The Omertà Report: McGinty May Be Off Dem Line, Noble loses 10 Million for Kingston

Surrogate Court Race: The race for the Democratic primary for Surrogate Court may be over before it starts. We hear that Sara McGinty turned in about 1200 signatures to get her name on the ballot after losing her party's nomination  in June. That number is very low, the minimum requirement for county wide office is 1000 signatures, so 280 is not exactly a safe cushion. Especially when you know you have the entire Democratic party looking through them with a fine tooth comb to stop her.  With that being said the Graff campaign has found enough signatures or fatal errors on McGinty's petitions to knock her off the ballot they believe. Officially the board of elections will have to make a determination on Graff's challenge probably sometime next week and after that, most likely a Judge will make the final determination. Some of the issues w McGinty's petitions  we hear are Brooklyn residents that have signed that dont live in the county and some issues w the witnessing on a number of the petitions by people that carried for the McGinty campaign. Ironically these are witness mistakes that her attorney Andrew Zweben allegedly messed up and missed, how ironic is it that this guy may be responsible for destroying or doing catistrophic damage to the careers of two political heavyweights in just two years. Unbelievable, Karma at its best, Zweben's days in Ulster County politics are over but apparently no one has sent him the memo.

I think Sara McGinty should be allowed to primary, Sara is a loyal Democrat, she's qualified and smart but if she is knocked of the ballot it's her own fault. McGinty was the odds on favorite to win this entire election. She was widely seen as a lock for the Democratic nomination and with Hillary leading the ticket in a presidential year in a liberal county like Ulster,  she was viewed as a lock to win the general election. In addition to that Sara is also the wife of  Anthony McGinty, a well respected, kick ass Family Court Judge and her biggest advocate,  Sara McGinty has huge name recognition that will be very helpful to her in both the primary and general elections. First if you are the favorite in an election that right there should give you pause, at least in this county. Time after time, year after year, we have seen the early favorite in an election go down in flames. So if you are the favorite, you gotta work twice as hard and make sure you stay the favorite. Secondly after losing the Democratic and WFP nominations  that should have been a wake up call that it's time to get serious. McGinty's recent filing of 1280 signatures almost the bare minimum does not show that she received that message.  By comparison when Vince Bradley lost the nomination for DA in 2007 he got over 2500 signatures to try and force a primary.  Sharon who had the help of the Dem committee turned in over 3,500.

Will McGinty Find her Heart?

We have said before Sharon Graff while a political new comer has demonstrated that she has got it going on. Graff is disciplined, well organized and has a staff that knows what they are doing. We think Graff picking up Debbie Robbins early on was a move she will not regret and probably a big reason she's done so well and was particularly probably a hire that helped her win the nomination of the party. Robbins who just graduated from law school is a Cahill alumni and a political consultant in Ulster County that is top notch and on the rise and like Graff sexy AF.  Whoever McGinty has hired should be fired. If Sara makes it to the primary at this point it's by luck. McGinty needs to take that luck and fire whoever she has working for her and consider calling Josh Sommers at Focus Media and really get serious if she wants to have a chance at winning, she has a lot of catching up to do but don't get us wrong she can still win. We don't underestimate Sara for a second, we are really surprised she's being schooled like this because she's not just the wife of a Judge looking to get herself a position. McGinty is accomplished in her own right a former Judge herself and anyone that was around when her husband Tony ran for family court in 2005, would tell you it was Sara that won her husband the Democratic nomination in a crowded field of great candidates. Sara has passion and smarts and it makes us wonder is her heart in this race?

Ulster GOP Fucks over Conservative Party

Jack Hayes a former Ulster County legislator is challenging Kevin Cahill for Assembly and is a registered Conservative because he is not a member of the Republican party he needs a Wilson Pakula authorization filled with the board of election by the Republican party to run on their line. There was a pissing match several weeks ago when the Conservative party threatened to withhold endorsements of some veteran GOP Senators because they were unhappy with their legislative records. Conservative  party members felt their votes did not represent the party's platform, one those legislator's was Senator John Bonacic. This pissed off Ulster Party Boss Roger Rasquoe, part of Bonacic's district is in Ulster County and Rogers's wife works for the Senator.  So Roger says to the Conservatives, go fuck yourselves if you don't endorse our people I won't sign the Wilson for Jack Hayes to run for Assembly. I think a deal was made I'm not exactly sure but maybe Bonacic was given the Conservative line and they just didn't endorse Larkin, not sure details but something was worked out and Jake Hayes was expecting to get the GOP line and was endorsed by the party at their convention.

