But what about an Irish Flag for St. Patrick’s Day or an Italian one for Columbus Day – the two countries from which my ancestors hail. Or the Mexican flag on Cinco De Mayo or the Polish flag for Poland’s Independence Day, which is Nov. 11.

Maybe it’s a new thing and every nationality will get the honor on its respective day. I wasn’t paying attention earlier this month when St. Patrick’s Day came and went but I will be checking in October when Columbus Day rolls around.

That said, the county also flew the Greek flag and while I didn’t see it, one of our intrepid photographers came in and asked which way it was supposed to be flown, with the blue and white cross - where the stars are on our flag - in the upper corner closest to the pole or the lower one because the city had it one way and the county the other.

After a Google search, it appears the city was right and the county had the flag flying upside down – the universal sign for a country in distress.

I’m not sure what that means for the Greeks and Turks working for the county but if either want to make some news give us a call.

The flag shown above was photographed by The Record shooter J.S. Carras. It has since been taken down.

There is a rumor out there about who the Dems will put up for mayor and if it’s true it could make an already really good year all the better.


I’ve reached out to the guy, who shall remain nameless until he gets back to me, but safe to say he’d be a formidable candidate to the GOP’s Carmella Mantello - and if he’s in it would be a rematch.

How’s that for a pretty good hint, and the makings of a pretty good race.

I’ll start this out with the caveat that it’s perfectly within the law to trick someone into pleading guilty.


That said, here is a funny story about Howie Teal, a former Troy cop and longtime investigator with the District Attorney’s office who passed away last week.

I can’t put a time frame on when it happened but safe to say it was told to me about a decade ago by someone high up in the DAs office so I know it’s true.

OK, here’s the story:

There was this guy accused of sexually abusing his niece in the DA’s interrogation room. Teal walks in and asks the perv to put his hands on a piece of paper. The guy does and Teal walks out. Some 30 minutes later, it comes over the PA “Mr. Teal, your results are in.”

Teal busts into the interrogation room 31 minutes later with piece of paper in hand and says “We gotcha. Your palm prints are all over her vagina.”

The perv bugged out, confessed to everything in writing, and is now, as far as I know, still doing time at the bottom end of the social ladder in prison - which is where he should be.

I never met Teal, but heard nothing but good things about him.

RIP

Republican mayoral candidate Carmella Mantello named County Clerk Frank Merola and Kathy Jimino as co-chairs of her campaign committee yesterday.


Pretty good picks given the two are two of the most popular Republicans in the city and countywide. I don’t think either one of them has had a formidable race in more than a decade. Given that, the two can probably team up to raise as much money Mantello will need to run a competitive race against whoever the Dems pick.

The guy actually running the nuts and bolts of the campaign, near as I can tell, is Ed Stahr, an old hat from the Senate Republicans when former Majority Leader Joe Bruno ran the show. In 1995 he was named the director of constituent relations where he “oversaw the production of more than 20 million pieces of constituent mailings annually,” according to the 2008 press release announcing Stahr’s appointment to the state Employment Relations Board.

The Brunswick resident, who’s been described as one of Bruno’s most trusted aides, made six figures in the Senate and $90,800 for the ERB. The latter appointment expired at the end of 2010.

We have a retired soldier, a rock-rib Republican, against bombing Libya and we have a liberal Democrat in favor of it.


Everything is all topsy turvy. Or maybe one or the other, Rep. Chris Gibson, R-Kinderhook or Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, or both are just playing politics.

But I don’t think so. Well, one might be anyway. Or maybe both. Who knows. It’s a tough call. Both are new to Washington but Gibson bucked the House leader of his own party and Tonko stuck with the president of his own party. They are new. Who’s to say.

In the end, the Capital District could do a whole lot worse than having Gibson and Tonko as our reps. Both are thoughtful men, true to their own convictions. It would be interesting, given they are both into the Town Hall meetings, that are so painful to cover as a newspaper guy, to have them at the same Town Hall meeting to hear them debate the issues.

Now that would be interesting. Imagine, two members of Congress with two different philosophies getting together to just talk about stuff together with the community.

Don’t see it happening but it would be pretty cool, don’t you think?

If you do contact Gibson at: (202) 225-5614 and Tonko at 202) 225-5076.

Here is a pulse of the people we recently got. His or her address has been deleted. Let's hope his or her meds have not.

