Coeymans: Gross Misconduct! George McHugh, Supervisor, and Douglas Keyer, Chief of Police, Must Resign!

A recent motor vehicle accident involving Coeymans Town Supervisor George McHugh and investigated by the Coeymans Police Department, including Coeymans Chief of Police Douglas R. Keyer,[1] raises a number of questions about judgment, accountability, conspiracy, and trustworthiness.

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Not surprising, the Coeymans Police Department’s taking control of the investigation inappropriately, given the fact that McHugh and his Town Board supervise the Police Department, control the PD’s budget, and have the power to hire and fire members of the PD, including the Chief, sends up red flags pointing to grossly poor judgment on the part of the Chief of Police, Douglas Keyer, and abuse of public office and power by George McHugh.

Smalbany will join with L. Polyak in filing a formal complaint and a demand for inquiry and investigation with the Office of the New York State Attorney General, the Office of the New York State Comptroller, and the Albany County District Attorney.

Chief Douglas Keyer, as soon as he became aware that his boss, George McHugh, was involved in the accident, should have recused the Coeymans PD from the investigation for reasons of conflict of interest and possible impartiality, and handed it over to a neutral, impartial law enforcement agency such as the Albany County Sheriff’s Department (ACSD), who were at the scene. Even if Keyer did not recuse his department from the investigation, it would have been appropriate for McHugh to have at least given the appearance of propriety and good judgment by even informally asking Keyer to hand the investigation over to a neutral, impartial law enforcement body.

Neither Keyer nor McHugh did the right thing; they instead demonstrated grossly poor judgment and opened the flood gates to suspicion of conspiracy to influence the process and outcome of the accident investigation, and unlawfully obstruct justice. The Public must demand that both Keyer and McHugh resign from their positions immediately, since both have shown extremely poor judgment and should not be in positions of public trust, authority, and accountability.

The Accident Investigation Was Tainted; It Was Procedurally Flawed and Favored One Party: George McHugh

Important Definitions

On September 8, 2021, a two-car accident involving Coeymans Town Supervisor George McHugh and a Ravena resident, Laszlo Polyak. The first law enforcement agency to arrive at the scene was the Coeymans Police — Yes! It went to hell in a handbasket from that point on! — the Albany County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene, as did Albany County Sheriff’s Department Emergency Medical Services (ACSD-EMS). The accident occurred on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, 2524 US Rt 9W (in front of Pickers Nation antiques) at or about 11:41. When reading our report keep in mind it was a weekday, at about noon, in front of several busy businesses, and in clear weather.

Shortly after the accident — in fact, on the very next day, on September 9, 2021 — at the Coeymans Town Board Meeting of September 9, 2021 (before the unamended Accident Report was even completed and reviewed on September 13, 2021, and “amended on September 16, 2021), George McHugh and his 3^rd wife, Rosemary McHugh, and the Coeymans Town Board, revisited the accident and misrepresented numerous facts on the Town of Coeymans Facebook account.

The very fact that George McHugh abused his public office by taking advantage of the Town of Coeymans FaceBook account and the Town’s public resources including the video and the videographer’s time to misuse the video, the purpose of which was to make it possible for the public to participate in local government, NOT to be exposed to McHugh’s self-serving public misrepresentation of HIS version of the accident.[2]

After having reviewed the Facebook video posted on the Town of Coeymans Facebook page, Smalbany demanded, received and reviewed the Police Accident Report(s) (original and amended) created by the Coeymans PD, the Photo Log Sheet in support of the Evidence Report, the photos taken at the scene, the Incident Detail Report, the Police Request for Driver Review, the Supporting Deposition by the Coeymans PD investigating officer (Kelly A. Arnold), and the Albany County Sheriff’s Department Emergency Response (EMS) Incident Report, and after having physically visited the accident site with an eye-witness, and having taken photos of the site and the Polyak vehicle, Smalbany contacted the investigating officer (Arnold) and the detective photographing the scene (E.J. Seney) by email, requesting contact to clarify certain questions listed in the respective emails.

Shortly after having sent the emails, the Smalbany correspondent was contacted by telephone by Chief Douglas R. Keyer, who identified himself as the media contact for the Coeymans Police Department: “I handle media inquires with the police department.”[3]

Smalbany returned Keyer’s call and interviewed Keyer per the questions sent to Arnold and Senney. The statements and conclusions in this article are based on that interview and Keyer’s disclosures in the context of a so-called “media inquiry.”[4] Keyer explicitly and clearly stated that he “was at the [accident] scene” and that he has “direct knowledge of everything that transpired on that day.” Based on those statements, but despite the fact that Keyer’s statement was not entirely true, the Smalbany media correspondent considered him to be qualified to answer questions.

Chief Keyer, in typical law enforcement fashion, attempted to play the tough guy throughout the interview but it didn’t work. At one point Keyer states, “I feel no obligation to respond to you” and at another point stated “you have no right to make an enquiry to either detective Seney or to Officer Arnold,” but the Smalbany media correspondent quickly and summarily corrected Keyer’s mistaken assumptions, and the interview continued.

Chief Keyer does concede that the “Town Board” is his boss, which is a correct statement, and the Town Board is commandeered by George McHugh.

With that background information, we’d like to move on to the specific questions Smalbany had regarding the accident investigation itself, how it was conducted, and why it was tainted. The fact that the accident investigation was conducted by the Coeymans Police Department under the direct supervision of Chief Keyer, and that one of the parties involved in the accident was Town of Coeymans Supervisor George McHugh should be kept in mind, because these facts provide probable cause for the charge of serious conflict of interest and obstruction of justice.

The First-on-the-Scene

According to the Albany County dispatch record or Incident Detail Report, the first call reporting the accident was received at 11:41:35 on September 8, 2021. At ll:43:32 the case was assigned to “1st enroute” and the first unit arrived at the scene at 11:44:45 (CPD Arnold from 2 Park Drive (Mosher Park, Ravena)). The first to arrive was Coeymans PD K.A. Arnold (AL5920) and was noted as primary; Albany County Sheriff’s Deputy Jonathan Pushee (AL3148) also arrived at the scene. At 11:43:32 CPD Arnold requested and received jurisdiction. At 11:53 Arnold reports “tow on scene” without specifying who the “tow” was. It is interesting to note that throughout the Report, the location of the accident is given as Capital Care Family Practice (2524 US Rt 9W), the final location of the Polyak vehicle, whereas the accident actually occurred in front of Pickers Nation, 2530 US Rt 9W).

Problems at the Scene

We have already reported on a number of problems connected with the scene investigation, including McHugh’s several attempts to shift blame to Polyak, and changing his story at least three (3) times. Please read our initial coverage of the accident at “McHugh Tries to Put a Spin on Accident” for details.

Obviously, all vehicles involved in an accident must not leave the scene before the investigation is completed. Since the McHugh vehicle was removed from the scene before required photographs could be made of the vehicle, whether the vehicle left the scene at the direction of the operator, McHugh, the investigator PTL Arnold, Police Chief Keyer, or Det. Seney, the removal of the vehicle impaired the investigation and obstructed justice. We have to ask the question of Why the McHugh vehicle was removed or allowed to be removed before the scene investigation was completed.

We should further note that in addition to the numerous deficiencies in the investigation, deficiencies that clearly benefit George McHugh, no examination of the interior of the McHugh vehicle was made! Nor was McHugh given the standard field sobriety tests by Coeymans Police.

Who Investigated the Accident?

As noted, the Police Accident Report was created and then amended. No real problem with that. It’s the fact content of the Report that raises problems, because it is inconsistent, incomplete, and does not reliably report what actually happened.

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First of all, CPD Arnold was the investigating officer; she signed the Report, which was later reviewed by a Daniel Braden. No mention is made in the report that Chief Keyer was there, and the only indication that detective E.J. Seney was there is the fact that he is shown to be the “photographer” signing the Photo Log Sheet. No mention is made that Sheriff’s Deputy Pushee of the ACSD was present nor of the ACSD EMS. No mention is made in the report whether or that the parties were requested to submit to field sobriety testing, which we found unusual, since it is well-known that George McHugh has a special fondness for Truly, a spiked seltzer beverage containing 5% alcohol by volume.

McHugh’s Preferred Beverage

In fact, the Coeymans Police Report appears to be a fairly exact rendition of George McHugh’s fabricated version of the accident, and George McHugh’s version alone, right up to and including the statement that the driver of Vehicle 1 was “sleeping” while driving northbound on US Rt 9W! More on that below.

Given the fact that Chief Keyer admits that he was personally at the scene together with Kelly and Seney, and given the fact that Keyer was aware that George McHugh was one of the parties, Keyer should have turned the investigation over to ACSD Deputy Pushee as soon as practicable. Keyer did not and allowed his department, the Coeymans PD, under his direct supervision and authority, to continue the investigation!

In fact, Keyer, in the interview states, and we quote directly:

Keyer: “We went … above and beyond in this particular accident because…uh…well, obviously because there’s a political official involved, and I want to make sure that any scrutiny upon  the police department for not conducting a fair and impartial investigation would be squashed from the onset.”

and this is later confirmed by the Smalbany interviewer, commenting to Keyer:

Smalbany: “[Y]ou have volunteered at several points in this discussion the names and the fact that it involves a political individual, namely Mr. McHugh, who is supervisor and your boss.”

It is obvious from the Police Accident Report and the many defects in the report that the Coeymans PD lead the investigation. One glaring point is that the Report signed by Arnold explicitly and clearly states that

Keyer: “Both parties were evaluated at the scene by EMS with no injuries reported.”

That would be fine if it weren’t for the fact that Arnold writes “both” when there were actually three persons involved — George McHugh, his fourth wife, Rosemary McHugh, and L. Polyak — and in the header under “No. Injured” we read an entry of “1”, but Who? was it? Which was it? One injury or no injuries? Or, in Coeymans-speak, both ways?

Arnold also writes “Parties at the scene stated that the driver of V1 appeared to be sleeping.” Question: Which parties? The McHughs? Had to be, since no witnesses were canvassed at the scene! More on that below.

Can anyone please tell us how it is possible that anyone could have observed that the driver of V1 was “sleeping.” Try that driving down 9W. Just try to watch another vehicle driving in the opposite direction, and say with certainty that the driver is awake or sleeping. But that’s what McHugh insists and what Arnold put in her report. And that’s what Chief Keyer admits.

The Incomplete Photo Log

In the documents Smalbany demanded and received, there is a Photo Log Sheet (PLS) Supplement to Evidence Report dated 09/08/2021 at 12:22 and documenting an Incident: Crash-Property Damage, Case 21-179879, and the Subject: Scene. The PLS gives the “Location Photos Taken” to be 2580 Route 9W, Ravena, and identifies the “Photographer” as Detective EJ Seney, whose signature appears on the form. The report lists 22 digital photos with brief descriptions. Copies of the photos are provided.

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The first problem we find with Seney’s PLS Supplement to Evidence Report is that he is at the wrong location. All of the documents place the accident at 2524 US Rt 9W but Seney says his photos were taken at a scene located at 2580 US Rt 9W, which is over 1/5 mi South of the accident scene! Looks like the Coeymans PD detective/photographer doesn’t know where he is or which scene to photograph.

Seney Places the Accident Site fully 1/5 Farther South from the Actual Accident Site!

Put it this way: Say you’re charged with vandalism at 2524 Rt 9W but the police evidence photos per the Photo Log Sheet Supplement to the Evidence Report were, according to the photographer, taken at 2580 Rt 9W, you’d be off the hook! Case dismissed! This is just very sloppy, incompetent police investigation, and you should want no part in it!

But it gets worse, still! The Smalbany correspondent didn’t miss this point and pursued it in the interview with Chief Keyer.

Smalbany:       Is this the entire photo log?

Keyer: Yes.

Smalbany: Would it be procedurally correct…that if two vehicles were involved in and accident that photos would be made of both vehicles?

Keyer: Perhaps.

Smalbany:       If both vehicles were significantly damaged, would that still be a “Perhaps?”

