It looks like Neil Kelleher will step down as the Rensselaer County Republican Party chairman because of a conflict presented when he was appointed to the Hudson Valley Community College Board of Trustees. It’s a clear violation of the county Ethics Law.

Neil Kelleher

Kelleher can give a good speech, is one of the funniest people I know and has a charisma that can rally the troops but he was largely a figurehead in the chairman position – the public face of the party. The nuts and bolts of the party operation are handled by Rich Crist, the spokesman for the majority on the Legislature. It will be the same under the next likely chair, John Rustin.

Obviously the GOP wasn’t all that happy with Kelleher. The really bad letter he wrote in support of the Dems pick for mayor, or actually Council President Clement Campana’s father but by extension the candidate, didn’t really endear himself with a bunch in the party. Again, Tom Wade, the Dems counterpart, wouldn’t have done such a thing.

Kelleher also bounced Dan Crawley, a longtime, effective GOP soldier, off the state committee.

My take on it is the Republican Party is it’s far from united. There is the Jimino faction, as in the county executive; there is the Merolla faction, as in the county clerk; and there is the Legislature, who has Crist, a tireless worker with an uncanny political sense who knows a ground game is still a more effective campaign strategy than Facebook - at least for the time being. And then there is too the Tutunjian/Crawley faction. Tutunjian’s been mayor for eight years and while he is a term-limited out, lame duck with an uncertain political future that could go big and run for state office or disappear, he still is the mayor.

The GOP are still scrambling in the wake of Joe Bruno. Why is it I feel like I’m writing about the Democrats?

Some of the comments on the “golfing with Mirch” post do ring half true. But, I didn’t do anything but opine on the facts as they are.

CAMPANA

No, Council President Clement Campana, who is running for mayor, does not run the Troy Housing Authority. It’s run by Dan Crawley. So, how did Campana’s father’s application get through when his own family admits he was over the income limit and how do they explain how he got into the premiere housing complex in the city in front of more than 367 other applicants – many of who don’t qualify for senior housing but I’m guessing a bunch who did were front of him.

So, as I’ve written, it should be easy enough to figure out what Campana Sr.’s application said as far as income goes – HUD claims he was $7,000 over the limit and the family says he was $111 over – and when he applied and who was in front of him. The THA has the paperwork so let’s see it and put it to bed.

It also should be easy enough to figure out who knew what when.

I’m hearing Crawley knew in April, the same month the elder Campana’s application was approved. Whether Crawley knew before or after Campana Sr. moved in I'm not sure. But I am hearing he did know months ago and didn't do anything about it.

So, the questions I have and the answers I come up with are:

-What’s going to happen to Barbara Rezey, the person who processed the application? Not a thing of significance. What are they going to do? Fire her for a “mistake” in processing the application after she brought that “mistake” to the execute secretary, Crawley?

-Why didn’t Crawley put the kibosh on Campana’s application? One: He didn’t want to up the political heat already brought down on him because of his appointment. Two: He didn’t want to kick an 81-year-old veteran to the street. Three: He screwed up.

One makes sense but Crawley’s been around a while and political heat isn’t anything new. Two doesn’t add up since his reputation is that of a black and white kind of guy, just as any application to get into the THA should be regardless of who’s applying – remember the retirees who lost their health insurance. So, my guess is it’s Door No. 3

What happens to Crawley now? I have no idea. I think that might be up to HUD to decide. As one person pointed out, if he saw something wrong and didn’t do anything about it … well? HUD doesn’t care about local politics. It cares about black and white. And there ain’t no Kodachrome here.

I’m playing in the Mayor’s Cup Monday and yes I’m playing with Bob Mirch.


So, just to head off some of the crap I’m sure I’ll get I’m posting it here before we tee off at 9 a.m. Monday.

I’m also playing with John Craig and my dad. Honestly, here’s how the whole thing came about: Craig said he was looking for players, I said “sure and if there’s a slot, how about my dad?” He said: “Great. We got a foursome. You, me, Mirch and your dad.”

I had nothing to do with it. Not that I’m not looking forward to it, mind you. To say Mirch is a Troy classic through and through is an understatement, Craig is our golf writer who put a ton of time into the tournament and I’ve enjoyed playing golf with my dad since he introduced me to the sport when I was about able to walk.

So, to the political BS I’m sure is coming, Mirch, now retired, had a job to do as a political operative. And I have a job to do at The Record. Sometimes those two jobs butted heads. And boy did our heads butt at times.

But, despite the bruised foreheads, he has to be one of the more fun operatives I’ve had the pleasure of covering and I’m looking forward to playing a round of golf with him.

If there is a Dem out there who wants to play golf … I’m game.