Turns out though last week Roger did not sign the Wilson. So now Hayes who never had a shot at beating Kevin Cahill anyway is off the Republican line and still has no shot at beating Kevin Cahill. Lol, it's a dick move on Roger's part because as a party boss you should keep your word but I gotta say besides the fact we support Cahill, we really are glad this happened because we hate Jake Hayes. The guy is an old mustach and has no idea that we are living in 2016 not 1916, he's out of touch extremely partisan and just rubs us the wrong way. Speaking of Roger Rascoe we saw him and that bafoon Kevin Costello at the GOP convention front and center as Donald Trump accepted the nomination to be our next President and Roger was wearing his signature 1970's silver blazer, I think it's the only sports coat the guy owns, really, I've seen this guy a few hundred times and always the same jacket.  Maybe Roger can cash in on some of the political capital he just earned w Bonacic and get himself a new suit, your representing Ulster County baby what were you thinking?!  Go see Patsi and tell him we sent you Roger he'll hook you up with some thing nice.  Gotti an impeccable dresser would wear these gorgeous custom made Brioni suits, Roger check it out here: www.brioni.com  Maybe Costello will front you the money at 5 points a week, if you were nicer to Party Boss Quigley you'd have a bigger clothing allowance Hun.

Kingston loses another business: Rebecca Martin has successfully driven another business out of Kingston. It is remarkable that we allow these left wing nuts to dictate policy like this, the property that was proposed to be a shooting range is now on the market for $400k, I'm sure a great non profit will come and buy it.  Maybe Rebacca Martin can buy it and open it up as Kingston citizen's against economic development. It drives us insane to see this again and we apologize to the Doctor who tried to open this and to the neighboring towns and cities that laugh at us. We are the silent majority, we support you.  Niagra botteling was chased out last year due to concerns about adauqate water levels and some other nonsense, they left taking a potential 100 jobs with them and it was reported in Freeman last week that Kingston's water supply is at an excess. When are we going to wake up?

Kingston Mayor Steve Noble lost a $10 million dollar grant last week and said in the paper that it was a great experience.  Yea losing ten million dollars of grant money for your city because you hire your unqualified friend to be in charge of grant writing is a great experience. It's actually a great history lesson if you ask me Gallo warned us all how awful Noble was at writing grants and we now are suffering the consequences of voting on emotion instead of voting with our brains.

Ellen DiFalco Primaries Charlie Landi for Dem Committee Seat

Ellen DiFalco the secretary to former Mayor Shayne Gallo has filled petitions for a seat on the Democratic committee, in Kingston's Third Ward in a district held by former Alderman Charlie Landi for a very long time. Landi supported Mayor Steve Noble in the Democratic primary and was recently rewarded by Noble w a seat on the Kingston Police commission. Landi was particularly nasty and aggressive against Gallo during that primary and has a long history of fighting w the Gallo family. Landi butted heads w T.R. Gallo when he was Mayor but T.R. Won every battle against Landi. It got so bad that T.R. Broke ranks with his party and endorsed and walked the Third ward w Landi's Republican opponent in a largely Democratic Ward. T.R.'s candidate won retiring Landi from city politics for almost a decade.  Charlie has a good shot at holding onto his seat though and we do wish him well. Landi had personal issues with Shayne but he gave him a fair shake, he stood in the parking lot of the King's Inn w Shayne despite his issues w TR in 2011 when Gallo first announced. Landi isn't a bad guy and Ellen is fucking evil.  Furthermore, Landi has been involved on the committee forever and  has helped many Democrats get elected serving in several different positions within the party and has volunteered to help out with certain party positions when they were vacant. Landi deserves to stay.

Almost there

Yeaterday we broke 900, today is the day. We have breaking news we'd love to share once we breaks 1000 hits in a day

The Don is Not Happy

We understand that we didn't post much last month but less than 10,000 hits in a month and under 800 hits in a day is not acceptable, please share with your friends and get our numbers back up where they belong. The Kingston Times gets more hits than this, its pathetic. If my numbers don't go up, you will all be banned from the blog, Im not writing all of this to talk to myself here, Capeesh?!?! There will be no new posts till we hit 1,000 hits in a day, that is all.

Omertà Mini

Mayor Steve Noble a few months back disbanded the ethics commission saying that he did so because there need to be revisions in the process of the board and pretty much said the board currently was insufficiently set up.  We hear the real reason he disbanded the board was because an ethics complaint into Noble giving his friend Kristin Wilson a salary out of her pay grade was days from being filled with the board and Noble wanted to put a stop to it. Anyway, Joe DiFaco has filed a complaint against his administration and it's handling of Alderman Will and Steve Noble in response appoints the same board to investigate, the only difference is he appointed all new people.

Why did he do this? How can he think we won't realize what this little twerp is doing ? Noble disbands the board says publicly that the reason he is doing it is because the board  needs to be more practable and enforceable and that the members of the board he disbanded based their determinations on a well-documented and thoughtful process.


The only thing that has changed are the members of the board, nothing procedurally has been changed no revisions have been made. So what is Noble saying? He wants the complaint against him to be handled in a way that is not practable or enforceable ?!

All the Mayor had to do is grow a set of balls and say that he's the motherfucking boss and he wants his people on the board. Noble should have simply asked for their resignations, as in any new administration, the board members and department heads if they had any respect for their Mayor should have offered their resignations and allowed Nobes to pick who he wanted to stay. Instead he makes himself look like a shady little pussy that thinks he's smarter than everyone else and the people see right through it.