Keyer: We went … above and beyond in this particular accident because…uh…well, obviously because theres a political official involved, and I want to make sure that any scrutiny upon  the police department for not conducting a fair and impartial investigation would be squashed from the onset. So we took photos that we felt necessary to document the accident…Now I understand that the damage to Mr. McHugh’s truck I don’t think we captured on photo.

Smalbany:       My question is, well, my statement is that I have only copies of photographs and photo log documenting damage to one vehicle and one vehicle only … the fact remains that photographs were made only of one of the vehicles and not of the other vehicle. I presume that the other vehicle was not available for photography…given your previous statements that such care and scrupulous attention was made to document this because of the sensitivity of the issues … So if the Vehicle 2, McHugh’s were removed from the scene prior to Mr. Seney’s arrival, then, of course, it would be impossible to make any evidentiary photographs in this situation. Would that be a correct assumption?

Keyer: Yes. That would be a correct assumption.

Well, Keyer previously admitted that he was personally at the scene and had direct knowledge of what transpired. So why did he let McHugh’s vehicle be removed so that no photos were taken, while photos were taken in evidence of the other vehicle?

All this was done on Chief Keyer’s watch and right under his nose! Keyer noted several times in the interview that he is “trained,” has more than 30 years in law enforcement, etc. so we would have to accept that there is no excuse for the sloppy police work. Keyer has to accept responsibility if we are to believe what he says at the end of the interview. According to Chief Keyer:

“The legacy of the [Coeymans] police department has been questionable…training is a big component…treating everyone fairly, investigating things that need to be investigated, and having the evidence that leads to a conclusion the evidence takes us to, where we need to go.

“Well, you know, I’m responsible for the department, and in that particular instance, and forgive my vulgarity, but ‘shit rolls uphill.’ So, if…my people are not doing things the right way, that falls on my shoulders. It’s my job to make sure they do it the right way.

“Yes. I think…I do not mind being held accountable by the public that we serve. I think that keeps us on our toes, it keeps us honest…uh…it’s the way it should be, I wish it worked be the same for politicians but it doesn’t quite.

(Coeymans PD Chief Douglas Keyer, Smalbany Interview, October 19, 2021)

Well, any clear and reasonably thinking person reading those words would have to think that there is some contradiction and inconsistency between what Keyer does and what he says. This is borne out in the statement made by the Smalbany interviewer in the segment above:

Smalbany:       It’s important to have somebody with extensive experience, extensive integrity sitting in that Chief’s office, and we have not had it at some points. It makes a big difference. And somebody with the balls…the balls to stand up to the politicians upstairs, which is… walking the tightrope between integrity and budget.

It seems Chief Keyer made the decision in favor of the “politicians upstairs” and the “budget,” while leaving integrity and accountability in the dust.

NO WITNESSES WERE CANVASSED

The situation we have here is a two-car accident involving two parties, Vehicle 1 and Vehicle 2. Each party has his version of the facts, and they differ significantly. I such a situation, the investigator is presented with at least four options to choose from: (1) accept one party’s version of the facts while rejecting the other party’s version, (2) rely only on what is objective evidence, ignoring the inputs of the parties, or (3) ask witnesses what they saw or heard, or (4) consider the parties’ versions, the objective evidence collected at the scene, and witness statements, and then form an impartial factual opinion.  . They did not interview any witnesses. In fact, one man who was on the scene stated, “The police weren’t interested in talking to me.” Why? Because they had already made their decisions as to the outcome.

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All of the accident investigation guidelines we reviewed emphasized the importance of identifying witnesses, but Chief Keyer didn’t think witnesses were necessary — even though he did not observe the accident and arrived much later on the scene —, because he was “clear” how the accident happened. The Smalbany interviewer pursued this point by asking Chief Keyer directly about the lack of witness support.

Smalbany:       It appears to me odd that nowhere in the comprehensive report that I have here…is there any mention of any interview requesting persons, who may have had…who might have served as eye-witnesses or who may have made a statement as to the circumstances of the accident.

Keyer: No. No, there were not.

Smalbany:       My concern is that there were several witnesses to the accident, and none of these people claims to have been interviewed. We would assume that it would [be] reasonable to get different statements to determine the circumstances…that you would have seen to it that persons with knowledge…

Keyer: No. Perhaps it would have been, however, the way the accident was explained to us…

Smalbany:       By whom?

Keyer: [B]oth subjects were interviewed. The accident scene obviously was documented and based on evidence at the scene, it was clear to me… In this particular instance the interview of witnesses would not, was not, necessary. It was clear, based on the evidence at the scene which vehicle was at fault in the accident…and how the accident occurred.

So Keyer states that both subjects were interviewed and witnesses were not necessary. Keyer wasn’t there when the accident occurred but he was clear how the accident occurred. Witnesses may have seen the actual accident in real time but, according to Keyer, their statements were not necessary, because Keyer was sure how the accident happened. We are not as convinced as Keyer appears to be.

It’s very comforting to know that we have a police chief in Coeymans who has paranormal, supernatural powers and is able to arrive late on an accident scene yet know exactly what had happened with such extraordinary clarity and assurance. Now doesn’t that give you a warm cuddly feeling of security?

If Keyer states that his people went “above and beyond in this particular accident because…uh…well, obviously because there’s a political official involved, and I want to make sure that any scrutiny upon  the police department for not conducting a fair and impartial investigation would be squashed from the onset.” All we have to say is that his “above and beyond” was in the wrong direction because the fairness and impartiality of the Coeymans Police Department and Chief Keyer are under scrutiny and the investigation was not fair and impartial from the outset; in fact, it was quite the opposite.

Finding a Scapegoat, Framing and Defaming Him

In our opinion, even considering the conspiracy and political undercurrents adversely affecting this rather minor traffic accident, the accident itself being minor but the implications of the conduct of the Coeymans Police Department and the involvement of Town Supervisor George McHugh make the issues major, one of the most devastating and damaging outcomes of the inept investigation is the fact that given all else, the Coeymans Police Department took an additional step to damage the other party, L. Polyak.

Obstruction or Impairment of Justice

We are using a broad definition of this crime: Obstruction or impairment of justice means that a person who “corruptly … influences, obstructs, or impedes, or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede, the due administration of justice, or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede, the due administration of justice”” is guilty of the crime of obstruction of justice. Two types of cases arise under the concept of obstruction of justice or the concealment, alteration, or destruction of documents; and the encouraging or rendering of false testimony. Actual obstruction is not needed as an element of proof to sustain a conviction. The defendant’s endeavor to obstruct justice is sufficient. “Endeavor” has been defined by the courts as an effort to accomplish the purpose the statute was enacted to prevent. The courts have consistently held that “endeavor” constitutes a lesser threshold of purposeful activity than a criminal “attempt.” Obstruction of justice, in the most general terms is the act of willfully interfering with the process of justice and law. This includes any act that involves influencing, threatening, harming, or impeding a potential witness, juror, legal officer, law enforcement or anybody otherwise involved in the administration of justice. As you may expect with such a broad definition, there are many types of misconduct and criminal activity that constitute an obstruction of justice, anybody can face these charges for alleged illegal acts when involved with law enforcement or criminal court proceedings.

How many forms of obstruction of justice can you identify in this accident investigation?

This was done by fraudulently creating a Police Request for Driver Review that was sent to the Department of Motor Vehicles, and in which two unsubstantiated and totally fabricated statements were included that were said to have been made by Mr. Polyak.

Smalbany:       You know, it’s troubling that in one of these sets of documents I have a Police Agency Request for Driver Review signed by Arnold … Does this signatory have any medical qualifications?

Keyer: No. Those statements are based on discussion and statements made by Laszlo  about his physical, his mental…er… his medical condition, where he was coming from.

Smalbany:       I doubt very much that Mr. Laszlo would have stated that he was “medically incapable of maintaining control of the vehicle” nor that ”he was disoriented because of medications prescribed;” I’m reading directly from the agency request. There is no other signature appearing here. There is no urine, saliva, or blood tests indicated, so I’m just wondering how Arnold made these…and you say that these statements are taken from Mr. Laszlo…but I can’t see a party to an accident making statements like that, unless he was high on something, but you have no evidence of that, either.

Keyer: Correct.

Smalbany:       What I am saying is this: This is very serious stuff because this was reported by a law enforcement officer requesting the Department of Motor Vehicles to examine this individual based on these statements. And that’s scary stuff because this can severely and adversely affect this individual’s driving privileges.

Keyer: The last thing I’m going to say on this topic is that that review was done, specifically made because of observations at the scene and statements made by Laszlo, and I’ll leave it at that.

Smalbany:       OK. Which raises the question of… Why? is it stated in the Police Request for Driver Review that the licensee appears to be medically incapable of operating a vehicle and the licensee…

Keyer: There was no breathalyzer given to either party. There were standard field sobriety tests done with Mr. Laszlo, which is part of the investigation that goes in to determine whether a driver may be impaired. Based on that testing which was done by detective Senney, we determined that Laszlo did not show signs of impairment that would preclude him from driving.

Smalbany:       And you said there was no chemical test, no chemical, no respiratory gases, no blood, no saliva …

Keyer: Correct. Because the standard field sobriety tests did determine that Mr. Laszlo was not impaired to the point where that would be necessary.

Again, it seems that the Coeymans Police are treating the parties differently, giving favorable treatment to the ‘Boss’ and prejudicial treatment to Mr Polyak. First of all, given McHugh’s alleged drinking habit and his constant companion, a can of Truly hard selzer, we feel it would have been good investigation procedure to routinely administer sobriety tests to BOTH parties; instead, and probably to appease McHugh, only Polyak was tested by Seney, even though he appeared and acted, for all intents and purposes, unimpaired! What’s even more suspicious is that no mention is made of the field sobriety testing nor of the fact that Polyak was found to be unimpaired!

So, we have to ask Why? was the Police Request for Driver Review submitted to the DMV, and Why? were such damaging and untrue statements made in that Request regarding Mr. Polyak’s condition, when Chief Keyer clearly admits that the tests administered by his detective Seney showed that Polyak was not impaired? No chemical tests at all were done. The Albany County Sheriff’s Department EMS personnel gave Polyak a clean bill of health after examining him at the scene.

The glaring fact remains that, although Det. Seney administered the field sobriety tests, and the Albany County Sheriff’s Department EMS personnel at the scene found Polyak to be unimpaired and completely OK, ‘no serious medications on board‘,’ absolutely no mention of this is made in the Police Accident Report. Now, don’t you find that to be a bit bizarre?

How can the Coeymans Police officer, Kelly A. Arnold, make such a stupidly ridiculous statement that Mr. Polyak said that he was “medically imcapable of maintaining control of the vehicle, due to pre existing medical condition,” and was “disoriented from medications prescribed?” Anyone would have to be totally insane to make such statements about himself after being involved in a traffic accident. But that’s what Arnold and Chief Keyer seem to want us to believe, even after both the Coeymans Police and the Sheriff’s EMS determined that Polyak was not impaired and that no further tests were required!

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Editor’s Note: We must note that the allegation that Polyak was “drunk” or affected by medications or asleep are taken almost verbatim, word for word, from George McHugh’s statements made in the video of the Coeymans Town Board meeting of September 9, 2021, in which McHugh states, “He was asleep, and I guess he’s on some pretty serious medications, and was just coming back from UrgentCare” (Town of Coeymans Board Meeting of September 9, 2021, position 00:27–00:37).  None of this was or is factually true according to our investigation, and was totally fabricated by McHugh, and accepted by the Coeymans Police Department in their Police Accident Report. Polyak denies making any of the statements included in the Police Request for Driver Review or in the so-called Supporting Deposition made by CPD Arnold.