MCDONALD

... and my life won't change at all.

The state Senate passed same sex marriage and you know what … my life is the same it was before the chamber passed it by a count of 33-29, including a vote by Rensselaer County’s Sen. Roy McDonald.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad it passed, and those who prefer their own gender rather than the opposite are afforded the same rights as those who prefer the opposite. It's only right.

ZALEWSKI

I’m glad it did too for those who have fought for it for so long - including Troy Councilman Ken Zalewski and state Sen. Tom Duane. I know Zalewski better than Duane but I remember talking to Duane about it a few years back when I covered the Capitol and, well, there really isn’t any justification for denying those two guys or anyone else the same rights I have or anyone else has because of who we choose. None what-so-ever.

It’s a good day for New York. McDonald should sleep well tonight, and ignore critics from his own party. And Zalewski and Duane should pat themselves on the back for fighting for what matters in their lives and for what's right – and winning.

TUTUNJIAN

Updates below

A 3.5 percent raise? Retroactive to Jan. 1? In today’s day and age? On a hand-written contract given to the council as part of the Finance Committee’s agenda? I have never, ever seen a hand-written contract that gives more than 100 people who make a pretty good buck a 3.5 percent raise.

But, that’s what Mayor Harry Tutunjian is bringing to the council for their consideration at Thursday’s Finance Committee meeting for the Uniformed Firefighters Association.

I have no idea what the mayor is thinking on this one given the fact the traditionally greedy state workers will likely give up a bunch of stuff and not get a raise for three years. That’s the trend. Not 3.5 percent raises.

The way it was explained to me by a councilman who talked to Tutunjian – he, his labor attorney and his spokesman wouldn’t comment – it’s because the city CSEA contract has a 3.5 percent raise this year and their contract expires at the end of the year. A 3.5 percent raise for the UFA this year puts everyone on an even playing field when the next mayor takes over when the 2 percent property tax cap, which will likely pass over in Albany, goes into effect and he/she has to negotiate a new contract.

But, the PBA contract was up at the end of 2010 too and you gotta believe the PBA will use that as leverage to get its own retroactive raise. The PBA wasn’t known for playing nice with the city two decades ago and that has gotten nothing but worse over the last two decades. They’ve also had a pretty good track record, for better or worse, of winning grievances they’ve filed and this one is a slam dunk.

So what is the mayor thinking? The council is already saying its going nowhere, as it should.

A hand-written contract? That part cracks me up. When I get a copy, I’ll post it.

The council did the right thing and didn't allow it out of committee and now the UFA is claiming the whole thing is political and that they are going to declare an impasse which would likely end up in front of a mediator. Looks like the UFA took a page from the PBA playbook.
Below is a copy of the hand written resolution. Again, never saw anything like it.

Contract

Sen. Roy McDonald is getting some love despite a bunch of grumblings from his own party for agreeing to vote for same sex marriage.

This campaign sign (no, the senator is not up this year) was seen on Sixth Avenue in Troy and while I don’t know the residents at all, I’m told they are “Working Families Party left wingers.”

Not exactly the senator’s base, but I still give McDonald credit for not toeing his base’s line and instead doing what he thinks is right.

Not sure if bill will be voted on in the Senate before the end of session, as there are reports that the other three big outstanding pieces of legislation – rent control, a property tax cap and tuition increases – are being negotiated without same sex marriage in the mix.

If same sex marriage doesn’t happen this year, it probably won’t next year either when all the legislators are up for election.

MCDONALD

That means McDonald upset his base for no reason, but maybe what he lost from that he probably picked up from the "Working Families Party left wingers."

Us middle of the road types who really don’t care if people of the same sex get married or not – and that’s meant will all due respect – will just give the senator the credit he’s due for doing what he thinks is right and wanting to put this behind us because it is what's right.

I’m guessing there are more of us than those on the far right and left … thankfully. We’re just not as vocal. But, we’re getting there.  McDonald was pretty vocal about the whole thing though, and we, and others in the Senate, could learn by his lead.

Yes, there is voter fraud and there is Campana’s father but the battle over where to locate City Hall is probably the most important issue in this year’s mayoral and council elections. That’s not to say the other two don’t mean anything in theoretical scheme of things, but where City Hall goes will carry a real financial impact for years.

DAUCHY BUILDING

I’m not going to get into the number crunching here because the fact is there is a bunch of numbers out there, though reporter Cecelia Martinez did a pretty good job of breaking them down in this story. But the lines are drawn and Mayor Harry Tutunjian is not backing down.

