Rochester Smoke Out

I would like to express my admiration for David O’Halloran’s “admiring the admiration” in his comment to my previous post:

Nice try, David! After kissing Bernardos’ collective ass for almost a decade, wounded by their betrayal and betrayed by your own actions, you thought you found a way out: let’s throw Len and Jon in the same sentence!

I know that you are at the end of the line, but that’s no excuse for your dumb statement: “Each of you are willing to do or say anything to get your spouses elected.” While your pal – Len Bernardo – did everything to get his wife (s)elected, for five years I did everything to expose his dirty deals. Meanwhile, back at the Ranch, you were willing to do everything to “get rid of Manuela.” Does fixing the 2011 Committee vote ring a bell? It should, it was done over the phone…

Please do me a favor, go out and spread the word: “People, listen to me, Len and Jon have the same agenda!” I could see the headlines:

DAVID O’HALLORAN – THE OLDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD!
EVERYBODY ELSE WAS BORN YESTERDAY.

David, you should really start paying attention to what I’m saying. We go back about ten years. Did I ever say anything which proved not to be true? I told you before, I’m telling you now: I do not want Manuela to run for anything, but if she runs, I will fight for her right to do it without interference from bonacics, catalanos, bernardos and ohallorans. Am I clear enough? And please, hold the “love is blind” syrup.

Oh, David! You are willing to do and say anything to get my spouse elected.

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

From the Freeman article Ulster, Dutchess school board races take shape we learn that School Board Elections will be held on May 21. In the Rondout Valley district, while incumbent Chris Kelder, the board’s president, did not seek re-election, four candidates have filed petitions to fill three 3-year seats. The candidates are incumbents David O’Halloran and Michael Redmond Sr., as well as Jennifer Ryan and Kevin Cothren.

Four candidates, three seats, and O’Halloran in the race? I love it!

He became a member of the School Board by arrangement: a board member resigned after elections, so David could be appointed to fill the vacancy. The following year he mustered the courage to throw his hat in the ring: there were only five candidates for five seats, and guess who came in the fifth place?

David O’Halloran hates elections, unless he has a hand in fixing them. In 2009 he bowed out of the New York State Republican Committee race (107th Assembly District), after I convinced Keith Kortright and Barbara Zaccai to run against the O’Halloran-Bernardo team.

Right now, O’Halloran is on a roll. He resigned left and right, like there is no tomorrow, and he might be right. He resigned as Chairman of Ulster County Industrial Development Agency, he resigned as Vice-Chairman of the Ulster County Republican Party. He did not resign from his positions because he truly wants what’s best for people. He got caught under a conflicts of interest avalanche. Speaking of conflicts of interest, now even Terry Bernardo – his best political ally – prods him to resign the Rochester Republican Committee chairmanship.

On May 21, forget O’Halloran. He is so busy resigning, he’d never make time for the School Board.

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

CORRECTION
Mr. David O’Halloran pointed out via email that he took 4th place in the last School Board election, not the 5th place as I erroneously reported. He sent a link to the article Controversy? School Budgets Pass Across The Region (Shawangunk Journal, May 17, 2012) from which this paragraph is taken:

I stand corrected. jdm

DISCLAIMER: If you spill your coffee and ruin the keyboard after reading the first line of Terence P. Ward’s article in Shawangunk Journal, you are on your own.

“David O’Halloran expressed his displeasure with the local political system…”

You’re kidding, right? David O’Halloran is the local political system. Sure, there is a Republican Committee in town, but – in the last four years – the only member not voting in lockstep was Manuela Michailescu.

In 2011, at the end of a meeting where legislative candidates were interviewed for endorsement, David O’Halloran asked the Committee members “You trust me, don’t you? You wouldn’t mind if I call you on the phone to take your vote, would you?” As the O’Halloran-Bernardo alliance was in full bloom, David did not want the vote taken in front of Manuela.