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By this point in the interview it was abundantly clear that Keyer was backpedalling at warp speed and that there was no useful purpose in continuing to confirm what was already conspicuous and obvious: The Coeymans Police Department did what it does best: They screwed up yet another investigation. As the Smalbany interviewer put it: “the guy who holds the purse strings calls the dance steps…the fish stinks from the head down.” McHugh and the Coeymans Town Board, packed with McHugh’s puppets hold the purse strings and called the dance steps in this investigation, and Chief Keyer and his Department danced to McHugh’s tune.

This sort of misconduct by a public elected official and by a chief law enforcement officer is absolutely unacceptable, and indicates a standard of conduct that falls far below what the public is justified in expecting of their elected public officials and law enforcement personnel. The conspicuously poor judgment shown by both Town Supervisor George McHugh and his Chief of Police, Douglas Keyer cannot be tolerated, particularly since both officials are entrusted with power and authority that requires honesty, integrity, objectivity, impartiality, fairness, and crucially good judgment.

Given these horrible and damning facts as stated by no less than the Chief of Police, Douglas Keyer, and documented in the official documents relating to the subject accident, the Public must demand that both Town Supervisor George McHugh and Chief of Police Douglas Keyer resign immediately from their respective positions. The People of Coeymans cannot rely on the Coeymans Town Board to do what is ethical and lawful, because every member of that Board is deep in McHugh’s pockets. This may require concerted and sustained public effort to clean up the garbage in Coeymans Town Hall.

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Editor’s Note: Why wasn’t the accident reported in the Ravena News Herald? An accident involving Coeymans Town Supervisor George McHugh in an election year certainly must be newsworthy. But it becomes clear if you know the history of the relationship between the Ravena News Herald and George McHugh. We have done a thorough search of the Ravena News Herald over a period of six weeks dating from September 2 to the present, and have not found a single word about the accident in that newspaper. It must be noted that George McHugh owned the Ravena News Herald prior to selling it to Mark Vinciguerra, who is a close friend of McHugh’s. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that the Ravena News Herald was silent about McHugh’s involvement, particularly since McHugh is seeking another term as Supervisor in the November elections.

Interestingly but not surprisingly, a the Organizational Meeting of the Coeymans Town Board on January 1, 2021, the Ravena News Herald was designated the “official town newspaper.” We find it particularly questionable that a newspaper with such close ties to McHugh and with a paltry subscriber rate of about 1,500 subscribers or far less than 25% of the population of the Town of Coeymans should be designated the “official newspaper” for the Town. According to New York State Law, since the purpose of designating an official newspaper is to ensure that notices reach as many people within the town or village as possible (see Myers-Brooks Publishers v Board of Supervisors, 68 Misc 2d 1033, 328 NYS2d 741), the office of the NYS Comptroller has expressed the opinion that a town or village’s official newspaper must have a general circulation within the town or village (Opn No. 84-58, supra; Opn No. 82-173, supra; see also NY Const, article I, §11). Since the Ravena News Herald reaches less than 1 in 4 residents in the Town of Coeymans, it clearly does not reach a substantial number of persons in the Town, and cannot be considered to have a general circulation in the Town of Coeymans.

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Postscript: Almost one month to the day, on October 7, 2021, George McHugh’s third and current wife, Rosemary McHugh, was involved in yet another two-car accident. McHugh was pulling out of a parking slot at the Ravena Stewarts Shop on US Rt 9W and, while backing out, she T-boned a vehicle operated by Kayleen Cique of Ravena, causing considerable damage to Cique’s vehicle. Cinque opted not to call the Coeymans Police and instead contacted the Albany County Sheriff’s Department, and one Deputy Houghtaling responded. No ticket was issued to McHugh. Kayleen Cique was not available for comment.

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Notes:

[1] Douglas R. Keyer was hired in January 2021 to be Chief, Coeymans Police Department. Keyer retired from the New York State Police with the rank of major, a promotion received shortly before he retired, a common trick in state service to ensure maximum pension benefits. Keyer’s state pension is $108,924.00, exempt from New York State income tax, plus benefits. In addition to his pension benefits, Keyer, as Chief of Police, receives an annual salary of $65,000.00 plus benefits from the Town of Coeymans. Keyer’s wife, Bonnie Keyer, is employed by the Town of Coeymans as a Deputy Town Clerk with a salary of $37,380.00 plus benefits. It should be clear that the Keyers stand to risk a great deal, to the tune of more than $100,000/year if they don’t play their cards right and rub the Supervisor and Town Board the wrong way.

[2] Based on witness statements we have claimed that the “official” Coeymans Police Accident Report is phony, and that McHugh was exiting the Pickers Nation parking lot, is supported by the fact that in the video the audio of Rosemary McHugh discussing the “antiques parking lot” is suspiciously deleted! The video goes silent as soon as she starts talking and after she mentions the “antiques parking lot.” Now isn’t that convenient? The actual video can be accessed at https://ne-np.facebook.com/CoeymansNY/videos/150240583956353/, and the segment in which McHugh is discussing the accident goes from the beginning to about position 04:41. The video goes silent from position 02:13 to 04:20, with Rosemary McHugh mentioning the “antiques parking lot” at position 02:13, where the audio suspiciously goes out again.

[3] Text enclosed in quotation marks (“…”) are direct quotations taken from the interview.

[4] This is the term used by Chief Keyer in the course of the interview.

 

Capital District YMCA: Big Salaries, Big Assets, but Still Begging!

The Capital District YMCA, an organization operating as a so-called non-profit organization, but holding more than $50 million dollars in tax-exempt real-estate assets in the Capital District of New York (Albany-Schenectady-Rensselaer, and Greene counties in New York state) is a fraud.

The problem with all of this is that the Capital District YMCA  misleads the public, and nickel-and-dimes its membership!

Problem with the CDYMCA is that it’s a load of hogwash!

OUR MISSION
To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

Nice words but they’re not backed by performance, conduct, or the facts!

Why do we write something like that? Well, an organization that pays its CEO, Mr. C. David Brown more than $335,000 a year plus benefits, and pays its numerous executive directors, directors, and managers in the high 5-figures and 6-figures salary ranges, certainly shouldn’t be considered a non-profit. Well, maybe it doesn’t operate in the black because its CEO, Mr. Brown, and its other executives hiding out at their corporate offices at 465 New Karner Road (Albany) are carrying off the major portion of any cash the organization might have.

The Capital District YMCA has amassed a fortune in real estate in the Capital District area but doesn’t pay a dime in property taxes. Imagine the taxes on properties valued at at least $55 million and what those tax dollars could do for the communities where the Y has its properties.

The Y’s executives send out all kinds of propaganda telling everyone how much they’re doing for the communities but anyone with half a brain has to ask the question: “What could we do for the community if the Y paid their taxes?” With those assets, we’d guess a good many communities could do a hell of a lot! And think of the money that could be saved by not having to pay some fat CEO almost a half-million in salary plus benefits! Add to that the fat salaries of the weasels hiding at 465 New Karner Road, and all of the 4 or 5 so-called “executive directors” pulling 6-figures, and the other “directors” running the local facilities. That’s one big pile of dough, people, yet they still cry poverty!!! Yet they still accumulate assets in the area. And they still are fully exempt on the tax rolls, and don’t pay a dime in taxes.

CDYMCA CEO C. David Brown collects more than $335,000 in salary.

We’ve already reported on how scandalous the Capital District YMCA has been but they have no shame and continue to laugh their way to the bank, while begging for more and more. Here are some examples from just last year and this year:

• In 2019, the CDYMCA sent out a letter to all members informing them that there would be a $1 increase in monthly membership dues.
• In 2019, the CDYMCA sent out a letter to all members informing them that the veterans savings would be changed to 25%; in other words, the CDYMCA cut veterans discount by 50%, a cut that increased some members’ dues by 50% (for example, one member’s monthly dues went from $26/month to $39/month!)
• In February 2020, the CDYMCA sent out a letter to all members informing them that there would be a $2 increase in monthly membership dues starting in April 2020 (already in effect as of this writing).

Another great decision made by our little illiterate friend, Erin Breslin!

• In March 2020 a form letter allegedly sent out by CDYMCA CEO C. David Brown – Yes. That’s the same scoundrel who’s taking over $335,000 in salary from the Y – asking members to become sustaining members, that is, to continue paying monthly dues while the Ys are closed.

Now. Think what would happen if a local business were to nickel-and-dime their customers the way the CDYMCA is doing. How long do you think theyd be in business? But the fact is, the local business has to pay its taxes in addition to having to pay its employees and maybe even benefits. The local business is not very likely to get any government handouts, but the so-called very profitable non-profit will carry off big-time government support, subsidies, and grants! We see something very, very wrong in this picture. Don’t you?

Here’s a test: The task is to read the message below and somehow twist it into meaning that the writer (1) doesn’t want to be charged any more, and (2) wants to cancel his/her membership:

Well, if you couldn’t find that in the message, neither could we. What the writer does say, and what Breslin seems to miss , is this part:

“I’d like to know the CDYMCA’s plans to either credit or reimburse the monthly dues collected from patron’s accounts and to suspend further deductions of dues until CDYMCA can open its doors and provide access to the services I have contracted to receive.”

We don’t see anything about “cancelling membership” in there or anywhere. What we do see is a fair question. But Ms Erin Breslin, Senior Director of Marketing and Membership at the CDYMCA did read in that message that the member didn’t want to pay dues anymore and wanted his/her membership cancelled. Go figure.

But Breslin is one of those CDYMCA executives who is probably pulling a 6-figure salary from the so-called non-profit, non-taxpaying organization. But Breslin can’t read!!! And that’s not the first instance of Breslin’s dyslexia! She played the same games when we inquired about the CDYMCA’s slashing of its membership discount offered to veterans! Sure, slash the veteran’s discounts and then nickel-and-dime members because you want to “keep pace with wages and benefits,” while offering freebies to parasites and non-dues paying members (their dues are covered by their insurance coverage)

We guess the message the CDYMCA is sending is that if you’re illiterate or just plain stupid, there is still a place where you can make a cool hundred grand and get away with it!

WHERE IS THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, THE LOCAL TAX COLLECTORS AND ASSESSORS, THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, OUR LEGISLATORS, OTHER MEMBERS WHILE ALL OF THIS SCAMMING IS GOING ON? WHERE ARE THE VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS WHILE THE CDYMCA IS ABUSING OUR VETERANS? THEY’RE ASLEEP ON WATCH AND NOT DOING THEIR JOBS, THAT’S WHERE THEY ARE!

When the cat’s asleep, the rats play!
Who’s monitoring the non-profits, anyway?

Problem is: Breslin actually cancelled the member’s membership and, when contacted by the member, insisted that the member asked that his/her membership be cancelled!!! Unbelievable! Can this be a case of retaliation by a CDYMCA employee? Was Breslin acting out of personal emotion and not in her capacity as an organization officer?

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Editor’s Note:

* In fact, the $2 per month increase announced in February became effective in April; with that $2/month increase in CDYMCA membership dues, the deduction from the member’s account for April was actually $40.50 as opposed to $39.00. The corrected total for the above would be $79.50. We have been informed that CDYMCA has since credited the member’s account in the amount of $79.50 but at the same time, cancelled the member’s membership! Is that what CEO C. David Brown meant in his begging letter (see below)? Ask for dues forgiveness during the lock-down and have your membership cancelled? This looks like another Capital District YMCA snow job to us! Or is it retaliation? A personal punishment for a particular member? Looks to us like this could blow up in CDYMCA’s face, and turn into some bad publicity and a lawsuit! Bad move AGAIN, Erin Breslin, very bad!  Breslin seems to be very good at making very bad membership decisions!

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Now, remember, we noted above that early in 2019 the CDYMCA increased everyone’s monthly dues by $1/month. Then in about September or so, they slashed the veterans discount by 50%, and then in April 2020, increased member’s monthly dues by another $2/month.