First, last week, there was a legal notice announcing the city is taking bids on the Dauchy Building, which is, of course, where the Council plans to move City Hall with the support of President Clement Campana who is, of course, the Dems candidate for mayor. At least the Council backed off on the former porn theater becomming the council chambers.The Republican candidate, Carmella Mantello, wants to explore the possibility of sharing a building with county government – an idea that didn’t get much traction.

OLD CITY HALL

Now, on the agenda for the next Finance Committee meeting, the mayor will propose selling the old City Hall site on Monument Square to the developer he chose for $1 million. I’m not sure where he got that figure, but that’s what he’s asking. Or better put, that’s what someone offered. I think, a snow ball has a better chance in the third ring of hell than the Council allowing that out of committee but we’ll see.

So, it comes down to whether City Hall stays at the Verizon Building, like the mayor wants but I don’t see happening; whether it moves into the county building, which Mantello wants but I don’t see happening either; or it moves into the Dauchy Building, which the Council wants and I can see happening despite the BID people and others not wanting it down there.

I will say I was in favor of the move since I think it’s better for the city to move into something it owns rather than rents but I don’t own a business on River Street with customers trying to find a place to park either. So, in other words I am now neutral and will let them battle it out. I will say I was in the Dauchy Building on Saturday and it could work for City Hall and then the whole thing would be put to rest...thankfully...and not be a bad home for Troy government.



LOPORTO

Two developments in the all-important minor party lines.

 In the first, Michael LoPorto is running around town telling everyone he has the Working Families Party endorsement in District 4. He is, of course, an At Large councilman who the Democrats are not endorsing for that slot so he’s trying to run a primary against the party’s pick in District 4, Robert Doherty.

That’s all fine but what makes it obviously odd is LoPorto stands indicted on 42 felonies alleging he defrauded voters in order to get the WFP line two years ago. First he is indicted for trying to essentially steal the line and then the party turns around and gives him the endorsement anyway? I haven't confirmed it yet, and LoPorto tends to say stuff he and only he thinks is true but if it is, wow. Yet another “only in Troy” moment.

A FAKE PHOTO OF
CONSUELLO WITH OBAMA
DURING A FAKE WFP RUN





GERVASIO MUG SHOT





The way it has worked in Troy is the Democrats get the WFP line and then the Republicans steal it by enrolling a bunch of people in the party and running fake candidates like Chris Consuello, of Jimmy’s Pizza fame, and Kevin Gervasio, of criminal infamy. It’s been frustrating haul for the Dems and the WFP and that’s why we have voter fraud. The GOP did it legally if not ethically, and it appears the Dems didn’t follow any rules, legal or ethic.

The second, the Republicans did not give the Conservative and Independence party lines to Councilman Mark McGrath, D-District 2.

McGrath had a falling out last year with Bob Mirch, who with his buddy Tom Connolly controlled the I and C lines for years, but I think it has more to do with McGrath’s support of moving City Hall into the Dauchy Building – something the Democrats want but the majority of Republicans do not, including Mayor Harry Tutunjian. 



McGRATH



McGrath is registered in the Conservative Party so he can still run on that line providing he gets the signatures so it’s more of a slap on the wrist, inconvenience than if the Republicans really wanted to screw him and endorse someone else on the major party line.

As far as I know nobody will automaticaly get the lines in District 2, which means the Dem candidate, Doris Day won't either. And, something tells me McGrath can handle a slap on the wrist and really not care too much about it.



 A reader wanted me to add the dates the e-mails were sent, so I did.

TUTUNJIAN

If you want a look at the sour relationship between Mayor Harry Tutunjian and the City Council check out these email exchanges between the mayor and councilmembers, mainly Councilman Bill Dunne about moving City Hall into the Dauchy Building.

Amazing really that it’s devolved into what it has. It’s also pretty funny with some really bad metaphors but some pretty good jabs too. For some reason I was cced on the exchange – well I know the reason and it’s so I will post them here.



So, for your weekend reading pleasure while I have to come up with some stuff to write for Monday’s print edition, I will oblige and post the exchange. There is worse things to do than come up with stuff to write about everyday – like trying to shoot the little bastard chipmunks that have found my house a home with a BB gun - but sometimes it’s not easy and it’s nice when others pick up the slack. Without further ado, the emails:

June 8
Council President Campana,

After listening to the final presentation of the feasibility of the Dauchy Building by Jack Waite last night I am curious as to the cost estimates you stated in The Record. Are these the final numbers estimated by Mr. Waite or are they your own estimates? Can you provide the information that was used to arrive at these numbers and exactly what would be done in the first $100,000 phase, then the second $200,000 phase?
What is the Council’s next step in this process? Since the study is over, has the Council determined that it will move to the Dauchy Building?
As always, I am available to meet with you to discuss your thoughts.

