Thursday, May 07, 2009

GILDA RICCARDI: THE REAL DEAL

It looks like Jonathan Katz is emerging as the clear front rubber for county court, a real legal mind that can change the justice system in Ulster County for the better...we are also happy to see Jim Gilpatric looking good in his bid for State Supreme court.

On the County Clerk front it looks like Gilda Riccardi may take the plunge and we couldn't be more happy for her. There is one phrase to describe Gilda: THE REAL DEAL!
A former NYC prosecutor and curent law clerk, Gilda brings with her the credentials and personality to win the office of County Clerk for the Democrats for the first time ever in Ulster County.


The race for Ulster Supervisor is about to heat up with Likely challenger Jim Quigley taking on Ulster Supervisor Nick Worener, Nick is seeking a third term. Quigley carried Ulster in his bid for Comptroller by a higher margin than any other candidate including Barak Obama but Worener has won the heavily Republican town twice, so expect this race to be the most watched local race in Ulster County...as I said before I am glad to be far away from this blood bath.


The Kingston Common Council races are also shapping up with Al Teetsil in a GOP primary against new comer Andy Levin, who I hear great things about. Ward 2, 3, 4, 7, and 9 will return incumbents. Watch the 8th ward and the 1st.


Did I mention how excited I am about Gilda? With the proper support, I see Ms.Riccardi walking away with a huge victory in November!!!

43 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't tell you how pleased I am that someone will run for clerk. As soon as it becomes official, I'll kick in a few bucks.

Anonymous said...

I met Gilda at the brunch, I can only hope that we all can get behind her, could this be the gal that UNITES us. After the mess that was made in the Justice selection, Glida shows real strength in bring us together now, lets get her elected. Let's go.

Anonymous said...

Finally!! A Democratic Clerk!

Anonymous said...

The people shouldn't even vote. We all know Quigley is going to win by a landslide if he does run.

Anonymous said...

I'm happy too about Gilda. Let us know who to make the check out too. I'm in.

Anonymous said...

Andi Levin is great! We really need someone like her in government.

Anonymous said...

Jeremy, I would like to send Ms. Riccardi a donation? Could you please post the information. Who do I make the check out to, and where do I send it?

Anonymous said...

Finally change that we can all believe in. A Democratic candidate for County Clerk.

She is an attorney, a clerk for a judge, and very well spoken.

I encourage all of my fellow Democrats to reach out to your Democratic Elected Officials and Town Chairman and let him or her know that you support Gilda for County Clerk.

I also encourage all of our Town Chairmen to work with Gilda so that she can meet with each of your committees to gain their support and confidence.

It will be a tough race. But with hard work - She can win.

Anonymous said...

Before you get to far ahead of yourself, Gilda is still a viable candidate for County Court Judge. I'm supicious that those asking her to run for clerk have a self interest in her doing that. Gilda for County Judge, I'm not ready to rule that out. Sit tight.

Anonymous said...

Hinchey and Spada were spotted together in Uptown Kingston this afternon. Who knows what they were cooking up to prevent Gilda from running!

Anonymous said...

and that ladies and gentlemen.... (spada and hinchy together) is the problem in Ulster County.

That's the reason we can't get a Clerk candidate on the Democratic side.

Do you people get it now.

So stop with the "no one is interested" wah wah wah... yea right

Anonymous said...

6:22- your nuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!For christ's sake, Al has lived in Kingston all his life. His office is uptown and yes he supports the congressman and always has. All walks of life support Maurice and Al. go play in your sandbox.

Anonymous said...

Jeremy, Jeremy,

Still won't post anything that points out the deficits of the candidates that you support?

Don't you know that a little balance and the equitable exchange of ideas makes for a more informed decision . . .

Please explain how Gilda is going to effectively manage, supervise and direct a staff without any supervisory, administrative, budget or inside knowledge of the workings of the office?

She is a lawyer. How does that make her qualified to run one of the busiest offices in county government?

How is she going to win the confidence and dedication of her employees who will look at her each day with the knowledge that she knows nothing about what they do on a day to day basis?

While personally I will support whichever candidate runs on the democratic line, others will demand real answers to these questions and those answers need to be forthcoming . . .

Anonymous said...

Nina, stop writing on the blogs and defending Al. You need to get ready to run a race. The Dems have the enrollment advantage, and you have a 50/50 shot at getting the Independence Line. That means you are going to have to WORK if Gilda materializes.

Anonymous said...

whooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, Al and Maurice up town together. Call out the troops. Good issue to win elecitons on. what a bunch of idiots

Anonymous said...

It is too bad that people throw common sense to the wind and make assumptions about a person's "qualifications." Just because someone is an attorney, doesn't make them qualified to be a county court judge. Family court is NOT the same as county court. When was the last time Ms. Riccardi, or Jonathan Katz for that matter, tried a felony case... Has Mr. Katz ever tried a felony case? County Court Judge is a serious position and I, for one, do not want to see anyone without a commanding knowledge of the penal law, criminal procedure law, or rules of evidence in that position! Mike Miranda, Michael Kavanaugh, Don Williams, Marsha Weiss and Emmanuel Nneji are the ONLY qualified potential candidates. (notice - both Democrats and Republicans mentioned) I know the nature of politics...but it is too bad that people are too stupid to make the right decision.