Remember also, that CEO Brown sent out a letter in March 2020 asking members to continue paying monthly dues as “sustaining members,” while the Y was closed. That letter was more than 3600 words long and repeated over and again how great the Y is, and how great the love fest is thanks to the Y. It was a very cleverly written letter covering the front and the back of a page. But here’s the problem, and here’s why the member had to ask about whether dues would be forgiven during the lock-down: Brown dedicates only 23 words out of the 3600 words to say that a member who couldn’t afford to donate monthly dues could put his/her membership on hold. Here’s the text:

In a telephone conversation between a member and Erin Breslin, you know, the illiterate Senior Director for Marketing and Membership at the CDYMCA, Breslin asked the member:

Will the real Erin Breslin please step forward and take responsibility? Resign?

BRESLIN: Yes, sir. So, if we put all of our memberships on hold then when we’re opening back up, what will we use…what funds will we use to pay our employees returning?

And the member responds:

MEMBER:     That’s not my problem. You take a pay cut. Other people…What are other businesses doing? What are other businesses doing with their employees? They’ve furloughed them! They’ve laid them off! They’ve given them work-at-home opportunities! That is not my problem. If you want to run an organization, you figure out how you have to run it. It’s quite simple. Don’t ask me how you’re supposed to pay your employees. Tell Mr. David Brown or whatever his name is to take a 50% pay cut, and use that money to pay your employees. You’ve got $55 … million in assets; pledge some of them! That’s up to you! You figure out how you’re gonna run your organization. Don’t ask me! That’s not my problem. I have to figure out how I run my life; you have to figure out how to run your life … and your organization. Now, if you can’t figure out how to run your organization with your executive directors, and your, your directors, your executives, your board, then I think you’d better find a different job, to be very honest with you. Because you’re in the position you’re in figure out how to work things out, and if you’re faced with a crisis situation, I think that’s where good management, and training, and knowledge, and wisdom comes into play. Not [by] telling members we can’t figure out how we’re going to do this, so we’re going to continue being unfair to you. I’m surprised that you would actually ask me a question like that.

We are informed that CDYMCA CEO C.D. Brown and several other officers of the CDYMCA, Carl Oropallo, Mark Thurman, in addition to E. Breslin, were contacted regarding the veterans issue and the dues during closure, but only Breslin responded, albeit a bit stupidly. We are continuing to follow this Capital District YMCA story, and will be contacting legislators, the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, the IRS, and members of Congress for answers and to demand an inquiry/investigation. We are in the process of contacting veterans organizations, including the county veterans affairs offices, in order to demand that they take some action regarding the cut in the veterans savings.

Good news is that it’s an election year and veterans are a brotherhood. Some of us still stand behind our veterans and will be watching how veterans organizations respond and what they do. We’ll also be following up with elected officials and hold their feet to the fire on what they do to fix these situations.

This is YOU, if you’re not holding the non-profits’ feet to the fire, and making them accountable and transparent!

What do you think about all of this stinking mess?

 

Cap District YMCA: Shameless Arrogance … AGAIN!!!

Stop the Scams!

We recently reported on the Capital District YMCA’s shameless slashing of veterans discounts by 50%, increasing veterans’ memberships up to 50%; one member reported his monthly dues went from $26 to $39/month! We also reported that despite numerous complaints and follow-up, Erin Breslin, Sr. Director of Marketing and Membership, the CDYMCA executive responsible for the reduction in the veterans discount, refused to reconsider their shameful decision. (See our report at YMCA DISGRACE!!! Veterans targeted by YMCA action.)

Senior Director of Marketing and Membership at Capital District YMCA

Shameless and Arrogant!!!

Capital District YMCA Wants NY Legislators to Funnel More Taxpayer Dollars into the Non-profit. We say: Let their execs, who are making 6-figure salaries take a pay cut first!!! CEO C. David Brown pulls more than $330,000 a year, while other execs pull their 6-figures.
NO MORE TAXPAYER DOLLARS!!! PAY YOUR FAIR SHARE!!!

We also recently reported on the incredible fact that the CDYMCA has tens of millions of dollars in property assets in the Capital District but doen’t pay a dime in property tax! We further reported that CDYMCA president and CEO, C. David Brown pulls in more than $330,000 a year in salary, while other executives are pulling 6-figure salaries. Yet the CDYMCA is registered as a non-profit organization and doesn’t pay a dime in property taxes! (See our report at Capital District YMCA: Millions in Assets, Pays No Tax!.)

J.D. Brown Exec Dir CDYMCA, refused to respond.

We reported that the CDYMCA calls itself a charity but charges above-market rates for memberships while also charging market or above-market rates for some of their programs. Yet they don’t pay a dime in tax!

Today, on March 17, 2020, the Capital District YMCA sent out an Action Alert that reads:

ACTION ALERT

Act to protect YMCAs during the COVID-19 crisis!

Dear Advocate,

The New York State Legislature plans to vote on legislation today to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Tell them that your Ys need a COVID-19 package that supports the YMCA. You can take part in this advocacy by sending this important letter to your legislators. They need to hear from you about the importance of significant funding to help YMCAs statewide cover the costs associated with full-time and part-time employees, as well as the loss of membership, programming and donation revenue.

Please write to your state legislators today!

Enough is enough, already!!! This is getting really sickening!!!

The CDYMCA’sexecutives, Erin Breslin (CDYMCA executive), David Brown (CDYMCA CEO/President), Carl Oropallo (Executive Director), Mark Thurman (Director, Operations, Bethlehem), received a communication this week, after David Brown, the guy pulling more than $330,000 in salary, broadcast a message to Y members that the CDYMCA facilities would be closed for one week for “deep cleaning.” Those executives were asked one simple question: Would members’ accounts be credited for that week that they could not use the facilities? No one from the CDYMCA has answered that question but we’re pretty certain what the answer is.

What is this “deep cleaning” thing, anyway. A facility like the CDYMCAshould have extraordinary hygiene and sanitary measures in place as routine! The cleaning agents and disinfectants they use in the pools, locker rooms, workout areas should all be sufficient to kill just about anything! Sick people don’t work out or take aerobic exercise classes. Normally, the rule of most gym etiquette is to wipe down equipment after use using disinfectants that should be provided. (We are informed that the disinfectant and paper towels are provided for this purpose at commercial fitness clubs and at the Y. The problem is, personnel don’t enforce the practice.)So what’s this deep cleaning that’s going on for a week?

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Editor’s aside: According to our information based on research of the recommendations for what so-called “deep cleaning” involves, the CDYMCA is again playing with terms. There are a number of deep cleaning methods currently being employed to minimize the spread of COVID-19, and none of them, ranging from airlines to the New York Stock Exchange, involve shutting down for an entire week. In fact, the deep cleaning being done involves mainly high contact surfaces, which should be routine day-to-day cleaning practices in a place like a fitness center or a YMCA. First and foremost, the most effective preventive measure is to avoid contact with individuals who have clear symptoms of cough, sneeze, or fever of undermined origin. But that’s common sense! Social distancing, even if around asymptomatic persons, is also proving to be effective but Americans are already socially distanced, so that’s a no-brainer! Self-isoation or self-quarantine is the ultimate step for individuals who know they have been in contact with a symptomatic individual, or an area in which symptomatic individuals have been, or who have traveled to endemic areas, or have symptoms or have been diagnosed with a viral infection or infection with COVID-19. Persons-at-increased-risk, that is persons who are at increased risk of infection generally, are well-advised to stay clear of crowds. When in doubt, call your pubic health hot-line or consult your doctor. So what is the CDYMCA doing for a so-called deep clean that is over and above their normal sanitizing? We’ll ask them and see if they come up with anything. (Sources: “How Big Businesses Get a Deep Clean” (New York Times article; “Ships, Planes And Other Spots Are Getting A ‘Deep Clean.’ What’s That Mean?” (NPR article), both last accessed on March 17, 2020.)

The CDC and World Health Organization have reported that the virus doesn’t survive long on surfaces that have not been disinfected; isn’t it reasonable that the virus would survive for an even shorter time on disinfected surfaces, if at all? (See our report on COVID-19 at Smalbany Statement on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic.)

But let’s get back to the shameless Action Alert broadcast today by the non-profit, non-taxpaying Capital District YMCA:

That message reads: “They (state legislators) need to hear from you about the importance of significant funding to help YMCAs statewide cover the costs associated with full-time and part-time employees, as well as the loss of membership, programming and donation revenue.” That’s absolutely ridiculous!

In 2018, the CDYMCAincreased every member’s monthly dues by $1, which adds up to a hefty amount each month. Then in 2019, they slashed veterans discounts by 50%, adding more to their pockets! Now the greedy bastards are asking members to write to legislators to ask that they now give taxpayer dollars to support a non-taxpaying glutton to help cover costs!!!

We say: Any legislator who votes to support this shameless expression of greed and unfairness in our tax system should be run out of the Legislature!!! We have a better idea: Mr C. David Brown, Ms Erin Breslin, Mr Marc Thurman, Mr Carl Oropallo, and their coworkers should take a pay cut!!! How’s that for an idea?

For an organization that contributes nothing to the pubic treasury by being wholly tax-exempt to ask taxpayers and legislators to provide more funds to them to cover costs is one of the most shameful and arrogant things to come from them yet!

The non-profit scam in New York and around the country needs to be reexamined, revised, and most of the scammers need to start paying their fair share of property taxes.

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Easton Mountain, Cambridge, NY
A Gay Retreat Community
A Non-profit Organization

We contacted the Washington County District Attorney’s office some time ago with an inquiry about this place; we never got a response.

There’s a sex camp for gay men in Cambridge, NY, called Easton Mountain. They operate facilities on several acres of prime property with a number of newly renovated buildings and grounds. They claim to be the gay community’s gift to the world but Easton Mountain is the gay community’s gift to the organizers and staff of Easton Mountain. They claim their non-profit status on the basis of spiritual and charity-related work but when you look at their programs, which include neotantra (= so-called sacred sex), intimacy training, orgasm training, erotic massage, even a phony “diploma” course offered by the visiting Brit, etc., and the cost of those programs, upwards of $400 to more than $1000 for a week (5 nights) program!!!They even import some phony sex guru from the UK to facilitate some of their events! We’ll be looking at their filings and report on how much government support they receive in lieu of paying taxes. Did you know that your tax dollars are going to organizations like that? (The most published recent financials, the IRS 990 dates back to 2014!)  See our articles: Tantra or Sex Services? (5/2019), The Follow-up (6/2019), Sex for Sale: The Follow-up II (7/2019).
,

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We will obtain the voting information and report who in the New York State Legislature votes to funnel more taxpayer money to the CDYMCA and non-profit scammers like them. We’ll publish the names of those legislators who voted to send your tax dollars to the scammers. And we’ll remind you of their freewheeling and dealing when elections roll around.

In the meantime, we urge you, our many readers to support us in our own Action Alert, and to contact your legislators and warn them if they give another dime away to tax scamming non-profits who can afford to pay their executives and directors six-figure salaries, the legislators are going to be looking for jobs!!!

PAY YOUR SHARE, YMCA!!!

 

Captain Weasel Whacker sends Art Evans Get Well Wishes!

Well, Greene County seems to have more than its share of Greene Weasels. Captain Weasel Whacker is on the trail of Art Evans, a part-time employee of the Cairo Highway Department and pet weasel of current Cairo Highway Superintendent Robert “Bob” Hempstead, who, with his weasel-boss, Cairo Superintendent D. Benoit, husband of the controversial and weasel-dealing Diana Benoit, running for Greene County Sheriff. The four of them, Evans, Hempstead, and the two Benoits, Daniel and Diana, should be under criminal investigation for abuse of public office and mismanagement of public funds. But then, Greene County DA Joe Stanzione is asleep on watch when it comes to his crooked Republican friends and political cronies. He’s busy weasel-dealing for himself.

Word is that Art Evans, a weasel candidate, has a GI tract problem known as “chronic hand-up-his-butt syndrome,” and x-rays have shown that it’s Bob Hempstead’s hand up there!