Harry J. Tutunjian
Mayor of Troy

June 15

Harry,

CAMPANA

I apologize for not getting back in touch with you sooner, but I have been devoting most of my time reassuring my dad that everything will work out Ok. We've been meeting with agencies who are assisting us with finding him suitable housing. Returning to his home is not an option, The Federal Government owns most of it now, anyway, We completed a reverse mortgage in order that my mother could be taken care of in her own home until her death. That precipitated the need for moving my father. I would not wish these circumstances on anyone, and I think what has happened to him is deplorable.

We will be planing to the move to the Dauchy Building. I recall that you wanted no part of this process and I appreciate your concern. The initial phase of the project does require a new roof, and some upgrades. The HVAC systems are functional and as part of Phase two, would be more closely assessed. Phase two is does not require any immediate action but needs to be included as part of an overall plan beyond the short term.

That's from Campana

June 10
Councilman Dunne,

I haven’t received a response to these questions from anyone yet.

I am told that you are spending considerable time using social media to advocate for the move. I would appreciate using some of your time to officially act on this matter.


Sincerely,

Harry J. Tutunjian
Mayor of Troy

June 10

From Dunne to the mayor

You will get it in due time. As you recall you opted out of the process.

DUNNE

A second note


June 17

Mayor,

I e-mailed you a week ago and when the report is finalized I'll see you get a copy. We are merely awaiting some financial data from Joe Mazzariello so that the financial comparison will be complete. Perhaps next time, you accept the offers both Councilman Mark McGrath and I extended to stay engaged in the process.

Have a nice weekend.



Bill

June 17

Bill,

As I mentioned in my recent email to Councilman Zalewski, I didn’t want to be a part of the feasibility study so that I wouldn’t be blamed for the outcome. I do want to know the results of the study that we spent $22,000 on. At the last meeting it was mentioned that the study was completed. I just want to see the report and the cost estimates.

I am told that you have been very actively governing on Facebook and discussing city business. In one of your posts you cite Sasaki’s numbers to purchase and rebuild the Verizon building and a neighboring property as a reason not to pursue the purchase of our current city hall. I find it interesting that you feel that the City should adhere to the recommendations of Sasaki when the Council has already disregarded your own consultant’s recommendation to purchase the Cinema Arts building.

Harry J. Tutunjian

Mayor of Troy

June 17
From Dunne to the mayor

Your consultant is a very credible and compelling second source. Both Waite and Sasaki agree that the Dauchy Building makes a far better location for city hall, both as an economic development catalyst and in saving the taxpayers of this city millions. The experts are siding with us on the relocation 2-0.


June 17

From the mayor to Dunne

The experts didn’t vote you into office. They get paid a lot of money to come up with ideas that may or may not be realistic or affordable.

June 17

From Dunne to the mayor

You mean like signing the lease for the Verizon Building? You mean realistic and affordable like that? You can't take your ball and go home and then want back into the game. That ship sailed months ago. It's now time for us to fix your mistake. And you can't blame Dave Mitchell, you are the Mayor and the buck should have stopped with you.

The mayor responds

You are right Bill. The ship has sailed and I’m not on it. Bon Voyage. Look out for the icebergs ahead. I’ll be waiting here in the port in case you want to turn the ship around.

I am here in my office and working to keep this city moving forward, and you are governing from your computer. I hope you are proud of yourself and your colleagues. The next few weeks should be very interesting….
 From now on, please contact me only if you want to conduct city business in a professional manner.

June 17

From Dunne:

You contact us.

There you have it.





-Gay marriage: Honestly I could care less if two people of the same sex want to get married. The fact some people prefer their own sex over the opposite matters not one bit to my life, and if they wed it won’t matter either. There is a bunch of scuttle-butt among Rensselaer County Republicans unhappy with State Sen. Roy McDonald, a traditional conservative who now says he’ll support “marriage equality,” but honestly, who cares if he does or doesn’t outside of the conservative right-wingers. And they just like to spout off. Just like those on the far left. I say good for McDonald. Gays should be allowed to wed in the eyes of the state and should be afforded the same rights as other couples in the eyes of the state. In the eyes of the church, I guess that’s up to each church and who you call God. But in the eyes of the state, two people who want to marry, regardless of gender, should be allowed so let’s get it over with already. There are more important things to worry about.

WEINER

-Sexting among consenting adults: Again, to each their own. Lying about it while you’re in Congress and your pregnant wife, who was not the recipient of the sexts, however is another story - and a sleazy one. At least the guy is appropriately named and should go away forever but someone with an ego like that probably won't.

- Hydrofracking: Drill baby drill. Hydrofracking has been going on for a while now and despite the left wing rhetoric probably won’t bring an end to the world, will probably create some jobs, lower the price of a gallon at the pump and help break our dependence on foreign oil. Here’s an idea, lets swap gay marriage for hydrofracking. That way everyone wins.



REILLY



TWO GUYS NOT WHINING
ABOUT CHEATING WIVES
ON TAlK SHOWS

-Mixed Martial Arts: Really, who cares if two guys or two gals want to get into a ring and beat the snot out of each other? It's not like they are forced to do it like back in the Roman Empire days. It's their choice and I say let them have at it and the state can tax it - like only this state can do - and regulate it - also like only this state can do. I've never seen an MMA match but I might watch. It can't be any less civil than talk shows on daytime television. Talk shows play on emotions, MMA doesn't have that component so in that way it's more civil. But the bill allowing it in this state can't even make it out of the Assembly committee thanks, in part, to Assemblyman Bob Reilly. Again, there are more important things to worry about.    





KELLEHER

That was some Pulse of the People letter written by the Rensselaer County Republican Chairman Neil Kelleher.

It seems to me Kelleher is saying it’s OK that Clement Campana’s father jumped a number of spots on the waiting list to get into the Troy Housing Authority and it’s OK he might or might not be income eligible.

What about the people Campana Sr. bypassed on the list. I’m sure there were one or two who are also veterans and who are also decent people but they just don’t “know” anybody.

And this is an absurd idea: “In Mr. Campana’s case maybe they could come up with a formula allowing his income to be reduced by the dollar amount of his charitable and community service over the years. If they did, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if he not only qualified, but saw his rent reduced to $10 a month!”

CAMPANA

What? A better question is why the cut and dry criteria wasn’t followed by the THA in Campana’s case and in who knows how many people got into housing or the nursing home because of who they knew. That takes out all the gray areas and the people who don’t know the right people will have the same, and equal, shot of getting into housing.

The fact the Republican chairman is writing a letter on behalf of the Democratic candidate for mayor has a bunch of people talking but there is no secret Campana and Kelleher go back a ways. What is surprising is how bad Kelleher’s letter is. But then again, he really didn’t have much to work with if he's trying to help out a buddy.

And the fact the buddy is a member of the opposite party is admirable, even if it does alienate some of his own. Last I knew the county chairman was a pretty partisan position, though, and, well, the last I knew Tom Wade isn't going to stick his neck out for any Republican.

MANTELLO

According to our poll, it’s Republican Carmella Mantello over Democrat Clement Campana by 20 points. It’s really no surprise.

Campana is dogged by the voter fraud scandal but not as bad, I don’t think, as the dad, THA and Conway Court thing. It is going to hurt him from now until November. Actually, I have no idea what he thought was going to happen. “Hey, let’s bounce my dad up a bunch of spots on the waiting list cause I am the council president, and hey I’m running for mayor too so that gives me some added juice and yes, he is by our own admission $111 over the limit, and by the federal Housing and Urban Development’s calculation he’s some $7,000 over the limit."


CAMPANA

Really, what did he think was going to happen?

And it’s not as if Campana has a stellar record as council president to fall back on because his claim to fame is going against whatever Mayor Harry Tutunjian says or tries to do. More than 54 percent think the city is going in the right direction so take that as you will.

 I just don't see where he goes from here. There really isn't any dirt to throw at Mantello but that's the only way I can see Campana's camp ganing any real traction.

Wow, talk about a tizzy.

CAMPANA

Both camps are freaking about the poll Gramercy Communications did on the mayor’s race between Republican Carmella Mantello and Democrat Clement Campana, the results of which we’ll release on Wednesday.

I won’t give any hints - just like I didn’t today to the number of operatives on both sides who called or inquired - but I’ll give this tid-bit: The margin of error is under 3 percent. That’s a pretty good indication of where things stand at this point in time.



MANTELLO



We’ll give an overall city-wide percentage breakdown of the question of “who would you vote for?” Carmella Mantello or Clemente Campana. No, we didn’t include Jack Cox Jr., who may or may not be getting signatures or Jack Mahoney, who wants to wage a write in. And we’ll give results to that same question by council district and by party affiliation. Another thing I will say is party enrollment means squat in Troy. Troy voters are pretty smart and look past a D or an R.

We’ll also give results to the question: “Is Troy going in the right direction” and if “voter fraud matters.” Again the margin of error is under 3 percent.

Pretty cool, and I think the results are telling. I’ve seen them and no, I won’t be sharing them with anyone until they are published Wednesday but thanks for the phone calls and texts.

I’ll also give my analysis of the results on Thursday. That and a $1.50 will get you a coffee at Fran’s.

