Overruling Nassau Chairman Bobby Kumar, the state Independence Party’s executive committee is backing GOP state Senate candidate Barbara Donno against Democratic Sen. Craig Johnson.
The panel, meeting in Albany, voted 24-1 for Donno one day after Frank MacKay, state and Suffolk chairman, said he’d support Kumar, who’d petitioned for Johnson. (See previous post here).
"It was decided that this is in the best interest of the state," said MacKay, an ally of Senate Republicans who are fighting to keep a majority. "Having a government with checks and balances is more important than anything else."
Several sources say the Independence Party fears Democratic state domination would curb minor-party power by banning cross-endorsements. "I love New York City," McKay said. "But I don't want the whole state controlled by one party in New York City."
Republicans circulated a nominating petition for a 24-year-old friend of Donno’s son -- who dropped out hours after petitions were filed. Doug Forand, Democratic Senate campaign committee spokesman, accused GOP leaders of “starting their dirty tricks campaign early.”
Forand added, "This show that the Independence party is either independent nor a party, but a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Republican Party. (Majority Leader) Dean Skelos and (state and Nassau GOP Chairman) Joe Mondello are starting their dirty tricks campaign early. It is unfortunate that Barbara Donno is allowing herself to be used in this way." Donno, he noted, has been promoting herself as not a typical politician.
Last year, the GOP candidate against Johnson, Maureen O'Connell, had the Independence endorsement.....
Rick Brand
Repubicans also put as members of the controversial petition's committee on vacancies MacKay, Independence party vice chairman Thomas Connolly, and state party secretary William Bogardt, who is also Babylon IP leader.
MacKay said the Independence Party will file what is known as a Wilson Pakula certification to allow Donno, a non-party member, to run on the alternate line today at the Nassau Board of Elections in Mineola.
Comments (7)
Wait! Frank MacKay didn't follow through on his word? Shocking! When are voters going to wake up to the fact that his party is not a real party and is just a sham on the voters of New York State?
Again what does this party stand for ?????
VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com
Of course MacKay overrode Kumar. The Court of Appeals told him he could when they ruled for state committees over county committees back in June. MacKay is just doing to Nassau what Cantor and Working Families have done to Suffolk. Both MacKay and Cantor have turned third parties into a moneymaking joke where registrants have no voice and big dollar contributors rule. Check the July 15th filings.
Is Kumar devastated? Will he fake his own kidnapping again?
What a bunch of weirdos! The bottom lime is that an entire NYS governent controlled by one party makes minor parties almost powerless. Frank cannot allow this to happen and Kumar should realize that instead of acting out.
Franks and Beans............then Frank should be honest about where he is coming from. He is duplicitous and Kumar should beat his candidate in an Independent line run, he still has time. Johnson should circulate petitions for that run and blast Frank and his lying machine out of the water.
Johnson is unfit to be holding a public office anyway so who cares....
He is a hand me down politician from mommy....
And an Elliot Spitzer creation....
Wow JBK, how much did the republicans pay you to say that?