Nowadays, the alliance looks a bit withered. Resigning his vice-chairmanship of the Ulster County GOP, O’Halloran wrote in an email sent to GOP County Chairman Rascoe:

“I will not be influenced or led by political leaders outside of Ulster County nor minority party leaders within Ulster County…”

Isn’t that commendable? Wait! Two days later O’Halloran told Freeman that he…

“…stepped down because he had been told that several members of the Legislature, including Chairwoman Terry Bernardo, said they would abstain from voting on the VLT issue to avoid any appearance of impropriety.”

O’Halloran was pushing for Video Lottery Terminals on behalf of his own business. Terry abstained from the VLT vote on advice from counsel:

“Bernardo and O’Halloran were too interrelated for her to vote without running afoul of the county ethics code.”

I apologize, I should have warned you about the use of the words Bernardo, O’Halloran and ethics in the same sentence.

“Can I buy you a cup of coffee or tea at the Ranch this morning? Like to discuss a strategy to show our support for each other.“

Despite the fact that the above text message from O’Halloran didn’t sit well with Bernardo…

“…she continues to be supportive of VLTs in Rochester, but since O’Halloran is the GOP chairman there, that remains an impediment to her public support… O’Halloran’s resignation from that post, Bernardo said, would make her support possible…

O’Halloran said that he isn’t convinced Bernardo is the best choice for Rochester any longer.”

I can’t wait to see who screws whom. Not that it makes a difference – either way the Town of Rochester is going to be screwed.

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

After attending the Pinegrove Republican meeting, I was so disgusted, I threw up, then went to bed. I woke up to a few requests for an update on what happened Wednesday night, and to this email:

Yes, David. I have two photos from last night. The one you see at the top of this page – you’re looking good, buddy! – and the one you’ll find below.

People, don’t get too excited! Nothing happened at Pinegrove but the expected. In other words, what was permitted was mandatory.

Earlier in the day, Terry Bernardo used a few pipelines to convey to David O’Halloran that he could have all the VLTs he wants, and then some. She couldn’t wait to vote YES, YES, YES! A little funny – considering the conflicts of interest list she gave to Daily Freeman:

Bernardo said she abstained from voting on the measure because of her personal and professional involvements with O’Halloran.

She said that as the town of Rochester GOP chairman, O’Halloran hosted fundraisers for her. And in the past several months, Bernardo and her husband, Len, have been embroiled in a dispute with the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency over tax breaks given to the Bernardos’ business, Skate Time 209. Earlier this month, the agency, which is headed by O’Halloran, revoked the Bernardos’ tax breaks.

Of course, after pushing the toothpaste back in the tube, O’Halloran un-hosted the fundraisers for Bernardo. Poof! No more conflicts of interest…

Back at the Ranch, we have three candidates vying for the nod:

Terry Bernardo – current Chairwoman of the Ulster County Legislature
Manuela Michailescu – former Town of Rochester Councilwoman
John Dawson – recruited by O’Halloran two days ago

Based on the meeting’s agenda distributed at the door, everybody expected a decision on the Endorsement for Legislative District 21 to be made. Didn’t happen.

Why, after interviewing the candidates for almost two hours, did O’Halloran decide to re-schedule the vote for May 23?

Given the fact that Terry Bernardo and Manuela Michailescu have been interviewed by the same Committee two years ago, and considering that everybody knows exactly who John Dawson is, what could possibly happen in the next 30 days to change how the Committee members would have voted last night?

Terry Bernardo is not going to become an honest politician, Manuela Michailescu is not going to flirt with dishonesty, and John Dawson is not going to undo his less than proper attempt to influence Manuela’s vote on his airport-in-Rochester project, when Manuela was a Town Board member.

We all know the meaning of the black smoke: no endorsement yet. We must wait till May 23 for the white smoke and mirrors.

As for David O’Halloran resigning the town GOP chairmanship, he told me so a bunch of times: “If my Committee endorses Terry Bernardo, I will resign.” Against all odds, let’s hope that he is a man of his word.