But truth be told, at least Cairo comes up with candidates — they may be Greene Weasels but at least Cairo voters can choose either a weasel or a non-weasel — the Town of New Baltimore voters don’t have that choice. New Baltimore Democrats can’t come up with candidates to run against the weasels-in-office in New Baltimore. New Baltimore Town Supervisor Jeff Ruso is running again unopposed, as is New Baltimore Highway Superintendent Alan van Wormer. No contest either for Peter Malewski, candidate for Town Justice. New Baltimore voters are being deprived of their rights and their voice!

We’re republishing the entire post with permission from Captain Weasel Whacker. You can read the original post at Art Evans: Get Well Soon!

Art Evans’ x-rays are back.
Yes! It’s Bob Hempstead’s hand up there!

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You may have heard about Art Evans’ bottom problem, and how he’s been looking for qualified opinions as to what the diagnosis of his butt pain might be.

A little lower, doc. No, lower.

Well, we’ve acquired some evidence that the problem is, as we’ve always suspected, and judging from the Town of Cairo’s Highway Department page, Art’s suffering from what is known as the “chronic hand-up-the-butt syndrome,” an almost incurable condition but sometimes treatable with radical surgery. Our radiology consultant has identified the hand in the x-ray to belongs to Bob Hempstead, incumbent Town of Cairo Highway Superintendent, and supporter of his part-time pet, Art Evans.

Wipe that smile off your face, Bob! And go wash your hands!

Evans, despite his affliction, is running for Town of Cairo Highway Superintendent, and despite having no real highway experience and being only a part-time employee of the Cairo Highway Department. One of the main symptoms of the chronic hand-up-the-butt syndrome is having (and being) a pain in the ass, and having to ask your keeper, in this case Bob Hempstead, to make decisions for you. Well, Bob has recommended that Art not undergo the surgery that could possibly save his ass; Bob’s hand is to remain there forever, we guess.

Well, Captain Weasel-Wacker would like to take this opportunity to wish Art Evans a miraculous recovery — and it will be a real miracle if he can get Bob’s hand out of there — and to start being more focused on truth and integrity, even if he does have an irritating tickling sensation around his bottom…that’s his evil twin, Bob Hempstead.

BTW: What’s the deal on the allegation that the Greene County Republican Committee’s funds have been frozen due to alleged misuse, and a result, Cairo Republican candidates have to fund their own campaigns. Word is Hempstead is backing some. Leave a comment or a confidential tip at rcs.confirdential@gmail.com on the Smalbany Tip Line.

There’s a weasel up there and we’re going to whack it! No weasel deals in the Town of Cairo Highway Department! 

By the way, where is Greene County District Attorney Joe Stanzione (R) while all of the weasel deals and mismanagement of public interests is going on? Probably kissing “R” butt and keeping out of sight, something he does REALLY well! We’ll get his x-rays, too.

Weasel-Dealer, Joe Stanzione, Greene County DA.

Captain Weasel Whacker is watching and whacking those Greene County Weasels!

 

We Love Captain Weasel Whacker!!!

Republished with Permission from the Greene County Weasels site.

If you’re a weasel and you see this guy… Be afraid. Be VERY afraid!!! You can run for office but you can’t hide!

Hi, neighbors!

This is CPT Weasel Whacker. I just want to say that we’re out there whack’n those weasels, and you can bet they’re runnin’ scared.

This site was created to bring you the best quality journalistic reporting, and some well-researched opinion about our local politics and politicians. We’ll woo the wonderful and whack the weasels. Our slogan, if you haven’t noticed is:

Find’em, Expose’m, Whack’em. Integrity before Politics.

And that goes for all of us: No more alphabet soup voting for the Rs and the Ds. The Republican and the Democratic parties have degenerated and have consistently let us down. They lie to us, deceive us, take us for granted, and screw the life-blood out of us and everything we earn. They can’t come up with good, honest candidates so they give us weasels. If you don’t get weasels, they deprive you of your right to choose by not even running a candidate to oppose the other party.

Unless we do something and do something damned quick, we’ll be a dictatorship, a one-party system, a Big Brother State before you know it!

Well, neighbors, it’s time to think Declaration of Independence [Editor’s Note: … and Bill of Rights, how about that thing we call a Constitution?], and go Independent. Why do you think the Republicans and the Democrats are always coming to the Independence Party to ensure their candidate gets elected? Because they know their party [ Republican and Democrat] sheeple can’t do it alone; they need some credibility and integrity and they get that from the Independence Party.

Conservatives are half-baked Republicans; Democratic Party is a shame to their name, they’re failures and crooks like Cuomo and his Downstate Mob who elect Cuomo-the-Homo. You need to go independent of the two has-been parties: Be independent. Be an Independent!

I want to ask you to click the button to follow this blog; you’ll get email updates every time a new post goes up, and you’ll be notified when a friend or neighbor posts a comment.

You can share information or send us a tip by writing to us at captain.weasel.wacker@gmail.com. Anything you send me by email will be strictly confidential. I’ll never post any information until it’s been checked and verified. And your name or email will never be shared or made public without your written permission. You’re safe with us!

Stay tuned! We’ll be whacking another weasel shortly!

CPT Weasel Whacker

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The Weasels site is really very well done; some beautiful images of Greene County. Cpt Whacker is going for the gold…or the Greene. We wish him well! We’ve added a couple of notes (in grey) and some emphasis to the original Greene County Weasels message from Captain Weasel Whacker but nothing else. He seems to be doing a great job and doesn’t need any help from us. But they do need YOUR help. Please support the Greene County Weasel Wackers and their site. Maybe we can make one county in New York a better place to live … Albany County is a lost cause! The Editor Smalbany

 

If they want to be elected, we’re going to grill them! Re: George McHugh.

Incumbent Town of Coeymans Supervisor, Phil Crandall, has accepted our invitation to be interviewed, we are now negotiating a date and time for the interview.

In his email response to our proposed interviewer, Mr Crandall writes (September 3, 2019):

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“Thank you for reaching out to me in regards to an interview. I am happy to schedule that and should be able to get back to you after the holiday with my exact availability and some possible dates. Thank you again”

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We are now calling on Mr George McHugh, a candidate expecting to run against Mr Crandall this November, and hoping to take the office of Town Supervisor, and to take control of the Coeymans Town Council.

Our Reaction.

McHugh is campaigning behind an ambiguous campaign slogan, “Take Back Our Town,” which makes us wonder who is taking back whose town, and what’s going to be left for small businesses and for any remaining residents, after the so-called Friends of Coeymans all get their share of the post-election booty.

But in all fairness, we want Mr McHugh to have a fair opportunity to clarify some issues and to show that his commitment to transparency is no bullshit. Back to  our invitation to Mr McHugh. Here are our proposed questions for Mr McHugh:

Dance, Georgie! Dance for us, Georgie!

Proposed Interview Questions
George McHugh
Candidate, Town of Coeymans Supervisor

1. You were elected to be Town of Coeymans Supervisor back in 2001, served one term, and then did not run for a second term. Why was that?
2. The question of the Blaisdell Farm property and your housing project on that property has been the subject of a number of inquiries, particularly the fact that the property was annexed by the Village of Ravena at about the time you were Coeymans Town Supervisor, or shortly after you left office. Would you please comment on the circumstances of that annexation and how you benefited from it?
3. You were appointed to a federal administrative law judgeship. It would appear that you are no longer serving in that capacity. Can you tell us what happened to the judgeship?
4. Your campaign slogan is “Take Back Our Town,” from whom do you expect to take it back?
5. Who are the Friends of Coeymans? Do they have names?
6. According to our information, you serve in several capacities as a paid consultant or employee of the Carver Companies. Will you be resigning those positions if you are elected?
7. How will your cozy relationships with Carver Laraway and the Carver group of companies affect your fitness to be Supervisor of the Town of Coeymans?
8. You were outspoken in your opposition to the Town of Coeymans clean air law which purported to ensure good air and environmentally friendly air quality but you campaign on a promise to improve quality of life in Coeymans. That law was passed. How does opposition to clean air advocate quality of life for Coeymans residents?
9. In terms of improvement of quality of life, and other than opposing clean air, what other proposals do you have for QoL improvements?
10. In you campaign ads you suggest that you will do a number of things if elected. But our investigations show that you would not have the authority to make good on those promises, since most, if not all of those promises are state level powers. What do you have to say about that?
11. As former owner of the Ravena News Herald, can you please comment on your relationship with Mark Vinciguerra and the Ravena News Herald, now owned by V. as part of his Capital Region Independent Media?
12. Do you currently hold an ownership or financial interest in the Ravena News Herald?
13. What do you feel you can offer Coeymans that current Town Supervisor Crandall cannot?
14. What would be your major criticisms of Mr. Crandall and the current Coeymans Town Board?
15. Given the questions regarding the role of the Coeymans Police Department in the death of 19-year old Riley Kern: What would your plan be for the Town of Coeymans Police Department.
16. Hypothetically, if you were Town Supervisor, how would you good faith in responding to the many questions in the Riley Kern alleged wrongful death case?
17. There is evidence that acting Coeymans Police Chief Mr. Daniel Contento and Coeymans police officer Ian Foard had handled the Riley Kern investigation not only unprofessionally but professionally negligently. We are aware that you have been in contact and communicating with Mrs Kern about her son’s death. If elected, what would you as Town of Coeymans Supervisor, in cooperation with the Town Board that would be controlled by your group, plan to do to support Emily Kern’s efforts to get recognition for her son, and to make amends for the circumstances of his death?
18. What would be your five priority TO DO items for immediate action upon taking office, if you were elected Town of Coeymans Supervisor?
19. What would be your five priority TO UNDO items for immediate action upon taking office, if you were to be elected Town of Coeymans Supervisor in 2019?
20. Apart from any new industrial developments in the works, and given the small business situation in the Town of Coeymans, what would your plan be to encourage and to support small business creation and development in the Town of Coeymans, particularly in and around Ravena, the Hamlet of Coeymans, and the beautiful waterfront available to the Town and its residents and small businesses?
21. Will you be continuing your law practice if elected to be Coeymans Town Supervisor? If so, would you continue to provide legal services to Carver Laraway and the Carver Companies?

*****

Well, Mr McHugh and his running mates are running on a number of positions, one of them is transparency. Well, in our opinion, if transparency is such a big concern for McHugh and his group, then he won’t have much of a problem with our questions. Or will he? We’ll find out and when we do, you’ll know, too. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, please read our recent McHugh-related articles:

Russian Mafia in Our Back Yards?

Please don’t Mug Me! Just Pot Me!

The Russians are Coming!!!

To McHugh or Not to McHugh.

It’s your community, too, and we want you to have a say in all of this. That’s why we’re asking our readers to send us their questions for consideration. If your questions are selected, we’ll include them in the interview of Mr McHugh.

As we go forward with the interviews, we’ll post names and questions for the candidates we choose to interview, and ask for your inputs.

Of course, we’ll keep you updated and informed on how the candidates respond, and we’ll share their answers with our readers.

Please send your questions to rcs.confidential@gmail.com. You can also leave a public comment on this blog with your questions.

 

Mob Rule in America: The Myth Revealed and the Cover-up Discovered (?)

Anyone who doesn’t see a cover-up in this story needs to open their eyes!

A couple of months ago we reported on the death of a young man, 19-year old Riley Kern, just outside the Sycamore Country Club, on Route 143, when a local man, Travis Hagen,  driving a pick-up truck pulled out and caused the motorcycle Riley was riding to collide with the pick-up, causing fatal injuries to Riley, who died a couple  hours later in surgery at Albany Medical Center.

Here’s a touching slideshow for Riley

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We also reported that the Coeymans Police never did a required drug and alcohol test — a test required by New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law!!! — on the driver of the pick-up truck. The Coeymans Police never did an accident investigation or reconstruction. There was no follow-up and there was no investigation why the Coeymans Police and Coeymans police officer on the scene, Ian Foard, never did the drug and alcohol testing on the pick-up truck driver, Travis Hagen, or never conducted an accident scene investigation. We suggested a cover-up because of Hagen’s connections in the area.

Coeymans PD Ian Foard, a reject from the Mechanicville Police Department, a part-timer hired by the Town of Coeymans Police Department, and under the direct supervision of then acting police chief Daniel Contento, was not investigated. His report, which was full of contradictions and speculation, was approved by Contento without question.

People in this country tend to have very short memories. Here are some of the articles we posted on Riley’s death. You may want to revisit them:

• We Are Re-Opening the Case: Riley Kern, Young Man Killed in Coeymans Hollow, Sycamore Golf Course
• Riley’s Song: Verse Two – Update on Our Investigations.
• Riley’s Mom Responds: A Mother’s Perspective.
• The Editor Chimes in on Riley’s Song: What have you become, America?

Readers may also be interested in our article on the corruption in the Albany County Coroner’s Office. Read our article: Politics, Power, Patronage and Conflicts of Interest: The Albany County Coroners Office. Moonlighting undertakers who can’t even spell in an official document should not be doing medicolegal death investigations!!!

Why aren’t you asking these questions? Would you if it were your child?

Riley’s mother lives in Kansas and has desperately been trying to get to the truth, to find answers to burning questions. So are we!!!

We received this comment today, months after the accident, from the boy’s mother, who has been getting contradictory double-talk from just about every agency from the Coeymans Police Department, to the Albany County Coroner’s Office, to …. Well the list goes on. Where’s the Albany County District Attorney P. David Soares on all of this? Isn’t he the chief law-enforcement officer in the County of Albany. He’s been and continues to be a racist sack of manure, a weak, stupid, ball-less Oreo. Riley’s mom writes:

I am living the nightmare! After investigating the death of my son my conclusions are identical to all the info in this blog!!! And this is the first time I’ve read this article!! It’s all way to true. It’s painful! I can’t believe it’s been allowed to go on this long!! I’ve got all the documentation to support the subject of this article. I also have a feeling I won’t be seeing justice served, not in Albany anyhow. I can’t be the only victim, where the hell are all the fighters???!

Riley’s mom is referring to our article on the Albany County Coroner,  Politics, Power, Patronage and Conflicts of Interest: The Albany County Coroners Office. We responded:

You are likely not the only victim. The problem is epidemic not only in this region of New York but it appears throughout the county. People have despaired of their government, their elected officials; there is no representation except for self-representation from the individual to Capitol Hill! The media can’t be trusted to keep public servants and elected officials in line and, because the American people have lost all faith and trust in their government, they just don’t pull together to put things right. Blame it on the propaganda you see on the television, read in the newspapers, hear on the radio, blasted with in pop music. We have become a deranged, perverse, decadent, and very angry society. We are facing a terrible future because we stupidly allow ourselves to be manipulated and coerced, even abused by the very people in whom we have traditionally been taught and conditioned to trust: our elected officials, the church and religion, our neighbors.

The United States, the mythical “America”, has never been a land of law but a land of lawlessness, mob rule, whether the mob was a band of vigilantes lynching Irishmen, Italians, and Negros in the 20th century, the organized crime “mob,” or the political party mob. America is not run by the rule of law and never has been if you read history; it has always been the rule of the mob. But they don’t teach your kids history anymore or ethics or handwriting. Lady Liberty is weeping!!!

It’s starting to look like Nazi Germany in the US.
Some Americans have succumbed to the propaganda. Not us!

The boy’s father lives locally in Albany County. We suggest that he mobilize the boy’s family and friends and go on a letter-writing rampage, sending as many letters to state and federal lawmakers representing this area. We suggest that the boy’s father, family, and friends make an organized assault on the DA’s office and Governor Cuomo’s office, demanding an investigation!!! The police come under the Executive branch of government and the DA and the Governor head that branch.

We recommend that the boy’s mother start a campaign from Kansas to New York!!! She has Facebook following and had launched an apparently successful fundraiser on Facebook to defray the costs of the boy’s funeral expenses. She must get all those supporters motivated and activated and launch an assault on the Kansas Governor’s office to contact the New York Governor and demand an investigation of the boy’s death and the obvious cover-up surrounding the circumstances.

We also recommend that the mother motivate and activate all of the boy’s friends and family in Kansas, including his schoolmates to bombard the Kansas Governor, the New York Governor, lawmakers, the Albany County DA’s office and the Town of Coeymans demanding a thorough investigation of the circumstances surrounding the boy’s death.

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A Personal Comment from the Editor

As a local resident, I am deeply embarrassed and ashamed of how my neighbors have shut their eyes to this tragedy and so many other events and situations in this area. I have been writing this blog for about 5 years now, exposing every conceivable evil and crime imaginable. Almost a half-million readers worldwide support this blog. Imagine what readers outside the greater Capital District, even outside of this country, think of this area when they read our reports! Aren’t you people, residents of Albany, Ravena, Coeymans, New Baltimore, and the surrounding areas of New York deeply troubled, ashamed of what’s going on here. Aren’t you deeply guilt-ridden and ashamed that you continue to sit on your fat asses and do nothing while a select few destroy not only our communities, but our future and our reputation nationwide and internationally.???

Mark Vinciguerra, formerly of the Johnson Newspaper Group, now owner/publisher of the Ravena News Herald, supported Riley’s cause by sending Melanie Lekocevic to cover Riley’s memorial service at Feura Bush Town Park. The Town of New Scotland was outstanding in their support of Riley. Too bad we can’t say the same for the Town of Coeymans.

The News Herald story covering Riley’s memorial service in Feura Bush Town Park,  Remembering a life lost too soon, was the only coverage, the only mention in any media of the accident. We found it very strange that the accident wasn’t mentioned anywhere before that. Don’t you?

We hope that Mr Vinciguerra will continue his support of justice and Riley by joining us in the investigation of this shameful cover-up.

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The only way to fight mob rule and defeat it is to organize, mobilize, and neutralize. Riley’s family, friends, and supporters need to get seriously involved and start writing, fighting, and kicking some political ass!!!

Time to wake up, people!!!
You might be next…

 

Our 2018 Election Picks for the Town of New Baltimore and Greene County

Let’s be clear: You don’t “elect” an unopposed candidate! “Elect” in the campaign sign is a LIE!

When you see a campaign sign that asks you to “elect” an unopposed candidate in an uncontested election, think

The legal definition of election is a selection process: In an election voters are presented with at least 2 candidates and choose one of them. Candidates may be “endorsed” by one or more parties but for an election or a selection process to take place, you need at least two candidates. One candidate is not a choice and is not an “election.”

It is the duty of the so-called political parties to present voters with a choice. There has been a disturbing recent trend in our so-called American democratic process — a trend that is becoming very conspicuous in Greene County and the Town of New Baltimore — of presenting voters with a single, unopposed candidate in uncontested “elections.” This is not a new trend and has been concealed from voters in at least 38 states for decades and has been permitted by state election laws, laws that deprive voters of their right to choose who governs them.

As many of our readers know, each election year we study the candidates and make our picks. We share them with you because we have done the research and have asked the questions. When, IF the candidates respond, we let you know what they had to say. Here are our picks and recommendations for November 6, 2018:

First of all, we’d like to start our election choices with a positive:
Peter J. Markou
for
Greene County Treasurer.

Peter Markou is a Five-Star Choice for Greene County Treasurer.
Experience, Integrity, Committed

Peter Markou is a five-star candidate.

Mr Markou is intelligent, a gentleman, honest, and so different from the bottom-feeders that are left on the ballot. Mr Markou has been Greene County Treasurer for several terms and there’s no one who can say anything negative about the man. Vote for Peter Markou for Greene County Treasurer; he’s honest, competent and has proved he can do the job like a real professional, not like a politician.

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Greene County Coroners

Bob Gaus (D) and Joshua Lipsman (D)

(Democrats endorsed by the Independence Party)
opposing
Richard Vigilio (R) and Paul Seney (R)

Gaus and Lipsman have kept their Democrat affiliation a bit under wraps, and have touted their endorsement by the Independence Party. That’s a bit sneaky in our opinion but HEY! we are reporting about much, much worse in this article.

Not many voters really understand what a county coroner does but many may at some time in their lives have to deal with one, so we’d like to make certain it’s the right one.

We have written several pieces on coroners in the past and our basic opinion is that it is an outdated office, political, and really should be made obsolete in favor of the medical examiner’s office. That having been said, and already having raised important questions about the ethics of funeral directors or physicians being involved with the politics of death investigations,we object only to the general ethics and the history of the office of coroner, and why it should be done away with and replaced by a competent, qualified and non-political medical examiner.

There are already two incumbent Greene County Coroners: Richard Vigilio has been Greene County Coroner for 24 years and a funeral director (Richards Funeral Home) for 63 years. We think it’s time for Vigilio to retire before he becomes a coroner’s case himself. Paul Seney is the second Greene County Coroner, and is a funeral director at Richards Funeral Home and Brady Funeral home.

As for the two individuals running for Greene County Coroner: Bob Gaus, a funeral director, and Joshua Lipsman, a physician/healthcare policy promoter, we can say but little about them in terms of competence or character. We’d lean more towards Gaus, given the necessary skills of a funeral director and his experience with death and deathcare on a daily basis. Lipsman? Well, he’s more qualified in the politics of healthcare and probably has much less experience with death and deathcare than Gaus. Could they do the job? Our bets would be on Gaus in terms of effectiveness. Given Lipsman’s history and training, we don’t think he’d be the best choice. Death is something physicians try to avoid (unless you’re a pathologist, which Lipsman is not)and you’ll have a tough time changing a physician’s attitude towards death and with it his attitude towards the survivors. Go with Gaus.

 

As for the second candidate, we’d go with Seney for a couple of reasons: First, he’s experienced and has had the benefit of Richard Vigilio, with whom he’s worked for several years. Second, he’s a funeral diretor and, although we still object to the ethics of a funeral director in the coroner’s position, if we must have a coroner, then the funeral director is intimately familiar not only with death but the paperwork and laws concerning death, and how to best deal compassionately with survivors. So, while we wish Richard Vigilio all the best in his retirement after this election, we think that Paul Seney would be a good man to partner up with Bob Gaus.

Gaus and Lipsman are both 61 years old; Lipsman is from downstate. Both are Democrats. It may seem odd putting a Democrat (Gaus) in office and running the risk of adding more corpses to the list of voters registered Democrat but dead, but Hey! Vigilio is getting close to being a corpse and is Republican; Gaus may have a few years of life left in him, and may be able to complete at least one term of office. What about Lipsman? Too political, too full of himself (he’s a Democrat, a doctor, into public health policy, etc. We all know what happens when a Democrat gets involved in health policy; even if only the dead are affected!) Let’s leave him to his interests in public health policy and his overly liberal politics; he’d be too much of a political prima donna in the coroner’s office. Head’s too big. Lipsman’s from downstate and doesn’t know local culture or people. Not a good choice.

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Now we’d like to handle the
Real Scoundrels List

We’ll have to wait til next year to go after New Baltimore Town Supervisor Jeff Ruso, but we’ve got enough on him already to put someone else in the Supervisor’s office. He won’t be able to save himself with anything worth mentioning in the coming year. He’s dead in the water already.

But we’d like to concentrate on this year’s failures:

Alan VanWormer

Running UNOPPOSED (Denying Your Voice and Wasting Your Vote)

So Why?!?! did the Republicans spend so much money on so many campaign signs for a guy who is running unopposed. In an uncontested election ONE campaign sign and NO votes would hand the election over to him since he’s already legally considered “elected.” Seems that wasting taxpayers’ money is still the way to go in New Baltimore!

This time he’s running on the Republican ticket, Unqualified, Gutless, No Training, No Education. We’ve already published an article dedicated to the problems we have with Alan VanWormer and you can read that article at The Problem with Alan VanWormer. We also are solidly against giving away a vote to any unopposed candidate and not having a voice in who gets into office. We have written a very well-researched article on the problems of unopposed candidates and uncontested elections and Why! they are a violation of our rights. You can read the article at Unopposed Candidates: The Denial of Your Vote!

Alan VanWormer just stood by and kept his mouth shut while Denis Jordan did his tricks in the New Baltimore Highway Department. Alan VanWormer was part of the corruption and didn’t do a thing to stop it. No Integrity! Alan VanWormer’s brother, Scott VanWormer, was hand-picked by Denis Jordan to be his Deputy Superintendent. No one lifted a finger. Dellisanti, Ruso, vanEtten, no one said a word. But New Baltimore Town Supervisor Jeff Ruso, the chief financial officer of the Town, and the New Baltimore Town Board approved sending Scott VanWormer to Ithaca, New York, for a three-day meeting — the Cornell Local Roads Program — all expenses paid plus his salary. The money and the time was wasted since Scott VanWormer doesn’t have the background or education to have understood what was going on. Furthermore, Alan VanWormer (Scott’s brother!!! And also employed by the New Baltimore Highway Department) is the one who is running unopposed for New Baltimore Highway Superintendent. Unopposed means he’s already got the job, so Why? didn’t they send Alan VanWormer to the Highway Meeting, if anyone? That’s the way Jeff Ruso and the New Baltimore Town Board thinks: They DON’T!!!

Question: Why are we still electing unqualified, dumbasses, with no training to the position of Town Superintendent of Highways. Most of them can’t even read!!! Yet New Baltimore still keeps them in a job and hands them hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars, perhaps even millions of taxpayer dollars to play with and squander and no one seems to care. The job should not be up for election in the first place. The position of Town Superintendent of Highways should be a non-political, professional position filled on a competitiive application basis, with the successful hiree having the right qualifications and subject to discipline and even termination! Putting a professional in the position would more than pay for itself because of proper fiscal and human resources management and administration. That’s the Town Board’s job that they’re not doing. They’re a bunch of dumbasses sitting there thinking of ways to keep our Town Hall packed with political dumbasses and friends.

The Alternative: You don’t have one!

Let’s move on…

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Patrick “Pat” Linger (R)

Out of Touch (except in an election year), Doesn’t Care, a Political Fixture/Tool, No Accomplishments, a Wasted Vote.

We have already published an earlier article to Pat Linger and Greene County DA, Joe Stanzione. You can read what we had to say to them at Open Letter to County Legislator Patrick Linger and Greene County DA Joseph Stanzione.

Linger just didn’t think it important enough to tell voters what his accomplishments were during his last term — obviously he had none — but now he’s begging New Baltimore voters for another term. Take a hike, Patty! You ran and hid when residents needed you. You refused to respond to questions regarding your performance in office this past term. You handed New Baltimore Highway Superintendent Denis Jordan hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars, and Jordan pissed them away, doing more damage than he was worth. Now the balless Republicans on the New Baltimore Town Board and New Baltimore Town Supervisor Jeff Ruso is following in the shite tracks of his mentor and now Deputy Supervisor Nick Dellisanti. We’re sick of the same old-same old and the dog and pony acts in Town Hall and in the County Legislature. Take a walk Patty. Your double-talking friends in Town Hall will be following you out the door!

The Alternative: Jim Eckl

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Joseph “Joe” Stanzione (R)

Running for re-election to the Office of the Greene County District Attorney

Joseph “Joe” Stanzione.
Pantywaist or Panty-waste?

Unaccomplished, Avoids Commitment, Violates his Oath of Office

Just like Pat Linger, Joe Stanzione is a dud, a panty waist.  We have enough duds and panty-waists in Greene County and in New Baltimore. Stanzione goes into hiding when the real issues come up. Did he defend New Baltimore taxpayers and residents when they asked for his help to get compensated for damage done to property by former Highway Superintendent Jordan and his gaggle of monkeys? NOT! Did he go after the New Baltimore Town Supervisor Dellisanti or after Jeff Ruso and the Town Board when they ignored residents’ and taxpayers pleas for relief, compensation for damage to their property? NOT! Does Greene County need a panty-waist District Attorney like Stanzione? NOT! 

Back in we published an open letter to Joe Stanzione. It’s worth a read at Open Letter to Greene County District Attorney Joseph Stanzione. Since then he’s done zilch but now wants to continue doing zilch. No way, José Stanzione! It’s the highway for you, dude!

The county district attorney is the county’s chief law enforcement officer. So Why? is Greene County nicknamed “Cold Case?” Because so little is being done by the Greene County District Attorney in terms of keeping local government honest and criminals prosecuted. That’s Why!

The Alternative: ??? We had a tough time finding out who is opposing Stanzione. We’re waiting for a reply from the Greene County BOE.

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George Amedore

Republican, Irresponsible, Indifferent, Bullshitter.
You know it’s an election year when you see or hear him.

A pink-eared jackass!

George Amedore shows up every election year to beg for the NYS Senate seat, 46th District, and to appear with his Republican cronies at the New Baltimore Republican Club rally to tell everyone fairy tales of what he’s done for New Baltimore and his district. Of course, the gullible back-woods politicians, committee people, and some misguided voters show up to listen to the mealy-mouthed promises never to be kept. In fact, Amedore was complacent and irresponsible when he was handing out state highway monies to Denis Jordan to burn up. We published an article about his legendary generosity with taxpayer dollars and his total lack of accountability. Denis Jordan is under investigation and had to resign; we think Amedore should do the same. He has some nerve asking for New Baltimore’s votes!

Read our article George Amedore, NY State Senator for 46th District, Needs to do Some Homework to learn more about what we told Amedore about New Baltimore and the New Baltimore Highway Department.

The Alternative: ??? Pat Courtney Strong, another woman-wanting-to-be-a-man from Kingston. OMG! That’s a choice??? (Note: Strong is from Kingston, like Amedore, a businesswoman. Problem: Strong knows about as much as Amedore about what New Baltimore and Greene County needs: both know nothing!)

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Antonio Delgado

Democrat, Racist, ex-Rapper, Anti-American.

The Racist Rapper and the Democrat Candidate.
The same face, different outfit.

Is that the best the Democrats can do for Upstate voters? 

Delgado is filth, a racist, ex-rapper whose rapping celebrated sex with porn stars and anti-American, racist lyrics. He might be the hero of give-it-all-away Liberal Democrats. And he might be able to attract votes in mostly minority New York City, but he’s a big dirty ball of crappola to Central and Upstate NY. He might be popular with low-class, inner-city minorities and illegal immigrants with a name like Antonio Delgado, but he’s a clear reject when it comes to people with values and morals. His skin color would get him the downstate minority vote but among people who look deeper than skin color when we vote, he’s a total reject.

We’ve already wasted too many words on a loser like Antonio Delgado. If that’s the best the Democrats can offer New Yorkers, we don’t wonder that they are going to hell in barf bag.

You’ll need this when going to the polls and seeing what the Dems have picked for you.

The Alternative: John Faso

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James “Jim” Eckl

A multiple-loser but our only alternative to Patrick “Pat” Linger, a loser and a scoundrel.

Well, the New Baltimore Democratic Committee made up of Janet Kash, Eileen Vosburgh, Doreen Davis , Beth Schneck. and district committee members Janet Foley,  Richard Guthrie, Judith Felsten, Anne Walsh Mitchell, Lee Davis (Yes. That’s the former loser town justice! Another Democrat loser scraped up by the New Baltimore and Greene County Dems!), Jim Eckl (Yes. That’s the same Jim Eckl the Dems are running against Patrick Linger). New Baltimore and Greene County Democrats have not only failed to give voters candidates, they can’t even get people to serve on their district committees! So they have to keep running losers from past elections.

James “Jim” Eckl, Democrat, Recycled Goods, Democrats’ Last Resort. Give him a chance to fly or fail. Anything’s better than Linger!

His party handlers, the New Baltimore Democratic Committee, Janet Kash, Eileen Vosburgh, Doreen Davis , Beth Schneck., couldn’t tell us why he should get your vote. We found that a bit odd because normally the political party committee members would be over the moon to tell us why their candidate should be elected. Not the New Baltimore Democraps! They didn’t want to say a word about Jim Eckl. Well, there’s not much to say about Jim Eckl, we guess.

The Alternative: Voters in New Baltimore are in a real predicament. You can chose between the Louse (Linger) and the Loser (Eckl).

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In the Town of New Baltimore and in Greene County, we don’t have much to work with. We residents, taxpayers and voters have so much garbage being handed to us You’d think we had a recycling plant or a transfer facility in the neighborhood; we get the dregs from the Republicans and the Democrats can’t even dig up a candidate from the many cemeteries in the area.

New Baltimore & Greene County Elections.
What we have to choose from.
Recycled Garbage.

None of the majority of candidates running are really worth a vote but where there’s at least a choice, that is, when the candidate on the ballot isn’t running unopposed, it would pay to cast a vote for either candidate. They’re garbage but at least you have a choice of which garbage.

When a candidate is running unopposed or in an uncontested race, New York Election Law has already “declared him elected,” and your vote is wasted; you have no voice in who gets the position. As in past elections we say don’t give them the numbers. Don’t cast a vote for that candidate (in New Baltimore, for example, that would be Alan VanWormer) because if you don’t cast a vote, you send the political party and the candidate an important message: You are offended by the fact that you were denied a voice in who to put in that office. If you vote for an unopposed candidate, you are wasting your vote; if you refuse to vote for that candidate, he’s already elected but at least he won’t get the numbers and you will have sent an important message to the parties.

DON’T WASTE YOUR VOTE ON AN UNOPPOSED CANDIDATE!

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If you’re trying to figure out who is running for what office, and you’re having a hard time getting the information, you’re not alone.

We are pretty good at getting information but when it comes to our fine Board of Elections and our Political Party Committees, you just can’t get anyone to say anything or cough up some names or information. If you are having the same problem, you might want to give your Greene County Board of Elections a call or send them an email. If you’re really lucky and they’re having a good day, you might actually get a response. Here’s the contact information:

Greene County Board of Elections

411 Main Street, Catskill NY, 12414

Telephone: 518-719-3550

email (general): elections@discovergreene.com

Republican Commissioner: Brent Bogardus, bbogardus@discovergreene.com

Democrat Commissioner: Marie Metzler, mmetzler@discovergreene.com

The Golden Turd Award
For Political Excellence

 

New Baltimore: Home of the PortaPotty Polls! Blumpkin* Ballots!

New Baltimore, Greene County, Albany County, perhaps the entire nation has a problem. The problem is that the country is run by political party committees that do their own thing without consulting with anyone outside of their own organizations.

Another problem is that once voters think they elect someone to public office, they may not have really elected anyone at all! That’s what happens in the case of the so-called “unopposed” candidate: they’re elected without a vote. But it’s even worse when the political parties are the ones who hand pick the candidates for you. That’s democracy? We think not!

• = Poop.

First of all, anyone who gets on the ballot has to be approved by a party committee or at least get past the county board of elections, which is run by party members. Just check out your Greene County or Albany County Board of Elections and you’ll see entries for Repukelicans and Democraps, but no entries for independent voters. There’s where you have no choice.

Let’s look at what’s happening in the Town of New Baltimore at this very moment.

 

Great Boilin’ Blumkins, Batman!
They sure can cook up a mean batch of self-importance but can’t conjure up any answers …. or candidates!

You basically have the Democraps and the Repukelicans, who then go after the fringe parties like the Conservatives, Independents, etc. and negotiate for their “endorsements.”

Apart from the fact that the Democraps can’t come up with anything better than recycled losers and a racist rapper, they have no shortage of arrogance.

The New Baltimore Democrats are run by an all-white, all-female party committee who can’t come up with any real candidates and haven’t done so in the past two elections. They are incompetent but that doesn’t stop them from being biatches. A contributor recently asked the New Baltimore Democrap Committee a couple of very reasonable questions:

On Wednesday, September 5, 2018,  we wrote to Eileen Vosburgh, Janet Kash, Doreen Davis, and Beth Schneck, the Democratic Party Committee members for New Baltimore,

Good morning!