The following text a biography of a thirty- seven- year old person that was under surveillance by mental aggressors of Iran security system in Iran. This aggressors use the mind control apparatus for their Ugly aims. In 1993 I got awared of the odd movements around, I did not pay attention in first but gradually the I felt the feels and thinks that send to me by the mind control apparatus. then I told this problems to my family and they said you are ill and tacked me to the doctor ,the doctor recognized natural my electroencephalogram(EEG) and city scan and prescribed to me drugs. They did not listen to my speeches that were about this apparatus in 1996.then I gradually learned that not to speak any one and secret them because they did not aware the apparatus and they only the prescribed drugs. In that time this apparatus usually bother me so I had to leave the university much interest of it in 2002. This apparatuses not only let me to study but not permit me to learn any skills too. This apparatus continued its work character assassination techniques, then I decided joint to internet in 2003 and send a lot email. Because I thought they can not penetrate to think my relatives by his method and influence over thoughts by mind control techniques so that you feel ill and must go to doctor. Because they may be trick some of my relatives but they can not able trick a lot of people. Before I send email calmed me by special techniques .finally in 2007 they used new technique to bother me. Technique as so gradually reclusive me, because creating the strong involuntary vibration to me and creating the bad feature of me. By this feature I had to be alone because they wanted character assassination me. When begun the vibration in my by body I went to my room because not to see any one me. For creating these vibrations they provoke my nervous system and creating the artificial suicide. In the second half of 2007 even to be live and escape of the of people not any benefit for me because they increase level noise in my body when a guest to our house for scandal me. For example increase my breath when creating the artificial suicide and I had to breath with high voice, then I speak aggressively to them I don’t never surround you and I complaint you in a court. But not only they didn’t attention to my speech also increase the sensitivity listening the people in home so they I doing any thing. Result they treat to me as so seen every thing and finally relatives me to go to the doctor. The mental aggressors not only creating the artificial suicide in my body by influence over nervous system but they went labeled a crazy label or something similar to it or want to kill me.
Thus ask of the several news agencies by introduce victim me hinder labeled several label for assassinating my character.
I am ready for press conference.

All six district seats are up for grabs too and there are those we can call right now and those that are up in the air.


In District 1, incumbent Kevin McGrath should be a shoe in. As one insider put it: “He’s a McGrath, it’s the ‘Burgh, he'll probably win.” And given the agreement he signed with Trey Smith, the special prosecutor investigating voter fraud, he won’t get indicted. Though, the agreement clearly states he had to tell the truth or it’s null and void so we’ll have to see. In a statement, Elections Commissioner Ed McDonough claims at least some of what McGrath said in a sworn statement was false. How all that shakes out is up in the air.

Even if nothing comes of that, voter fraud is still something he has to contend with which goes back to what I’ve mentioned in the post about the Democratic candidate for mayor – it depends if only junkies care or real people.

I have no idea who the GOP will put up. Former Councilman Mark Wojcik, who represented the district for eight years, said he wanted to run for mayor and Council is off the table. Republicans, much to the chagrin of many in the ‘Burgh went with Carmella Mantello instead. Other possible candidates include Vito Ciccarelli and maybe even the city Chairman Jim Gordon, who lost to McGrath two years ago.

In District 2, Mark McGrath knows about everyone in that part of town and has done a decent job on the Council. He’ll be tough to beat and odds are he has no desire to go at large and give two other promising candidates a run at District 2, Tom Killips and Billy-Jean Greene.

District 3 is always a toss-up. Republican Mantello was the rep for four years, then Republican Art Judge for six then Democrat Pete Ryan took over for two years and now it is held by Republican Dean Bodnar. Not sure what is happening there. Bodnar has been about invisible and is said to not like the constant bickering but will run again.

In District 4 Councilman Bill Dunne is term limited out so that’s up for grabs for any Democrat who wants to run. One person who has said she wants to is Debra Lockrow, the proprietor of Artcentric Gallery on Fourth Street in downtown. Regardless of who runs, given the enrollment numbers, this seat will be held by a Democrat.

In District 5 incumbent Democrat Ken Zalewski is a lock. He’s worked hard and the people like him. Two years ago he ran unopposed and might this year too.

The same goes for Gary Galuski in District 6. The people like him and two years ago he coasted re-election and will either be unopposed this year or it will be a token candidate.

There you have it. The preliminary chatter of what’s going on in the Troy Council races.

It’s gonna be a fun year to be sure with a wide open mayor’s race, though the Dems have yet to determine a candidate unlike the GOP who will pick Mantello to the ire of some in the party, and some interesting Council races. And that’s not to mention the county wide races for Sheriff and DA.

Again, anyone who thinks I am missing anyone or anything drop me a line at jfranco@troyrecord.com

A bunch has been said about the mayor's race but little about the Council, where all nine seats are up for grabs.


Obviously, how voter fraud shakes out is a major component to how the candidates shake out but at the pace Trey Smith, the special prosecutor, is going we may not even know before the election let alone before petitions hit the streets in June.

One thing is evident though, the more papers filed by Brian Premo, the attorney representing indicted Elections Commissioner Ed McDonough, the worse it looks for the others who are implicated. People are saying he's doing a better job than Smith in prosecuting the case - or at least a quicker one.

Tonight, let's look at the at large seats.