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

Quite a day yesterday. I received two emails I want to share with you. Here is the first:

Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2013
From: ucfotc@yahoo.com
Subject: Support Those Who Supported Our 2nd Amendment

Let’s make it clear from the get go: Ulster County Friends of the Constitution is the brainchild of Terry and Len Bernardo and their hand puppets Gerry and Cindy Fornino – a.k.a. the Chair and Vice-Chair of Town of Rochester Conservative Party. Those who signed for membership were not told about the single-item agenda of helping Terry Bernardo in the coming Elections.

“We can ill afford to risk having Terry replaced…” Of course Terry, we believe you, but next time you send a similar email, let Forninos know. They are people too…

As very accomplished deceivers, Len and Terry Bernardo quickly saw the huge potential in the Second Amendment issue. The way they used the firefighters for their political gain, they are using now the sportsmen, and this is the second email:

Date: Tue, Apr 16, 2013 18:38:44
From: elmer@georgecoleauctions.com
Subject: UC Sportsmen ALERT! IMPORTANT

Calling all Town of Rochester GOP members…

There is a movement afoot (by people within the town party for seemingly selfish reasons) to push out Terry.

We need all hands on deck at the meeting tonight to show support for Terry and the fine job she has been doing.

PINE GROVE RANCH
6:30-8:00
FREE PIZZA AND COLD REFRESHMENTS

THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO TOWN OF ROCHESTER REGISTERED REPUBLICANS ONLY…

HOWEVER IT MIGHT NOT BE A BAD IDEA FOR ANY OTHER REGISTERED REPUBLICANS TO SHOW UP AND LET THEM KNOW HOW IMPORTANT TERRY IS TO THE COUNTY…

I DOUBT THAT ANY OTHER CANDIDATE COULD DO WHAT SHE HAS DONE FOR US…

LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN PEOPLE…

Stupid me, I thought a legislator from Rochester must do things for Rochester, not for Elmer LeSuer. As for Terry being important for Ulster County, I strongly recommend paying attention to the news.

Forget Elmer. Question is, why would Terry Bernardo invite non-Republicans from out of town to crash a Republican Committee meeting? You know why. If you don’t, let me quote from another blog:

“…Support for Bernardo is deteriorating among her own Town Republican Committee which should come as no surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to the activities of current Legislative term. The record and accomplishments speak for themselves.”

So, Bernardo brings the friends of the Constitution and the defenders of the Second Amendment to pressure the committee members into voting for her – in the process disregarding the Constitution. Cool!

While I understand Terry Bernardo’s fear of losing this year’s election, I really don’t see what the people she called to arms are afraid of. John Dawson – Terry’s opponent, and I predict, tonight’s winner of the GOP endorsement – is a well-known developer with a decade-long dream to build an airport in the Town of Rochester. I vouch for him, he is the best friend of the Constitution and a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment.

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

There is Shakespeare and then there is Bernardo the Anonymous:

Anonymous
Submitted on 2013/03/18 at 2:21 PM

You people are so stupid! It’s no wonder Michailescu, Marinesco and Yess are such pathetic losers. You don’t know anything about anything especially politics. Dunn won’t run against Terry. What a stupid idea. If he runs, it’ll be because Terry has decided not to run.

You want to know why Dunn will run? To make sure Manu can’t win. Face it losers. Nobody in power wants your lamebrain loudmouth to win any election. So if Terry runs for something else and doesn’t run for reelection they will run Troy Dunn to make sure Manu gets her ass kicked.

If you idiots think Dunn will run against Terry you need to have your weak little brains examined. Thanks for giving publicity to the guy who will crush Manu if Terry doesn’t run.

Wow! Curious what triggered Bernardo’s comment? This little paragraph I published under the headline Rumor has it:

People are starting to toss their hats in the ring. Manuela Michailescu officially announced her run in District 21 (Rochester and East Wawarsing). Now there is a lot of buzz around Troy Dunn, who is expected to enter – rather sooner than later – the county legislative race, in the same district. According to a top level Ulster GOP leader, this is a 90% done deal. Both Troy’s parents served in the Ulster County Legislature.

