The state Working Families Party has prevailed in its long-running battle with the Suffolk Working Families party chairman Chuck Pohenka over who can authorize non-party members to run on the local WFP ballot line.
The Court of Appeals Thursday let stand an Appellate Divison ruling that upheld a state party rule change barring county leaders from issuing the authorization. The rule now gives that power to the state committee. The change is a major blow for Pohenka, since the minor party mainly endorses major party candidates, rather than put foward its own members.
“We’re very pleased the court ruled in favor of the community and labor leaders that formed the party," said Dan Cantor, executive director state Working Familes Party. “We can focus on advancing the issues that really matter to working and middle class faimiles.”
Pohenka said he is disappointed by the ruling because it means “people in Brooklyn rather than Long Island will be making decisions for the local party.”
He said he plans a new court battle against the state party next week.
A result of the ruling is that two Pohenka-backed Republicans candidates -- State Sen. John Flanagan of Northport, and Suffolk Legis. Thomas Barraga of West Islip, who is running for Islip supervisor -- will be stripped of the WFP line. This will go instead to state party-backed Democratic Senate challenger Brooke Ellison, and to former Suffolk lawmaker Philip Nolan, the Democratic candidate for Islip supervisor.
Rick Brand
Comments (3)
What this means is that working class people in Suffolk will be making the decisions, not a cabal of political hacks. Pohanka and his cronies have been trying to trade the line for patronage jobs. That's over now.
Bet you can't list these so-called political jobs. Because there are none.
A year later, this issue is still alive. Once again the matter is in court. And now there are challenges in other counties. Wouldn't it be nice if Newsday actually investigated and reported the issue rather than bowing to Dan Cantor.