As we reported today, the guys at Gramercy are doing a series of polls for us on the mayor’s race between Republican Carmella Mantello and Democrat Clement Campana.


Pretty cool. This is the fourth mayor’s race I’ve covered and this is the first time we’ve done a poll, let alone a series of polls. Thanks to technology and the guys at Gramercy, we can now do it and do it accurately


NARDACCI



Yes, automated polling is relatively new and as anything relatively new it has its critics but the Gramercy guys have utilized the technology with some pretty good success more than 100 times. The response to the first round of calls has been fantastic and I expect nothing less from the second round, which are being made today or tonight. We should have a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percent or better. That’s pretty good, whatever the methodology.

As with any poll, this one is a snap shot in time, and as the guys from Gramercy say: “It’s a lifetime in a campaign between now and November.”



WOHLLEBER



A bit on the Gramercy guys: Tom Nardacci and Eric Wohlleber. Nardacci is a lifelong Democrat and once ran for mayor in his hometown of Rensselaer in one of the nastiest political environments I can remember. We’re talking gun shots, with real bullets. Wohlleber is a Republican through and through and did a fantastic job – or at least the best job that could have been done – with PR for former DA Trish DeAngelis. Not an easy task.



So, the Gramercy guys have been around a while, know the political landscape and between the two run a bipartisan operation.

The results are what they are, which we’ll release on Wednesday in print and online.

SMITH

Voter fraud is heating up again and, well, it’s about time. I’m not sure what is going on outside of the fact the special prosecutor, Trey Smith, is asking the court (see below) to compel Councilman Michael LoPorto and Election Commissioner Ed McDonough to compare to some applications and envelopes that were presumably forged.

As I wrote, I’m not so sure why that wasn’t done before he charged with two with forging said documents but I’m not an attorney and he claims he’s using a section of law that only applies to those who are indicted. Seems backwards to me but as I admitted earlier, I don’t have a law degree.

MCINERNEY

Anyway, the documents and the scuttlebutt around town indicate more charges are forthcoming and forthcoming sooner rather than later. In particular, it looks like City Clerk Bill McInerney could be in some trouble since Smith specifically mentions him in his latest motion and I’ve heard there are some folks looking into potential abnormalities in the ’07 and ’08 elections as well. Smith, of course, is currently limited to the ’09 Working Families Party primary which could explain why the FBI is still in the picture – those guys can pretty much do whatever they want.

Near as I can tell the FBI did look into how Smith was conducting his investigation – which was the subject of a flurry of legal motions claiming all sorts of untoward allegations of selective prosecution to protect the politically prominent – but are now working alongside him. That could be scary for a whole bunch of people because the absentee ballot operation the Dems conducted in ’09 took advantage of a system that both parties have been taking advantage of for years, if not decades.

After a long, frustrating hiatus, it looks like voter fraud could get fun again.
Smith Motion

MANTELLO

It turns out, according to the camp of Carmella Mantello, Ed Manny, the Flag Day Committee chair, did call the mayoral candidate to tell her she could not march in Sunday’s parade along with the other dignitaries.

There is a slot in the Line of March set aside for dignitaries, but a reporter who talked to Manny said he told her the definition of a dignitary is someone who’s elected to office. Mantello, should she so choose, can march anywhere else in the parade except there.

Manny said the policy has been in place for 40 years and the rules (see below) do seem to indicate that no politicking is allowed during the parade. But asking any politician in the vicinity of that many people not to engage in politicking is like asking them not to breathe.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see if any of the other candidates running for office - particularly for Manny’s party, the Democrats - are allowed to march with the dignitaries.

While the policy may have been in place, I can’t remember it being an issue before or if it was enforced in the past. I am told, way back in 1975 Jim Pasinella, the Flag Day Parade founder, marched with the other dignitaries while he was running for City Council. And I got that from someone who was running with him at the time and who was marching alongside of him and other dignitaries in the parade.

I’m just guessing it’s happened close to a thousand times since then too and nobody cared before - so long as they don’t spray silly string (see below.)

Parade Rules



CAMPANA



Mayoral candidate and Council President Clement Campana is moving his father out of the Troy Housing Authority amid allegations the elder Campana’s income exceeded the income threshold and that he leap-frogged a bunch of people on the waiting list.

While the THA didn’t officially order Campana Sr. out of Conway Court, which is directly behind the councilman’s home, it appeared that would have been the end result so the Campana's decided to move him out.

However, the federal department of Housing and Urban Development is still looking into the matter and as far as I know so is the THA. Whether or not moving Campana Sr. out of the THA will put those two to bed is still up in the air. Someone had to approve the application even though he was over the income limit by whoever’s number you go with – the Campana’s feel it is $111 over the $42,300 upper limit while HUD said it was more like $7,000.



And that’s not to mention the fact he was number 268 on page 37 of a waiting list that’s 41 pages long. Those numbers are a bit misleading because it includes all THA applicants not just those for the senior housing, but you have to believe of those 267 in front of him there are likely more than a few seniors would have loved to have gotten into Conway Court.

That someone was who processed the application is Barbara Rezey, who works in tenant relations and who is the daughter of Reine Parker, a commissioner on the board.

So, while Campana may have put the kibosh on the issue for the time being it remains unclear if it goes away completely or if it will continue to dog his campaign.

Word was ripping around town about how the Flag Day Parade Committee denied the Republican mayoral candidate Carmella Mantello the right to march in their parade.


The spin being Ed Manny, the parade chairman, is a Democrat who interviewed for that party’s nod for mayor. And, of course, Mantello is a Republican.

But, to be fair, the spin didn’t come from the Mantello camp but someone who likes to start trouble and, well, we like those kinds of people, even if they aren’t always on the money.

The fact of the matter is The Flag Day Parade is more about honoring the Flag and less about politics. There is a spot in the Line of March for dignitaries, and that means elected officials. It’s not for candidates.

I called Mantello’s camp and they said they were unclear if Manny called her. A reporter called Manny and he said the dignitary policy has been in place for 40+years.

If Mantello, or any other candidate, wants to march with another group like the ICC or Spring Little League they are more than welcome. She and the other candidates just can’t walk as a dignitary because she and they ain’t one yet.

There is the parade and politics non-scandal in a nutshell.

In a letter (see below) to Councilman Michael LoPorto’s attorney, Michael Feit, the special prosecutor, Trey Smith, admits that he just recently retained a handwriting analyst and that analyst, after a preliminary examination, determined the handwriting on the forged ballots probably doesn’t match that of LoPorto.

LOPORTO

A preliminary examination? He indicted LoPorto on 13 counts of felony forgery. Now, I’m not an attorney or anything but something tells me a handwriting analyst is consulted before you charge someone with forgery. You know, just to determine the forged words or dates or whatever matched up with the person you plan to charge. Again, not an attorney, so that’s just a hunch on my part.

Absent an analyst’s opinion, as Feit points out in his response to Smith’s letter, and I paraphrase: how the hell can Smith indict LoPorto on forgery. Feit should get the grand jury minutes, as he requested, to find out exactly how all that went down behind closed doors. Obviously, someone said something to the grand jury and LoPorto deserves to know who said what.

Furthermore, Smith’s letter says: the ballots in question “may have been forged by City Clerk William McInerney and not Michael LoPorto.”

What? Then why isn’t McInerney charged with anything? This is 20 months after the fact and he's still using words like “may.” Yes, innocent until proven guilty is paramount but a prosecutor should have something a bit stronger than “may” 20 months after he gets a case and after throwing two lives into chaos – LoPorto’s and that of Democratic Elections Commissioner Ed McDonough, who stands charged with 74 felonies too.

Obviously, it still doesn’t exonerate LoPorto of the 29 counts of felony possession of forged instruments - as indicated he did by the testimony of Sara Couch, a Working Families Party operative - but to prove that, Smith needs to prove LoPorto knew they were forged and that means he needs to prove intent. I remember intent being a tough nut from covering the Zwack trials. Again, not an attorney, just a newspaper guy who’s been around a while.

I’ve said Smith’s plan from the get-go was to muscle people into pleading out but that just doesn’t work in Troy. Obviously. Someone needs to tell him the South End of the city is still waiting for the world to accept the challenge.

It’s going to be interesting to see what his Plan B is because Plan A didn’t work out and instead of indicting more of the nine implicated Smith seems to be conceding some of the charges he already brought. That's going backwards.
LoPorto Letters

The Dems met last night to formally endorse candidates and there were no real surprises outside of the fact Michael LoPorto, who currently serves in an At Large seat on the Troy Council, didn't get the nod in District 4.

LOPORTO

Instead, Robert Doherty is the party’s pick to take on Debra Lockrow, a River Street business owner. I’ve never heard of Doherty and never heard of Lockrow before she announced, but it’s a Democratic district and Doherty will have a head start on Lockrow as far as numbers go.

Lockrow, knowing it’s a Democratic district, wanted to run with the Dems but didn’t because they were going to give it to LoPorto. Evidently they didn’t and word is he isn’t too happy about that fact so now the only question is if whether or not he primaries. Let’s just say everyone expects it to happen. Why not? It’s not like he’s charged with a host of felonies and it’s not like there is any question about whether or not he actually lives in Troy.