At the time it was just a rumor, phoned in by the Smoke & Mirrors, Inc. Hugh Reynolds received the same tip and he swallowed the hook, line and sinker:

In the Town of Rochester, there’s nostalgia as campaign season follows a long, ugly winter. Many Republicans are now fondly recalling former 10-term legislator Vinnie Dunn and wife Marlene, who served a few terms after his death. Now a Dunn son, retired Air Force officer Troy Dunn, is back in town. The soothsayers around the pot-bellied stoves of Kerhonkson detect a possible interest in reclaiming the family legacy. If young Dunn has such intentions, and he has not communicated his plans one way or the other — he didn’t respond to inquiries — he’ll face Republican legislature chairman Bernardo in a primary. And wouldn’t that be interesting?

Rumor or not, it appears that Troy Dunn is being pushed to run against Terry Bernardo. You see, he is very, very electable: his daddy was a legislator, his brother – Randy Hornbeck – served on the Town Board and is still serving for something… More pros? Best buddy with O’Halloran and Bernardos. Cons? Last May he chose not to run for the school board, citing lack of involvement and no knowledge of town’s issues.

Remember Bernardo’s rant? “Troy Dunn won’t run against Terry. What a stupid idea. If he runs, it’ll be because Terry has decided not to run.” Bear with me along this Trojan candidate script: Troy runs, beats Terry in the Republican primary, Terry runs on her husband’s line, Troy excuses himself… Poof! Terry has no challenger in the general election, gets “elected” by default, “serves” the first year, then runs for the State Senate. Call me crazy, but the plan is in progress. Look at the subtle changes in the last Bernardo rant:

Anonymous
Submitted on 2013/04/13 at 10:05 AM

You really are nuts, aren’t you? I mean, you need a doctor, medication and electroshock therapy if you really think Manu is ever going to be a county legislator. The woman is dumb as a box of pasta! Seriously, Yanni, do you think Ohalloran is going to back your idiot wife? He’s going to promote Troy Dunn and either Dunn or Terry Bernardo are going to win the election. Manu is not going to be nominated by the republicans or the conservatives or the independents. She can’t win those nominations in a primary either. There is no way the democrats are backing her because your disgusting behavior has made them all hate you two. Do you think Robin Yess’s vaudeville midget act’s endorsement is going to mean anything to anyone? Manu is never getting elected to anything ever again. Find some other way to get free health insurance.

And all I did was to reproduce this bit from a comment on Liberty Coalition blog:

Note to Manuela – Rochester NEEDS you. Run for office and take charge – the good and honest citizens of Rochester will follow a strong leader with NO self interest!

Honk if you agree that we could use a few election cycles without wondering if it’s LEN of TROY or TROY of LEN.

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

Too much strategy coffee can’t be that good for you…

Ulster County Legislature Chairwoman Terry Bernardo denies using political clout to block VLT plan is only the headline of an article in today’s Daily Freeman. Inside, bullshit galore:

Bernardo said because of the personal and business relationships she had with O’Halloran, a fellow town of Rochester resident, she was ethically bound to remove herself from the legislative debate over a resolution asking the state to allow the game terminals at Pinegrove and the Hudson Valley Resort.

“I abstained because it would personally benefit Mr. O’Halloran, and I have a relationship with him,” she said on Friday.

Bernardo said O’Halloran, as chairman of the Rochester Republican Committee, raised money for her Legislature campaigns and, as chairman of the Industrial Development Agency, was in a position to reach a settlement in a dispute with the Bernardos’ business, Skate Time 209, over a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement with the agency. “There were conflicts of interest all over the place,” Mrs. Bernardo. “I was staying out of it.”

“There were conflicts of interest all over the place,” says Terry Bernardo. You’re damn right, I say. You should have seen them before O’Halloran – prodded by State – was no longer able to protect your PILOT tax breaks.

