On Monday the NY Daily News and the NY Post both reported that State Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith held a fundraiser at the Wiltwyck Country Club in Kingston and compared his fundraiser to an "initial public offering" of stock in a corporation. Initial public offerings are typically the lowest price a stock is ever offered at. Smith reportedly told donors that if they didn't give now, they would have to give more later."Leaders of both major parties have to cast off the special interest politics, the politics of the insiders and get back to business creating jobs and lowering taxes, not doing favors and raising money," Bernardo said.
Bernardo has also called for an investigation by AG Cuomo's office.
I commend Len Bernardo for this, if he is serious and this is not some political ploy.
It will be interesting to see of Bernardo is serious becasue he has a unique chance to show that he is.
DA Carnright made a statement today saying that he will not investigate the mater and would hope the State Commission of Public Integrity will do so instead. This is something that can be investigated in Ulster County by the District Attorney's office. Furthermore, the Ulster DA's office should have their own Commission on Public Integrity as Mr. Sennett proposed in last years campaign. (Video Below)
Len Bernardo, who is touting himself as the Independence candidate with Republican backing has an opportunity to show his Independence by urging Holley Carnright to reconsider and launch an investigation into this matter.
Len, you say you are about change and ending the good ol' boy style politics, well, prove it. We're waiting.
I agree with Mr.Bernardo wholeheartedly, and Jeremy it should not just be his task but a challenge to all of us to get moving and pulling in a positive and mutually productive direction in this community...smitty
ReplyDeleteBernardo is better off, most likely, going with the State Commission - and I think Carnright is doing the right thing by leaning that direction as well.
ReplyDeleteN.S. / Phoenix
Mr. Blaber -
ReplyDeleteMr. Bernardo has raised the issue and pointedly stated what his opinion is. The very fact that he has publicly expresed an opinion which differs from that offered by the District Attorney - who is of the same major Party which has endorsed Mr. Bernardo - is ample proof of his independent character.
I notice that while you are making the statement that Mr. Bernardo should "prove" his independence, Mr. Hein has remained mum on the issue, yet not been criticized by you for his error of omission. Will Blaber News call on Michael Hein to condemn this open act of corruption? If challeneged, will Michael Hein do so, when he is joined at the hip to the Democratic Party Machine?
At the same time, why aren't we hearing condemnation from Kevin Cahill and the Mid-Hudson Democrat candidates for Assembly and Senate?
This was a blatant offer of "pay for play." Worse, it was open blackmail of lobbyists. Through their silence, are Democrat politicians endorsing this as an operating policy in the NYS Legislature should their Party take full control?
It seems rather odd to single out one candidate for condemning the Mafia-like tactics of a Democrat Party leader, asking him to prove his independence, when Democrat politicians are playing "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" over the issue.
Blaber - let me get this straight. A Republican DA passes an investigation of a Democratic Senator on to the Public Integrity Unit and you have a problem with that?
ReplyDeleteIf Holley Carnright did take on the investigation, you could be crying partisan politics.
Fair and Balanced.... only in your head.
Lets see first a president, the a governor, now the senate, yesterday the assembly, all democrats. Is the county next lets wait and see it shouldn't take long
ReplyDeleteJeremy,
ReplyDeleteDo you really think that it falls under the responsiblities of the Ulster County District Attorney to investigate Malcolm Smith? It is the job of the NYS Attorney General. And if Holley Carnright had originally gone after Smith, you would have said it was partisan politics and that Holley was just trying to get his name in the paper. By the way, the proposal by Sennett (which is a decent idea) was with respect to local elected officials, not for the Ulster County District Attorney to go after State Senators. So it would not make a difference in this case.
What does Bernardo have to do to get you to treat him with any level of respect?
ReplyDelete953: Politics should be above the DA's office. Why not investigate it? It could very well clear Senator Smith. It sets a bad president for Carnright to say, well, someone else can deal with it. When will UC rise above the status quo.
ReplyDelete1:15 PM, I am showing Len respect. He sent a press release and I picked up on it. I praised him for calling for an investigation and I asked that he follow up on it.
ReplyDeleteI like Len Bernardo, I'm not supporting him and I don't agree with his positions but he's a good guy.
Were the stupid remarks illegal or unethical. That is the issue.
ReplyDeleteJeremy, I'm wondering what positions of Len Bernardo's do you not agree with?
ReplyDeleteYes Jeremy, what is it that you do not like about Len Bernardo?
ReplyDeleteyeah I can see the DA's Office doing an investigation into this...they are understaffed already and to take this on they do not have the staff or the expertise. Not to mention what crime was committed? This shows how out of touch with the abilities of the DA's office you are. Clearly more appropriate for the state ethics committee or for the SIC as Carnright said. They in turn can refer any criminal findings to the DA or AG. I do not want my tax dollars being spent on some useless spinning of wheels. there are ten DA's in that office and none has the time or experience to do this investigation and the outcome would be nothing. this guy just stuck his foot in his mouth and confirmed what we know goes on all the time anyway...and unfortunately, if you look at the law and cases where they have tried to prosecute politicians in this state for campaign contributions, it is almost impossible to do without a clear basis. this is not one of those times
ReplyDeleteThe DAs office is/has been mismanaged and allowed to be staffed by assistant DAs who get full health insurance and good pay for part-time stint work usually not performed as they are double dipping with their own practices.
ReplyDeleteStop whining and shake it up - if only Sennett had made it!
9:39 AM
ReplyDeleteYou are incorrect in that "
none has the time or experience to do this investigation". How about Bill Weishaupt, who recently retired as a supervising Special Agent with the FBI and is now with the Carnright staff. Holly's staff is top notch and dedicated, considering the peanuts they are paid.....
If only Sennett had made it? How about if the county would put some money in it. So you get rid of all the part timers..great idea. Now you try and full it with half as many full timers to make up for the part timers offering them under $40k a year when they can go to private practice somewhere else and make twice to ten times that. He cannot get full timers now to take the positions that he now has open. How do you think he is going to get even more full timers to take it. And then he trains them and they leave because they cannot afford to stay. Another question...where does Bernardo come off threatening Nina Postupeck's employement because he didn't like the level of support she was giving to him. Is this what we can expect from Bernanrdo when someone does not agree with him? Is he going to threaten people should he get in office and these people disagree with him?
ReplyDeleteJeremy,
ReplyDeleteThe tone of your post wasn't that you asked Mr. Bernardo to follow up; you challenged him with an attitude. Why is it, anyway, his responsibility to follow up? It could just as well be you who follows up.
1004 I asked Bernardo for one reason, he took a stand and brought it up. Plain and simple. No other reason.
ReplyDeleteIs it true that Len threatened our hard working county clerk because she denied him a GOP rubberstamp endorsement?
ReplyDeleteHow about a DA investigation into threats by Len? That report would be filed in the same cabinet as the jail investigation.
we need leaders working for the people not just a political party.
Could not agree more with the last post. I get the feeling that Ulster County government has been run by ameteurs interested more in personal power than what is best for the people.
ReplyDeleteAmeteur hour is over. Mike Hein has shown proven leadership.
to 7:33 AM KingstonTruth is all over this story.
ReplyDeleteNobody cares about this political back and forth. We want lower taxes and more jobs. I hope the Dems do use Bernardo's wife's stupid gaffe. It will be a sign of desperation. The worst they can attack this guy on is some email his wife sent.
ReplyDeleteMakes sense, you can't attack him on the 350 jobs he created or the successful companies he built, or that he's never proposed or voted for a tax hike in his life and has made his living creating jobs.
Oh well, at least she didn't throw a glass of wine in anybody's face.
Speaking of gaffe's, you had to love Obama introducing Biden as the next President err ahh Vice President of the United States.