There is a part of me who has to fill this space about every day and fill two columns a week that hopes LoPorto does primary. Then, there is a part of me who happens to like LoPorto, and wishes him well that hopes he doesn’t.

I’ll try to find out what LoPorto is up to as the day goes on and update when I can.

A reporter just talked to LoPorto and he said he is collecting signatures and is running a primary against Doherty. He didn't specifically say in District 4, but he did say it wasn't for an At Large seat, so that means it must be in District 4. That's as of right now anyway, but odds are he's still pretty steamed about not getting the party's nod.

The rest of the Dem’s slate is as expected: Rich McNally for DA, Gary Gordon for sheriff, Clement Campana for mayor, Lynn Kopka, Nina Nichols and Rodney Wiltshire for At Large, Kevin McGrath in District 1, Doris Day in District 2, Russ Ziamba in District 3, see above for District 5, Ken Zalewski in District 5 and Gary Galuski in District 6.

Dan Crawley, the executive secretary of the Troy Housing Authority, former deputy mayor and longtime Republican operatives has resigned his post on the party’s Rensselaer County Committee.

KELLEHER

It seems he didn’t like it so much when the county chair, Neil Kelleher, whacked him as one of the two representatives from the Assembly District on the state Republican Party Committee. Instead, Kelleher put himself in the spot along with incumbent County Executive Kathy Jimino.

Why Kelleher would do that to one of the party’s most loyal and effective soldiers is the question.

Here’s some of the scuttlebutt that’s out there.

It’s no secret Kelleher is lifelong friends with the Democrats mayoral pick, Clement Campana. And the Campana campaign’s latest problems include allegations his father skipped over a bunch of people on the THA waiting list to get into Conway Court, the premiere senior citizen complex in the city. There are also questions about whether or not Campana Sr. is even financially eligible for the THA.

While Crawley hasn’t been driving that issue, he certainly hasn’t gone out of his way to put it to bed either.

Whether or not that’s why Kelleher axed Crawley or not but the fact of the matter is Crawley resigned. And the infighting among the once rock-solid, march in line GOP is deeper than I thought.

One person familiar with the deal and the people involved said it’s no big deal and Crawley wasn’t upset at all. Another said he wasn’t too happy about the whole thing. I called Crawley but odds are he’ll put a good face on the whole thing.

When I talk to him, I’ll update.

Got off the phone with Crawley a little bit ago and while he said he was “surprised” by Kelleher’s decision not to put him on the state committee he wasn’t overly disappointed.



“I’m backing off the politics and concentrating on doing my job here,” said Crawley the 25-year member of the committee who was appointed the THA executive secretary in January. “It’s time to settle down and do this job and politics tend to get in the way here.”


In other words, he did put on a good face but he genuinely didn’t seem all that upset about the whole thing.

What is strange about the whole Clement Campana’s dad and Conway Court thing is how quiet Troy Housing Authority Executive Secretary Dan Crawley, the former deputy mayor, has been.

Campana

A brief recap: Campana’s dad was number 368 on the THA waiting list but got into the premiere THA senior housing complex - which happens to be in Campana’s back yard and where he parks his Vete - in two weeks time. That number is a bit misleading in that it includes all those looking to get into the THA including Section 8 applicants and not just seniors. Still, two weeks time certainly indicates he leap-frogged some on the list and there are questions about whether or not his income was low enough to qualify for public housing. HUD seems to think he makes too much money - $49,163 compared to the $42,300 threshold.

Crawley, of course is a notoriously hard-nosed Republican operative who was recently put in as head of the THA by the Board of Commissioners appointed by his best bud and former employer Mayor Harry Tutunjian. You’d think it would be a perfect opportunity to take some shots at the opposing party’s mayoral candidate.

Thing is Campana’s dad was placed in Conway Court after Crawley took over at THA so whether he knew about it or not, it happened under his watch. That could be one reason. Another is that Crawley’s mom lives there too. There have been some grumblings about how she got in but nothing concrete like the fact Campana senior was on page 37 or a 41-page waiting list – see the disclaimer about those numbers above – or her income level.

Also, Councilman Bill Dunne, D-District 4, who was making a pretty loud stink about the council approving all THA salaries, hasn’t mentioned the issue in quite a long time. Dunne, of course, is close to Campana.

Anyway, Campana said he is sitting down with Crawley in an attempt to straighten the whole thing out. Meanwhile, HUD is looking into it. We’ll have to see if whatever Crawley and Campana can come up with to straighten the whole thing out passes the HUD smell test or if the story will continue to dog Campana’s election campaign.

Add this to voter fraud – which is, despite not hearing a word or seeing anything from Trey Smith, the special prosecutor, still kicking around – and I wonder how much more the Campana campaign can withstand.