As for the complaint itself it was not written by Joe DiFalco, Joe can barely write his name let alone that complaint, it was either Ellen or Andrew Zweben in our opinion that wrote that but we can say for sure it did not come from the mind of Joey DiFalco. Joe is a shoe shiner, he walks around with his little shine box and takes orders, he's not working with much brain power. Secondly the complaints against Kevin Bryant are completely bogas. Kevin Bryant is one of the few people in City Hall that has integrity and is honest.

The board should not handle this matter because based on Noble's comments the boards powers are not practical or enforceable. They are being used as pawns and I like Al Nace a lot one of the new appointees but it's simply wrong,

A good ethics board should be diverse in how they are appointed, I agree some changes should be made epically to the appointment process of the board. The members should have terms and not serve at the pleasure of anyone to prevent the appearance of imperpriaty and to ensure the board members feel safe in issuing fair opinions even if it effects the people that appointed them. The appointments should not all be from the Mayor. The Mayor should appoint three, the Majoirty leader and Minority leader should each appoint two respectively. Changes are fine but don't tell us you are making these changes to an ethics board to make it more ethical and than fire the board and replace them with your friends, that's not just and it's unacceptable.


Speaking of unacceptable we were not happy to learn that former Alderman Charlie Landi got a seat on the police commission, it's undeserved.

Another business has been whacked by Kingston Common Council and Kingston CItizens.org, Rebecca Martin is probably doing cartwheels on her broom celebrating another victory in the destruction of business in Kingston. Good job hun, I'm sure the counsel will give you another Pride of the City award.

What the fuck is with Matt Dunn pushing this dolt that wants to change the design of the City's flag. It's a non starter it's not gunna happen. These newbies come in our community and try to take it over and it's disgusting. kudos to people like Sottile and Elisa Ball, and everyone else that has come out against this ridiqulous proposal. Our Mayor unfortunately has been silent on the issue.



We were sorry to learn of the death of Ray Hull and we think that Mayor Noble and Parks and Rec Sup. Kevin Gilfether handled themselves great in the paer today. Ray was a good guy and dedicated employee, Mayor Noble sent a nice email out to all employees this morning as well and he did a good job.

The Omertà Report

The primary for Congress is over and we endorse and stand behind John Faso, he's the only candidate that's qualified to represent us in Washington. His opponent is a carpet bagger and makes Bernie Sanders look like Sean Hannity. We can't afford two years of Zepher Teachout.  She has no qualifications and is an opertunist and the 19th will not elect her.

Peter Matera is gunna need help to get elected our next Surragate Court Judge, with Hillary leading the ticket the Democratic nominee is going to benefit from her coat tails and the influx of Democratic voters that only vote on Presidential elections. Please go on his website and donate to the guys campaign he's a good guy.

I will say Sharon Graff is doing a great job with her campaign and is schooling the McGinty team, I must say I am very surprised. Sharon Graff is a hard worker and has shown strength, organization and  discipline in her race for the Democratic nomination for Surragate court and we wish her well. She's sexy too, we never saw her as anything special in the past but we were looking at pix of her on the campaign trail and she has some body on her.


Mike Hein and Kevin Cahill are still at war this time over a state committee seat. There were fireworks at the Ulster Democratic convention last month when Chairman Frank Cardinale called Karen Markisinis the preferred candidate during the nomination process over incumbent Judy Hakeem. Judy is seen as a Cahill loyalist.  John Parete  and Rob Parete went up to Cardinale  and got into a heated argument with him defending Judy. We hear Parete almost knocked out Chairman Cardinale and asked him to resign. Where does Frank Cardinale get the balls to call Markesinis the preferred candidate before the vote? I think it's safe to say Cardinale is going through a way bigger than Naploian complex.  We still don't understand why Cardinale carries Hein's jock strap, this is the guy that fired  Cardinale's wife from her cushy gig at the office of the aging.

We hear Noble called in former Economic development director Gregg Swanzy to help him with a city grant that the current office had no clue on. Swanzy came to city hall sat in a meeting with Noble and his crack pot team and offered no help instead he said to Noble:  I just wanna come here in person and tell you to go fuck yourself....dropped the Mic and walked out, like a boss.  Good for Swanzy.

We hear John Tuey at a department head meeting a few months back was going over the budget and it was reported that former Mayor Shayne Gallo left the City with a ONE MILLION DOLLAR SURPLUS. Bill Clinton was elected the youngest Governor in the history of Arkansas and because of his attitude and raising the fee on driver's licenses he was voted out after one term. Clinton licked his wounds learned his lesson and four years later was elected Governor again, serving for three more consecutive terms before becoming President. Shayne Gallo is definitely licking his wounds, could he be the next to be called the come back kid? It wouldn't take much for him beat Noble if he showed a little humility and sanity, no doubt voters will give him another chance.