“I was staying out of it,” says Terry Bernardo. Shame on you, I say. Town of Wawarsing passed a resolution in support of a casino at Nevele. You voted for the same thing in Legislature. Town of Rochester passed a resolution in support of VLTs at two local resorts, and you stayed out of it? Shame on you for abstaining from representing your own town.

In another email, he asked the chairwoman to come to the Pinegrove so O’Halloran could buy her a cup of coffee and the two could discuss a strategy “to show our support for each other.”

Support for each other? With the cat out of the bag? Not happening.

Bernardo said that, in a phone call, O’Halloran told her he would “ruin” her and find someone to run against her in the fall 2013 election for her legislative seat.

This is so telling, because, you see, in the Town of Rochester only two people count: one is glued to a Legislator seat, the other one has the solvent.

Terry Bernardo, do you remember the May 2012 Town of Rochester Republican Committee meeting, when Manuela Michailescu announced that she would challenge you in 2013? Perhaps you recall your reaction to her announcement? Having that vacant stare, that mute face? And finally managing to say “I lost my train of thought?” Doesn’t ring a bell? OK, be like that…

Terry Bernardo, do you remember at least one of these two emails sent to all Town of Rochester Republican Committee members?

How about the Ulster County GOP Chair Roger Rascoe announcing Manuela’s candidacy at the March 14 meeting in Kingston? OK! Now that you remember it, try to answer this question: why would O’Halloran threaten on April 10, 2013 with finding a challenger for you… when you had a challenger since May 2012? Unless, of course, David wants to replace you with somebody NOT different from you.

Please allow me to quote from a comment to I don’t want to say I told you so, on the Liberty Coalition blog:

Note to Manuela – Rochester NEEDS you. Run for office and take charge – the good and honest citizens of Rochester will follow a strong leader with NO self interest!

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

The puzzle above is a facsimile of the comments to Nevele event trumpets casino potential – an article published today in Daily Freeman.

Apparently, somebody is talking to himself. Apparently.
First one to solve the puzzle wins the right to share the solution.

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

After seeing that public service and Terry Bernardo have nothing in common, I tried to understand why she’d be involved in politics at all – the ten grand legislator salary being peanuts for her-n-hubby. Exactly one year ago tomorrow, everything made sense. Look above, read below… it’s so clear.

On April 12, 2012 the Rondout Valley Business Association and the Ellenville-Wawarsing Chamber of Commerce hosted a presentation from the Nevele Investors LLC’s principal, Michael Treanor.

From the article Nevele group lays out plans for RVBA during morning breakfast by Sherry Chachkin, published in Blue Stone Press on April 20, 2012:

Treanor credited, among others, County Executive Mike Hein and County Deputy Director of Economic Development March Gallagher, who was in attendance, for their support. County Legislature chair Terry Bernardo (R-Accord), also in attendance, said: “As a resident and business owner and a representative of Wawarsing, I personally support the project.”

Bernardo, noting that County Legislative Counsel Langdon Chapman had been named Counsel to the Senate Commission on Racing Gaming and Wagering, said “I hope to use my connections to help you effectuate your plan.”

Let’s take a look at the resolutions No. 154 and No. 157 passed on June 19, 2012 at the monthly Legislative meeting…

Resolution No. 154 June 19, 2012
In Support Of The Inclusion Of The Nevele Hotel Site In Any State Constitutional Amendment, Law, Regulation Or Policy Which Lists Or Proposes Sites Eligible For The Operation Of A Class III Gaming Casino.
Resolution No. 154 passed 22-0.

Mentioned in the resolution:

WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Wawarsing has unanimously approved and supported locating a gaming casino at the Nevele site through passage of Resolution No. 11 of 2012.

Resolution No. 157 June 19, 2012
Requesting That The Ulster County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) File An Annual Report Card To Improve Transparency, Accountability And Ensure the Public Trust.
Resolution No. 157 passed 22-0.