Council President Clement Campana isn't indicted yet but a motion filed by Premo included an agreement to waive his right to speedy trial and in that document Campana admits Smith could have charged him with a crime. To me that means he was willing to cut a deal.

And, if he runs for anything it will be mayor. I know some of you are re-reading the last graph, but it's true. And it is Troy. And weirder things have happened in Troy.

Democrat Michael LoPorto probably won't run again either. Given that he already stands indicted on 42 felonies in voter fraud, he probably has more important things on his mind.

Democrat John Brown hasn't been indicted yet, but is one of nine to give up a DNA sample and in one document filed by Premo a Democratic operative, Robert Martiniano, claims Brown said he was going to forge some documents.

What happens there is anyone's guess but odds are Brown doesn't run again.

That means all three could be wide open.

There are two looking to run with the Republicans though I'll be honest and am not sure what party either is enrolled.

One is Tom Killips, a former photographer at this paper who was eyeballing a run for mayor. Wednesday, he dropped out - which was really a moot drop out since Carmella Mantello had already secured the GOP nod for mayor - with the caveat he may seek another office.

He lives in District 2 though, and that would mean incumbent Mark McGrath would have to go at large instead of running there and I just don't see that happening. It's a safe seat in his home district so why try to go city wide for the same amount of money if he doesn't have to.

That factor plays into the future of another candidate, Billie-Jean Greene, a tea party person. I know her hardly at all but she is young and ambitious and could being that energy to a council now occupied by nine middle aged white guys.

I wish I had some Democratic names to throw out there because despite what some in that party think, I do try to give the members of each party an equal say.

If I've omitted anyone feel free to drop me a line at jfranco@troyrecord.com

As you will read in Monday's print version of Talespin, Mark Wojcik tossed in the towel after a brief battle over committee support and Carmella Mantello will get the GOP nod.


Nope, there are some Republicans who ain't too happy about it but you have to give Mantello and her supporters - namely county Clerk Frank Merolla and Jason Schofield - for working hard to get her the nomination.

The title of Monday's Talespin is "Troy gal beats out 'Burgh boy" and that's pretty much how it went.

Wojcik served eight years on the council representing the 'Burgh and beyond that he has done a ton of community work in that end of town. In other words, he's a pretty popular guy among 'Burghites and their politicians.

Mantello, however, had the support of Merolla and Schofield and also the former Deputy Mayor Dan Crawley, who now heads up the Troy Housing Authority, and by extension Mayor Harry Tutunjuian. All guys with more ties to Troy than the 'Burgh. Or, probably better put, have less ties to the 'Burgh than Wojcik.

The Dems, on the other hand, haven't settled on a candidate or even what direction they are going to take. Their two strongest candidates, Councilman John Brown, who was raising money for the campaign for at least two years, and Council President Chappy Campana, who is as popular as any Trojan, are both tainted with voter fraud if not indicted in the scandal.

Or they can go with someone like Legislators Ed Manny or Kathleen Ryan-Cassidy, who are free from the voter fraud albatross. They too can win given Troy's enrollment gives the Dems an advantage but they just aren't as strong as Brown or Campana could have been if you remove voter fraud from the mix - which is an impossibility at this point in time.

In the end, Mantello is the stronger of the two GOP candidates and the committee went with her over a guy who was willing to put in the time politically and in his community. Why? Because she can win and is the more formidable candidate.

It's just not as clear cut for the Dems.

The GOP will meet Saturday. And the committee will vote for Mantello. It's unclear when the Dems will meet.

District Attorney Rich McNally is also up for election this year and every indication is he wants to run again.


Perhaps the biggest is he came down from the hills of Valley Falls to attend a bash thrown by beer-drinking, ball-busting guys from the 'Burgh, the Friends of 112th Street annual dinner.

Of course they are more than that because they raise thousands of dollars for non-profit and community organizations in the 'Burgh but for McNally to attend means he's running.

There is no indication he wasn't going to seek another term but I saw him at the Friends dinner, shook his hand and I have to say something to back up the point of this post.

Again, not to say he has given any indication he won't run again but there are a bunch of robes, judges slots, up for grabs too and that could be a factor.

Anyway, he's done a decent job as DA and voters tend to stick with people who have done a decent job so the GOP may have a tough time fielding a viable candidate in this one.

Names out there include: Former Assistant District Attorney Joel Abelove, former Chief ADA Joe Ahearn and the guy McNally narrowly beat four years ago, Greg Cholakis, the assistant public defender. All of which would make fine DAs but also have their own thing gong and last I knew there weren't a surplus of starving lawyers.

My guess is, barring any horse trading for the robes that regrettably tends to happen, it's gonna take a huge effort by the three guys mentioned above, or any other candidate, to even wage a threat to McNally's re-election.

It's been a while since I've mentioned anything about the mayor's race so here's an update.


Carmella Mantello is making a bunch of calls to party operatives and committee people trying to get the GOP nomination and so is Mark Wojick. Both have served on the council and both have connections within the party. Just so happens Mantello's are more with the Albany crowd that's been out of power for a while, and Wojick's is with the ones on this side of the river - the same ones who saw all six legislative seats go to the Dems and who now only control two of the nine council seats.

They are the front runners, given their political pedigree and respective connections, but there are also outsiders like Tom Killips, a former photographer for this paper, and John Daniels, a successful businessman, still plugging along and hoping for the nod.

If Killips and Daniels don't get the nomination I don't think they will wage a primary, they just don't have the organization behind them. However, Mantello and Wojick are a different story and I can see the two battling it out in September.

On the other side of the aisle, Democrats are still holding their breath over voter fraud.

Council President Clemente Campana wants to run but he remains implicated, if not indicted, in the 2009 Working Families Party primary voter fraud scandal and is one of nine Dems to cough up a DNA sample. Campana is a popular guy in Troy, but if he runs without a resolution to voter fraud he'd have a tough go of it.

There are also county Legislators Pete Ryan and Lou Rosamellia, both of whom hands are clean, are pretty good guys by most accounts and who would make pretty good candidates. Thing is, it's not sounding like either one wants it.

Two county legislators are also putting out some feelers. Ed Manny, the president of the Flag Day Parade, and Kathleen Ryan Cassidy, are also said to have an interest, as of now anyway.

Councilmen Bill Dunne, D-District 4, and John Brown, D-At Large, are pretty much out of the picture.

Bottom line is this: It's still very much up in the air for both parties and it's going to be a bunch of fun watching how it all shakes out.

A bunch of people wore fake glasses and bushy mustaches to the Council meeting last week and that's just too funny.

"Grouchy," they were, about some on the Council, including Councilman Michael LoPorto, D-At Large, who has a striking resemblance to Groucho Marx, being opposed to the sale of the Marshall Ray building.

On the table was selling the city-owned building to a developer with a proven track record willing to invest $10 million into the historic, falling down structure which could be huge for the city and huge for one its most impoverished neighborhoods. The Council did eventually approve the sale after not having enough votes at a committee meeting last month.

Kevin McCashion and Bill Hart were the lead guys behind it. They and their crew also visited Rep. Paul Tonko's town hall meeting about the president's health care plan wearing the same masks to say they were "Grouchy about Marxism" so it wasn't all about LoPorto.

He - LoPorto not Groucho - ended up abstaining, by the way. But at least he didn't vote no.

That said, a nod goes to Council President Clement Campana and Councilman Gary Galuski, D-District 6, for changing their votes and making it happen. And a nod to McCashion, Hart and the other Grouchy people for putting the pressure on and making it happen.

It really is a win-win-potential win. The winners are the city, the North Central neighborhood and potentially, if somehow the building is deeded back to it's former owner Michael Kitner because he will get one back that isn't falling down. I really don't see that happening but he potentially wins too.

LoPorto does make a good point. Kitner owes the city more than $100,000 in back taxes and he wants Kaufman to pay it off before he gets the building. In a perfect world that would happen. The world ain't perfect and this is the best deal on the table. The city is out some money but the impact this project could have is bigger than that.

In a way you have to give LoPorto credit for holding his own and staying on the Council he was elected to, even if he may not live in the city, given his other problems.

I could go into voter fraud and the affidavit filed by former councilman Robert Martiniano that fingers two others of his own party. Along those same lines, I could talk about what everyone else probably knew already - Trey Smith, the special prosecutor, said he isn't done with indictments.
But, this blog is about more than voter fraud. It's about ... uhm, I'm not sure what it's about ... it can jump from melting ice off the roof with a hair dryer wired to a roof rake to perverted priests to the 150th anniversary of Abe Lincoln's visit.

Anyway, something going on politically outside of voter fraud is the Dems found a viable candidate for sheriff in Gary Gordon, the former Troy cop now working as an investigator for DA Rich McNally.

What makes him more legit than his law enforcement record - which includes three of the most fantastic arrests and subsequent convictions of three hoods for shooting a Watervliet witness in Lansingburgh who was set to testify against the gang leader in a drug trial - is that he's an enrolled Conservative.

That means he will automatically be on the Conservative line in a primary in September. Now that Bob Mirch, the GOP's minor party guru, has headed south and is more worried about what color flip flops he wears than winning the minor party primaries, I think it's anyone's game. And if Gordon wins the line in September he has a real shot in November.

No, Sheriff Jack Mahar has not done a job worth getting voted out of office, but everyone in elected office should have a worthy opponent once in a while just to keep them on their toes.

And, yes, Gordon would make a fine sheriff, has a chance of winning and that makes him a worthy opponent.

This could be a good one.