SD-61: More Democrat Nastiness
by Matt at Sep 7th, 2008
I am always amused when Democrats claim they want to talk about issues and in practice, they are some of the nastiness campaigners, desperately seeking to tear their opponents down in order to raise themselves up. So far, the democratic primary in the 26th district has been defined by negative ads, finger-pointing, and scandalmongering.
Things aren’t all that different in the democratic primary for the 61st Senate district:
Joe Mesi wants the district attorney to investigate Michele Iannello, and Iannello wants the attorney general to investigate Mesi.
Back-and-forth allegations of election impropriety are the latest chapter in what is becoming an increasingly ugly campaign for the 61st State Senate seat.
“We all want to make sure this is a fair election, a clean election,” said Mesi campaign manager Nicki Weiner.
Mesi, a Democrat and former professional boxer, sent a letter this week asking District Attorney Frank Clark to investigate Elections Commissioner Dennis Ward.
Ward is Iannello’s husband and the brother of Daniel Ward, the other Democrat running for the Senate.
Mesi charged Dennis Ward with using his office and Board of Elections employees to benefit his wife’s Democratic primary campaign. He also noted that Ward loaned $8,000 to his wife’s campaign.
“Those are just allegations without proof,” Iannello, a county legislator, said Friday. “There’s been no improper use of board employees.”
The story also notes various other allegations and revelations in the race. Iannello has been questioning Mesi’s relationship with Tom Golisano’s Responsible New York PAC. Joe Mesi is also dealing with revelations against him.
Iannello claims Golisano’s committee has broken state election law by exceeding the legal limits for contributions while working hand in hand with Mesi’s campaign.
Mesi, meanwhile, is dealing with revelations that his Organ Donation Foundation paid his father, Jack Mesi, $16,500 in salary over a four-year period while handing out only $13,500 in grants.
“Both my father and I have given countless talks and appearances in an effort to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation,” Mesi said in a statement. “I am sure the money paid to my father during those years barely covered his expenses.”
Of course, those revelations against Mesi were first exposed here at The Buffalo Bean last week. Still, this race was clearly a nasty one before I brought those questions about Joe Mesi to light, and one has wonder how Democrats can claim they’re really about issues, when the only issues they focus on have to do with their opponents and not the ones affecting the people they want to represent.