From Terry Bernardo’s speech on January 2, 2013:

And last, I would like to see a concerted effort to focus on resort development. The desire for casino gaming that some have is nice, but the reality is we cannot depend solely on helping one resort. I would like to see a concerted effort to promote some of our destination and non-destination resorts in the Towns of: Lloyd, Rochester, Wawarsing, Saugerties, and Shandaken and also to lobby the State for Video Lottery Terminals (or VLTs) for no more than three of those resort areas if they want them – and just to be clear, I said support all of them, but only VLTs for those that want them – no VLTs in Saugerties, I know.

April 10, 2013 is going to be remembered as the day when the $hit hit the fans of Terry Bernardo. Daily Freeman had no less than three articles on the topic.

From David O’Halloran resigns from Ulster County Industrial Development Agency, says Terry and Len Bernardo abuse power:

O’Halloran, who heads the Republican Committee in the town of Rochester, where the Bernardos live, also said he is actively seeking candidates to run for the Legislature seat now held by Terry Bernardo.

“We’re not convinced at this time that the right candidate for the district is Terry Bernardo,” he said.

From Ulster County GOP’s ex-vice chair, David O’Halloran, blasts fellow Republicans for not backing video lottery measure:

“Dave has gone between shock that I would abstain to asking me to meet with him to discuss a strategy so we could support one another,” said Bernardo, R-Accord.

She said when she declined to meet with him, “he said he’s going to ruin me, he’s going to destroy me, he’s going to run another candidate against me.”

Legislature Majority Leader Kenneth Ronk said it would have been “irresponsible” of the Legislature to adopt the VLT resolution now because the state isn’t looking to approve the machines at locations other than racetracks.

From Ulster County Democratic lawmaker offers to tone down tax break resolution; GOP leader remains critical:

Although it doesn’t mention Bernardo, R-Accord, by name, the resolution refers to “an incumbent legislator” whose business “was one of those that did not deliver on its promised jobs.”

In their application for a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes, or PILOT, agreement for their Accord roller rink, Skate Time 209, Bernardo and her husband, Len, said they would create 22 full-time jobs, but the company created only nine full- and part-time positions.

I let you process the contradictions, dirty deals and arrogance exposed above – but not before pointing out that Len and Terry Bernardo promised 26 jobs, not 22. Current count: 4.5 – including theirs!

Any thoughts?

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

Len Bernardo, the self-styled Godfather, Chairman of the fraudulent Independence Party of Ulster County.

Thanks to an alert commenter, I read this article in today’s New York Daily News: In his Albany clean-up, Gov. Cuomo has to take on fraudulent Independence Party, from which I reproduce below a few paragraphs:

New York’s political class operates in a culture in which everything is for sale, be it a vote on legislation, placement on a party’s ballot line or formulas for distributing state aid.

Up to a point, Cuomo is correct that felons will be felons. But, leading by example, the governor can also attack the quid pro quo culture that fertilizes them. He can take as his starting point the outright fraud of the Independence Party.

This editorial page revealed in December that party membership rolls are filled by thousands of unwitting voters: people who had intended to register as independents but fell instead under the Independence umbrella.

The party’s leadership… members of a bizarre, cultlike group, have traded on this mass public error to wield undeserved influence over elections. They have opened their ballot lines to politicians… and have reaped the rewards of substantial financial support.

As governor, Cuomo has the power to restore the integrity of the ballot as far as the Independence Party is concerned, because the law grants standing to a party only if its gubernatorial candidate pulls in 50,000 votes. Cuomo must put Independence leaders on notice that he will not be the candidate of a party that is built on voter confusion .

Meantime, Cuomo should do what he can: brand Independence Party leaders pariahs until they stop duping voters as a strategy for exercising illegitimate political power.

I’m not saying that politics in Ulster County were ever immaculate, but – since Bernardo crawled on stage – the dirty, dirty deals are nowadays the norm.

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco