The editorial board of the New York Daily News – a 1999 Pulitzer Prize winner – published the results of its investigation into the Independence Party’s activities.

Last week I posted links to, and highlights from all five articles on the subject. For your reading pleasure, here are the links again:

Cult-like band exploits voter deception to wield political power.
Thousands of voters have been duped into enrolling in Independence Party.

Independence Party’s confusing name has tricked thousands.
Citizens who meant to register as unaffiliated voters find themselves party members.

Anti-Semitic Jew Fred Newman led his cult-like followers to Independence Party power.
Meet the brains behind the fraud that is the Independence Party.

The state has to end the confusion that has swelled Independence Party rolls with unwitting and unwilling members.
Change the misleading form that draws in thousands of unsuspecting voters.

Gov. Cuomo must deliver an ultimatum to the Independence Party: Stop the shams or the party dies.
As a first order of business, the party’s name must be changed.

Stop the shams or the party dies? From what I see in Ulster County, I’d say the party dies. Thanks to State Senator John Bonacic and Mario Catalano (back then County GOP Chair), the “Independence Party Chairman” Len Bernardo caused havoc in Ulster County politics.

At one time an enabler himself, former County Democratic Chair Julian Schreibman understood too late that “the whole Indy movement was about making Terry chairman” (Indy Rising by Hugh Reynolds, New Paltz Times, December 8, 2011, page 6).

Mario Catalano – shame on him! – knew it from the get-go. Look at these two emails sent by him to Rochester and Wawarsing Republican Committee Chairs:

3/31/09
“Len Bernardo is now the County Chairman of the Independence Party, so his wife’s candidacy may have county wide implications on our ability to win back the Legislature. Therefore, it is imperative that both of you be as flexible as possible during the decision making process.”

4/2/09
“Terry Bernardo needs to be one of them. The Chairman of the Independence Party would like his wife to win as a Republican and I EXPECT you to honor that request! The implications for us countywide should not have to be explained to you, but I would be happy to meet with you at any time and DRAW YOU A PICTURE, in the event you don’t get it.”

The reorganizational meeting for the coming Legislative year will be held on January 2.
I urge the Legislators to stand up like responsible elected officials and do the right thing: send Terry Bernardo packing.

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco