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Conservative Party leadership battle headed to court
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
SCHENECTADY — The next round in the battle to control the Schenectady County Conservative Party is headed to state Supreme Court Thursday. Judge Vincent J. Reilly Jr. is scheduled to review 22 challenges to designating petitions for 44 committee positions within the party. A grass-roots group of Conservatives, who label themselves as reformists, filed the objections as part of efforts to oust the party’s current leadership in the Sept. 9 primary. The so-called reformists filed petitions for committee seats in 126 election districts, while the current leadership filed petitions in 118 districts. Each of the county's 128 election districts has two representatives. The county Board of Elections had earlier thrown out seven petitions based on challenges filed by the reformists, leaving the current leadership with 111 petitions prior to Reilly’s review. The faction is also challenging the party’s certificate of authorization over its endorsement of candidates, which include several Democrats seeking office in Schenectady County. If Reilly rules in favor of the faction, these candidates will lose the Conservative Party line. Longtime political activist and Conservative Kelly Rhinesmith, speaking on behalf of the reformists, said they would oust the party’s current executive board if successful in obtaining a majority of committee seats. “You can’t leave part of the old regime behind. That is like leaving behind a cancerous growth,” Rhinesmith said. Rhinesmith said the reformers are seeking to return the party to its conservative roots. Rhinesmith said a reconstituted county Conservative Party would endorse “true conservatives. We don’t care if they are Republican, Democrat or otherwise.” She said the current leadership is controlled by county Democrats, leading the party to often endorse liberal candidates. “We should not have to primary every year to put conservatives on that line,” she said. Schenectady County Democratic Committee Chairman Brian Quail denied his party controls the local Conservative Party. “As proof, two-thirds of the people they endorsed were Republicans this year,” he said. Get ALL of our news...Click here to subscribe to our online edition, a complete replica of our print edition.
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July 4, 2009
4:44 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
“As proof, two-thirds of the people they endorsed were Republicans this year,” he (Schenectady County Democratic Committee Chairman Brian Quail) said.
What is not reported is that many of the Republicans who were endorsed by the Conservative party this year ran unopposed. This includes the races for Duanesburg Supervisor, Duanesburg Town Board, and Duanesburg Highway Department.
It is time that the those enrolled Conservative party members with traditional conservative values (re)assume control of the party. Endorsements should be made based on ideology, not political favor.