Stealing of a Legislative Seat - 17th Legislative District Vacancy

Within hours after the government meeting Republican Legislators were trying to back track on there own actions by saying that Len Ponzi's vacancy was different, sure he was a Democrat. The 190 year vacancy tradition that Legislator Doyle was speaking of was followed as he explained it in the VN article, to the letter.

The duly elected committee persons (at a meeting of the committee persons according to the rules of the Oswego County Democratic Committee) of that district met and picked a recommendation. What the Republicans have done now is BREAK their own 190 year tradition for pure political power.

Our question to the voters of Oswego County is, if they will lie to gain just one legislative seat how can you trust anything they now say about county government.

Now the Majority Leader, Kim Seager, is saying that their hand picked candidate was a comprise. Of course she never called the Democratic County Chair or the Oswego City Chairman, so clearly again this is just another smoke screen they are trying to hide behind.

Their candidate is a republican committee person, and former defeated republican alderman from the City of Oswego. How could that be a comprise to a 18 year Democratic Legislative seat? Will she sit in Democratic Caucus? Of course not.

It is one more lie to cover up the their political power pay
to steal a legislative seat that they could not win fairly.

In short, their words can not be trusted. We will see if any republicans legislators have the honor to keep to their 190 year tradition at the vote in February. We will see.

Hypocrisy of Republican Legislators

Today the Republican Legislators of the Oswego County Legislature
(in governemnt committee) showed their true colors, or should we say their hypocrisy in picking a Republican Committeeperson to fill the 17th Legislative Seat, a Democratic seat for over 18 years.

This is in clear contradiction to their own actions and words as clearly defined by "Legislator Shawn Doyle said, "The District 1 vacancy fiasco should anger both Republicans and Democrats alike. Republicans are justly outraged that Chairman Johnson and Vice Chairman Osetek have led other rebels overturning a nearly 190-year vacancy tradition, snubbing their noses at the decision of the duly elected GOP committee members from Boylston, Sandy Creek, and Redfield."

Cleary there are two sets of rules, one for the Republicans, and one for Democrats. That is not fair...it is not right...and it is not DEMOCRATIC.

The Chairman of the Legislature, Barry Leeman, wants to get alone - well this is surely not a good first step.

In Their Own Words…Filling the 17th Legislative District Vacancy

In the last few days the Republican Party has been trying to back track on their own words in the filing of vacancies in the county legislature. It seems that when it comes to filling the vacancy of a democratic Legislative seat the same rules do not apply.

With the sad passing of our good friend Democrat Len Ponzi the need now arises to fill the vacant 17th county legislative seat. This seat has been held by the Democratic Party for close to 20 years, yet now the Republican Party wishes to make it a Republican seat.

In the process of filling the vacant 1st Legislative seat last year the Republican Party made it clear that the local Republican Committee should and must have their choice.

The Oswego City Democratic Committee has met, and they have picked a replacement for Democrat Len Ponzi. The person is a Democrat in honor of the work that Len Ponzi gave to his district and that would have been his wish as a life long Democrat.

We will now see if the same Republican Legislators now support the choice of the duly elected …Democratic representatives of the 17th Legislative District.

In their own words on filling vacancy’s in the Oswego County Legislature.

Legislator Gardner said he respects that process. "If something happens to me I would want the two committees from my district to choose my successor," he said. VN 5/16/07

"Republican committee people are elected by the people in their district," Legislator Barbara Brown said. "Those people represent the people of their district, and the people in the north country have spoken." VN 4/19/07

Legislator Jack Proud, a staunch Republican, told fellow legislators that he was disappointed that the process that has been in place for decades was not followed.

"As a legislator of a number of years, I'm extremely disappointed that we're engaged in this process this evening," he said. "The local people in that area have spoken. The local
committee has spoken, by an overwhelming vote."

He added, "This legislature should not be playing God in this instance. It should abide by the wishes of the local committee. The tradition has been that the legislature accepted the recommendation of the local committee." VN 4/19/07

Legislator Shawn Doyle said, "The District 1 vacancy fiasco should anger both Republicans and Democrats alike. Republicans are justly outraged that Chairman Johnson and Vice Chairman Osetek have led other rebels overturning a nearly 190-year vacancy tradition, snubbing their noses at the decision of the duly elected GOP committee members from Boylston, Sandy Creek, and Redfield." VN 4/19/07

An Ethics Question for the Valley News Publisher

A number of undisclosed sources saw Valley News reporter Carol Thompson Saturday evening at Vona's Restaurant having dinner with County Legislator Arthur Ospelt , his wife, and Kurt Ospelt, the new Highway Department Head. Ms. Thompson is the same reporter which created a story using totally false information on Legislator Walker this week. See Fact Check....Valley News below.

Our question is ... is it ethical for a reporter to report on stories which they have a personal interest in " real or perceived" without disclosing it to the public? A little research on the topic of found the CODE OF ETHICS for professional journalists.

Let us see what a professional journalist is to adhere to.

From the Society of Professional Journalists

Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public's right to know.

Journalists should:

—Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.
— Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility.
— Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.
— Disclose unavoidable conflicts.

We would have to ask the management of the Valley News if after reading the Society of Professional Journalists code of ethics if Ms. Thompson's behavior is ethical?

Fact Check…Valley News

Article “ Ospelt named county highway department chief” Wed Jan 9th.

Not quite a few days into the New Year the “newly appointed Republican paper (the Valley News –Reporter Carl Thompson) falsely accused freshmen Legislator Lee Walker of not standing when her close friend Kurt Ospelt was appointed by the legislature as the new highway chief.

It must have been the tears of happiness in her eyes that blinded her to totally miss a 5”10 220 pound man standing and clapping for the new highway head. The guy was Lee Walker. The same person she accused. Many- many people saw Walker standing and clapping.

The question we have is why was that even news worthy? There were a number of departments heads “properly” appointed that afternoon and they seemed to have not made Ms. Thompson’s news article, including the county administrator. It seems there is a “special” and maybe personnel interest in this one appointment.

As we have early disclosed the highway heads “delayed” appointment, because he was not recommend out of committee, seemed to have been mentioned in dozens of articles in the Valley News ONLY. Not one other paper thought this issue was remotely news worthy enough to carry it almost each week in their paper. The Valley News did...and did…and did over again.

Why…you might say there was another motive for this. Well they are now the new “extra” county paper. A paper that has never been appointed by the Republican Party until they stated to slate their stories against the Democrats and for the Republicans JUST last year.

Two Papers for Majority Caucus...WHY? (Editorial Opinion)

Each year at the organizational meeting of the county legislature, as directed by county law, the Majority and Minority Caucus submit one paper for the status of "official county" newspaper for that year. These two papers then publish legal notices and such which cost the county for each paper in the range of $30,000 to $50,000 a year.

Over the last decade the Majority and Minority Caucus have chosen one paper each as that is the clear understanding of county law. Section 214 This year, breaking with the accepted practice and without notice to the Minority Caucus the Republican Majority Caucus picked TWO papers doubling the cost to the county taxpayers!

The Democratic Minority Caucus refused to go along with this as it was an extra burden to the taxpayers with no GOOD reason.

Several Republican Legislators attempted to explain that they wanted more coverage, but could not answer why now. Why just the Valley News and why no notice the the Minority?

In attempting to answer the question why, one should look at last years legislative elections. Anyone who read the Valley News could have the opinion that it was a political payback for their coverage. Clearly the Valley News seemed to slat their coverage and use their editorials against legislators that did not toe the "Republican Party Line." (see this article as an opinion of the coverage) Legislators that voted to reform county government were singled out and stories were written that cast an unfavourable light on them. In the next few days we will highlight several stories that the Valley News ran that were not correct, factually.

It seems the additional paper, the Valley News, ran many..many stories that were slanted against reform candidates/ Democrats and in favor of Republicans.

One thing is clear the Republican Caucus has never picked the Valley News in their history, so the question is why now?

Republicans Break from Legislative Rules at Start of 08

At the organizational meeting on January 3rd the Republican Caucus refused to follow the rules of the county legislature. They waved the rules in a political vote to appoint a County Highway Department Head.

The Minority Caucus would have supported the person if the proper procedure, our legislative rules, had been followed. But in a "bully" like tactic the Republicans just forced their choice thru without the normal committee review and venting.

The Republican leadership has constantly said we must follow the "rules", but it now appears those rules are only followed when it is convenient for them.