Anonymous said...

9:57

The idea that you would even mention Nneji as "qualified" shows how little you know. The issue is not simply how many cases you tried as a lawyer (although that is certainly a factor), but rather how you'll be as a judge.

Judge Katz: 14 years in one of the busiest Justice Courts in the state.

That's more than ALL OTHER CANDIDATES COMBINED! Marsha Weiss is a distant second in experience and just about everything else. Still, she is SECOND to Judge Katz.

Temperment, scholarship, patience and the ability to hear and be fair to BOTH sides. That is what makes a judge, not trial record.

There is a difference between County & Justice Court. It's not rocket science, but if it were, I'd want Judge Katz. There is also a BIG difference between being an advocate and a magistrate.

Try talking to people who work in the County and Justice Courts before you hacks make your decision on how white are the candidates teeth.

-Themis

Anonymous said...

It's unfortunate not everyone that blogs are aware of the candidates background. Gilda Riccardi, is the most qualified. She has worked in the AG office in New York. Has experience in prosecution and defence plus family court. She has a diversified background. Not just as a Town Judge. give me a break.

Anonymous said...

Aside from the obvious qualifications that Katz and Riccardi have, the assertion that anyone immoral enough to embrace the Republican party is in any way qualified for public service is just insane. The civilized world has universally condemned the lunatic fringe we call the Republicans. That fact that our area seems to have a few too many of these losers is merely a testament to our tolerance. We're not very tolerant of torturers in our employ lately. As with most of the country, we're going to vote anyone but Republicans. Ms. Riccardi has experience in the real world, where people actually are educated. I highly doubt the responsibilities of County Clerk will be as challenging as they apparently were for Ms. Postupak.

Anonymous said...

5:38
You are right on (sadly).

5:11
You might want to take the time while you are checking backgrounds to learn the difference between the AG and the DA.

It's not that Gilda or the rest of them are NOT qualified, it's a matter of who is MOST qualified and that is Judge Katz (Neiji is ABSOLUTELY NOT QUALIFIED, though). It's not a matter of taking "who I like" and then lowering the standard to make a faulty comparison. THIS is why people who don't have actual knowledge on the subject should consult those who do for facts and opinion.

Judge Katz has the actual record to match up against the Republicans like Williams & Weiss.

-Themis

Anonymous said...

I would say that Woerner and Blaber were more like Shit and Stink.... they go together

Anonymous said...

Since no one has yet answered the question, lets put it out there one more time.

How is Ms. Riccardi qualified to run the county clerk's office and DMV when she has never supervised an employee, never evaluated an employee, never stepped foot behind the desk at the county clerk's office, never written a municipal budget, and has no adminsitrative experience.

As long as we are at it, how is she qualified to be County Court Judge when she has almost no felony experience and when she practiced law, she never accepted a single felony defense trial.

Rumor has it that even in Family Court she declined to accept any juvenile delinquency or PINS cases when she was on the law guardian panel. When her law guardian clients were arrested, she asked to be relieved and other attorneys had to step in.

She has a nice smile and she ran a small home goods store. I hear she keeps a nice home and bakes good cookies. That's about it.

Anonymous said...

Maybe because Gilda is an attorney, she knows the difference between right and wrong and won't stand by while someone (Al Spada) sells driver's licenses to illegal aliens.

Maybe Gilda won't hire her sister as her Chief Deputy County Clerk because she understand that nepotism is inappropriate in County Government.

Maybe Gilda won't stand by and let people's houses be foreclosed wrongfully and perhaps she will never have to be deposed to explain her involvement in such a matter.

Maybe Gilda won't refuse to write letters of recommendation for former employees of the County Clerk's office just because they are friends with people that she doesn't like.

Maybe Gilda can speak in front of a group and sound like a professional businesswoman instead of having a voice that is whiny and annoying to listen to.

Maybe Gilda could do something to save taxpayers money.

Maybe Gilda will put her name on the letterhead of Democratic candidates for office because she know what party loyalty is instead of being loyal to your sugar daddy.

Maybe Gilda will win the election because she got the Independence Line.

Anonymous said...

Al Spada should run again for County Clerk.

www.supportspada09.com

Anonymous said...

11:12
Answers to questions are always nice.
Don't necessarily agree that speculating what she will and won't do is a substitution for experience and knowledge of the position but it certainly is an improvement from the empty messages of support that were posted before.

realconcerned said...

woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo I seen Al Spada up town a couple of days ago. I wonder who he was meeting. Woooooooooooooooooo. I'm so afraid of what he is doing and thinking and saying. Woooooooooooo.

Anonymous said...

Nina's a pug which means she's down with Dick, as in Dick Cheney, torturer supreme. Does that mean her supporters are "Dick-heads" now?

Anonymous said...

Hmm, a candidate should be chosen for having experience in the job? I think that's pretty idiotic and serves as the basis for the term limit argument. Why even have elections? If that's the rationale for re-electing someone, then I'd say the supporter is clearly un-American. Perhaps Ms. Postupak should be looking for work in some totalitarian country. That kind of support shows she's not worthy of an office in this country.

Anonymous said...

Themis,

There is a huge difference between County Court and Municipal Court. In fact, a large majority of the municipal judges in upstate NY are not even required to be lawyers because the cases are much less serious and the legal issues much less complex than what is encountered in County and Supreme Court. I realize Katz is a lawyer and has other experience, but his experience as a Judge in a Town hardly means he is qualified for the position of County Court Judge. His experience as a lawyer is much more interesting to me and from what I see there is little County Court experience in that either. It does and should matter.

Anonymous said...

How does Riccardi run for Judge and Clerk. Last I knew she still had her name in the hat for Judge. Family court get boring or something? Now she is not getting county court so she moves onto the clerk race. Who is she Don Williams? This is not going to happen it is all rumor.

Anonymous said...

Again with the idiotic argument that only a county judge can be a county judge! So no new candidates need apply? How about no repeat terms instead? I can't believe such a stupid case for a candidate could be put forth. Talk about small minded!

Anonymous said...

The Neo-luddite position is outlined quite clearly here. "This is the way we do it because this is the way we've always done it" logic at work. We want a different result and the definition of insanity is to employ this method to acheive it. It's a good thing you people have your own heading at the DHS. You're a direct threat to our future. If you want that kind of thing, go move to an Amish community.

Anonymous said...

No one is talking about experience in the "job" here. What they are talking about is experience practicing in the court itself, which has its own rules and the cases are more complex legally and more serious than in town courts. The fact that you have not even practiced in the court does not mean you cannot be a judge in the court. However, it does and should put into question whether you have the experience necessary to be a judge in the court when compared to someone who spent a great deal of time practicing there.

Anonymous said...

Mike Miranda is the best choice for County Court Judge. He will win in November, you'll all see...

Anonymous said...

You don't even need to be a lawyer to be a Supreme Court judge. Let's put the county court in the right perpective. It's about judgement and no Republican could claim to have any if they still cling to their party's platform. The big Dick has plenty of hunting experience, but he still shot his friend in the face, didn't he? Nobody with an "R" by their name is qualified, period. Belonging to that group of mental aberrants is an unforgivable lapse of judgement. Any worthy candidate would quit and distance himself as quickly as possible. Besides, someone with experience working in a kangaroo court has all the wrong experience. We don't want someone to continue in the footsteps of a scumbag. Unless of course, you're a scumbag.

Anonymous said...

9:51 Since when do you not have to be a lawyer to be a Supreme Court Judge? I dont know what you are smoking, but you certainly DO have to be a lawyer to be a Supreme Court Judge!!! You don't have to be a lawyer to be a Town Court Judge, maybe you made a typo, I actually sure hope that is your excuse for that comment. If you stand by that comment, please show us all where you got that information from? You better watch who you are calling a scumbag because you really sound like an ignorant one!

Anonymous said...

What possibly makes you think that a non-lawyer can be a supreme court judge?

Given that you don't even know the minimum qualifications for the job, it is no surprise that you are only concerned with party affiliation and do not care about legal experience and knowledge.

Presiding in County Court is not just about judgment. It is about upholding our constitution, understanding and respecting due process and applying and respecting the law.

An individual can have the best judgment in the world, if he or she does not understand basic rules of search and seizure, admissability and suppression of evidence, we are all in serious trouble.

Just remember, there but for the grace of god go thee. Any one of us can be wrongfully accused.

This is not just about judgment and it certainly is not about party affiliation.

Anonymous said...

9:51 a.m. - Who are exactly are you calling a "scumbag"? Judge Bruhn or all Republicans? Either way, you're an ignorant asshole.

Anonymous said...

Hey anyone that wants biased kangaroo justice like you obviously do is a scumbag. Ignorant asshole suits you more appropriately than me. There's a reason the Republican party is dying, it only holds assholes and scumbags. 4 out 5 Americans agree on that one.

Anonymous said...

The term biased kangaroo justice = ex convict speaking. You and your 'hug a thug' mentality might be the feel good flavor of the day but trust me on one thing, it don't last.

Anonymous said...

6:41-You are a dumb-ass, right-winger. Accusing anyone of being an ex-con for wanting equal justice is just another bigotted, scummy tactic that makes torture loving Republicans a dead and dying group of anti-American subversives. The country will go on, but you people will wither and die. This is a country of fair minded liberals founded by liberal, justice seeking patriots. Not by mentally deficient bigots. Medical science has targeted you folks and your lack of judgement resulting from dead brain matter is shared by violent convicts. The only thing separating you from them is time. Without your "buddy" as judge, you're doomed to joining your brethren.

Anonymous said...

"Thugs", as in violent neanderthals who resort to physical confrontation, are without exception Republican voting or leaning citizens. I've never met a violent ex-con (or pre-conviction) Democrat. No Democratic judge will be hugging any pugs. Hanging the good ole' boys is more like it and you pugs know it. No more calling your cousin to get you off with the judge.

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