We are preparing an article on the state of elections in New Baltimore and would like to have your comments on the following:

(1) Mr James Eckl’s qualifications and commitments to the residents of the Town of New Baltimore if elected to be the New Baltimore legislator in the Greene County Legislature. Particularly, we’d like to know Why? Mr Eckl and the Greene County Democratic Committee feel he is qualified and the right choice to be Legislator.

(2) We would like to know Why? the Greene County Democratic Committee and the New Baltimore Democratic Committee were unable to put a candidate on the ballot to oppose Mr Alan vanWormer as candidate for the elected office of Town of New Baltimore Superintendent of Highways? (A similar question could be raised as to the fact of Mr Jeffrey Ruso’s unopposed candidacy for the office of Town Supervisor in 2017).

We are preparing a preliminary article in preparation for the September primaries and would appreciate your confirmation of receipt of this communication.

We would be grateful for your response to the above questions by September 7, 2018, before 5 p.m.

Janet Kash replies on Friday, Sep 7, 2018:

“The thing is, [name redacted], if you want to talk to a candidate, you contact the candidate. Thank you for your interest in the race.”

We followed up on our request writing on Friday, Sep 7, 2018 to to Eileen Vosburgh, Janet Kash, Doreen Davis, and Beth Schneck:

Good morning!

“Can you please confirm that you received our inquiry and that you are working on a response?”

Janet Kash replies on Sep 7, 2018, 4:02 PM

to me, copied to committee members Keltoneov, Doreen, Beth

“No reply is happening”

So much for transparency and openness in government. Those are Democraps talking. Those are the women who run the New Baltimore Democrap party and their response to YOU, the voters and residents of New Baltirmore.

Wouldn’t New Baltimore residents, tax payers, voters like to know whey the New Baltimore Democrats can’t come up with any candidates and, when they do, it’s only to recycle a multiple loser and to run a racist rapper for Congress?!?!

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Antonio Delgado
Rapping Radical “God Bless Iraq” Dem challenges Republican for upstate congressional seat

If you think Congress is a bunch of clowns in business suits the Democraps want you to add a racist rapper to the mix.

Antonio Delgado has two things going for him:
His color will get him the Black vote, and his last name is likely to get him the Hispanic vote. His racism and total lack of values will get him the liberal Democrat vote.

“Meet New York City liberal Antonio Delgado. Before moving upstate to run for Congress as [House Democratic leader] Pelosi’s candidate, Delgado was an L.A. rapper called AD the Voice,” said the ad paid by the Congressional Leadership.

It then bleeped out provocative lyrics about having sex to a porno flick.

The ad also claimed that Delgado “laced his lyrics with extremist attacks on American values,” criticized American presidents and “minimized 9/11” as footage of the burning World Trade Center towers appeared on the screen.

[Source: “House candidate’s ‘offensive’ rap lyrics called out in attack ad” https://nypost.com/2018/08/17/house-candidates-offensive-rap-lyrics-called-out-in-attack-ad/, last accessed on October 3, 2018.]

[Editor’s Note: We have searched the web for lyrics of “Ad the Word,” Delgado’s pseudonym as a rapper, but they seem to have disappeared from the web. Normally, simply googling an artist’s name and lyrics or songs will turn up dozens if not hundreds of hits. Not so for Delgado! His keepers seem to have made everything disappear from the web…everything that would reveal the low-life character of Antonio Delgado, racist rapper!]

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Perhaps you, residents, voters in New Baltimore would like to ask the Democratic Party the same questions. Here are their contact details:

• Eileen Vosburgh: Tel. (518) 756-8113, email Keltoneov@aol.com
• Janet Kash: Tel. (518) 915-4034, email janetkkash@aol.com
• Doreen Davis:  Tel. (518) 678-0317, email: doreendavis3@gmail.com
• Beth Schneck (also Green County vice chariman): no phone available, email: bschneckPhoto@gmail.com

Me likey New Baltimore! They likey one party elections!

The New Baltimore Repukelicans are no better. We’ve contacted incumbent Greene County Legislator Patrick “Pat” Linger (R), asking him to share with us and New Baltimore voters what he’s done during this past term in office. He’s running again on the Repukelican ticket asking to be re-elected, so wouldn’t you all, as voters and residents in Greene County and the Town of New Baltimore be interested in what Mr Linger thinks he’d done for you while in office. Here is what we asked Dingleberry Linger:

Dear Mr. Linger:

We note that you are running again for County Legislator and are actively tracking the candidates and balloting and campaign activities of your opponent parties and their candidates.

In view of the upcoming elections, we would like to ask you to provide the following information within the next 5 business days:

• Please share your most significant accomplishments over this term of office as Greene County Legislator, and provide a brief description of each.
• Please share your most significant accomplishments over this term of office as Greene County Legislator that most directly affect the residents and taxpayers of the Town of New Baltimore.
• Please share your most significant support to any one resident or one family in the Town of New Baltimore as County Legislator.
• What have been the most important pieces of legislation drafted by you during your term of office as Greene County Legislator?
• What have been the most important pieces of legislation voted on (YES) vote during your term of office as Greene County Legislator?
• What future legislation do you plan for Greene County as Greene County Legislator, if re-elected?

As incumbent seeking re-election, you will likely be running against Mr James Eckl. Briefly, what makes you a better choice for voters in New Baltimore?

Thank you for your prompt attention to this request. If you feel you need more time, please provide a reasonable date by which we can expect your responses.

We look forward to your responses.

And again:

Dear Mr Linger:

On August 15, 2018, we sent to you a request for information on your last term in office as Greene County Legislator.

We requested a response within a reasonable time and find now that more than 20 days have lapsed since our first contact requesting the information shown in the email below.

Please have the courtesy and show the respect your constituents deserve by either responding with your achievements or at least a refusal to provide your information. A non-response will be interpreted (1) as a statement that you have not accomplished anything in your last term, and (2) that you don’t have the respect for your constituents that is required for re-election.

If we do not hear back from you by Friday. September 7, 2018, 5 p.m., we will assume (1) and (2), above, and contact Mr James Eckl for his statements, and publish accordingly.

Despite our follow-ups, Repuklican Mr. Linger refused to respond in any way whatsoever so we must assume that Mr. Linger has ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING during his term in office as County Legislator representing the Town of New Baltimore.

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Editor’s Comment: We do want to note that Mr Linger has plenty of time to spy on the activities of the other political hopefuls in New Baltimore and to share that information in great detail with his political cronies. Here’s a recent example:

From: Patrick Linger <lingerems@yahoo.com>
To: Jeff Ruso <jrruso56@yahoo.com>; Kathy Yahoo <katysheba@yahoo.com>; Michael Meredith <mmeredith@fedex.com>; Barbara Finke <barb.finke@yahoo.com>; Edward Barber <edbarber@mail.com>; Scott Briody <sbriody@its-inc.com>; Chuck Irving <faithmiracle18@yahoo.com>; Alan VanWormer <nbfdprez@yahoo.com>; Nick Dellisanti <nadellisanti@gmail.com>; Jean Horn <jhorn38@aol.com>; Skip Aierle <laierle@aol.com>; Christine Byas <christinebyas1@hotmail.com>; Rob Krasney <rhkrasney@aol.com>
Cc: Robert Van Etten <rpveci@gmail.com>
Sent: Fri, Jul 13, 2018 12:13 pm
Subject: Re: Petitions

Good afternoon, 

I received the following from the County BOE last night in reference to what the Dems filed petitions for. I had to specifically ask, but Alan and I were also authorized by the Independence Party. We will have Republican, Conservative, and Independence lines, with no primary. There is a bit of good news for the Legislature, Durham is a (D) now and will switch back to (R).  Athens is (D) now and the incumbent, Palmateer, is not running so chances are good for the (R). Greenville is (R) now and the newcomer (C) is running unopposed at this point so we’ll keep that one. 

This is what the Democrats filed today.  Now we know the landscape of what November will bring.

Independent (party for a day) petitions can be file up to August 21st.

We will be looking over their petitions to see if any chance to challenge.  A quick look today shows no real opportunity to do so but we will take a closer look tomorrow.

Bottom line is they have three county wides (treasurer and two coroners) and legislative candidates in:

Catskill:  But only two so that is good.  Joe Kozlowski and Christopher Hamilton.

Cairo: Only Harry so Harry and Bill are running unopposed.

Halcott, Hunter, Lexington:  Only Larry G. as we did not have a candidate.

Athens: Michael Pirrone

Windham, Ashland, Jewett, Prattsville:  Lori

N. Baltimore: James Eckel

Some have multiple lines as detailed in info below Elisa sent me.

Coxsackie (2 legislators), Greenville, Durham totally unopposed so long as no independent line is created.

Please advise your candidates accordingly of what we have.

And he goes on in a later email:

Treasurer-Lee (DEM, WEP,IND)

Coroner-Robert Gaus/Joshua Lipsman(DEM,WEP,WOR,IND)

Leg Cat-Joseph Kozlowski(DEM,IND,WEP,WOR) & Christopher Hamilton(DEM&IND)

Leg Car- Harry(DEM&IND)

Leg HuHalLex Larry (DEM&IND)

Leg Athens- Michael Pirrone (DEM,IND)

Leg WiPraJeAsh- Lori (DEM,IND)

Leg NB- James Eckl (DEM)

-Pat

On Tuesday, July 10, 2018, 7:29:10 AM EDT, Patrick Linger <lingerems@yahoo.com> wrote:

Good morning all! 

I think I can safely speak for Alan when I say thank you for the work on the petitions! I submitted them to Brent yesterday with 62 total Republican signatures, plenty to cover the 5% needed. He also has the Conservative petitions and the Independence petitions. Thank you Shelly, AnnMarie, and Jeff Ruso for the help with those! The BOE has the signed authorization from the Conservative committee to allow us to submit petitions for their line, but did not yet have the same from the Independence. They have until July 16 to authorize.

Greene County Youth Fair is July 26-29 in Cairo. As many of you know, the Republicans staff a booth/table in the big tent for the weekend. Our time slot is Saturday, July 28th, 9am to Noon (Our usual noon – 3 was already taken). Anyone who wants to attend is welcome to join me (and hopefully Alan) there.

The next regularly scheduled committee meeting (4th Thursday) is July 26th, 7pm at the Boathouse.

Thanks!

-Pat

So, New Baltimore voters, we can clearly see what Pat Linger, your Repukelican County Legislator has been doing; it’s no wonder he can’t come up with any accomplishments in the legislature! He’s too busy doing other things.

You know, Jim Eckl may be a two-time loser but compared to Linger, Eckl’s starting to look real good…if only he could shake the Democrap stench he’d have a chance. Can you do that Jimmy? Can you shake those three wenches from your back? Can you be a real man and run on your hind legs? Try it. Make a commitment to New Baltimore voters that you can do better than Linger and maybe we’ll throw in a couple of good words for ya. 

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The New Baltimore Repukelicans ran their candidate, Jeff Ruso, unopposed for Town Supervisor. In other words, Ruso was not elected, he was declared elected by default. Ruso then immediately appointed his predecessor, Nick Dellisanti, to be his deputy. Dellisanti refused to run again, paving the way for former loser Ruso, who ran for the supervisor office once before and lost. So now New Baltimore residents have an unelected Town Supervisor (Ruso) and an unelected Deputy Town Supervisor (Dellisanti). Of course we can’t fault the New Baltimore Repukelicans for the New Baltimore Democraps’ failure to run a candidate but we can fault both Ruso and Dellisanti for so openly and glaringly pleasuring each other publicly and at the New Baltimore public’s expense: Dellisanti clears the way for loser Ruso and loser Ruso invites RINO Dellisanti back into the Supervisor’s office! Now that’s the way to run elections…in North Korea!

As we have already published in several articles, the incumbent Repukelicans in New Baltimore Town Hall consider themselves above us all and feel it’s unnecessary to respond to residents’ correspondence; their appointees and employees like Gordon Bennett (Sole Assessor) and the Board of Assessment Review, a tool to reward or to punish by means of its incompetence, play their politics games and reward their friends while cheating others; while the Democrap and Repukelicans steal your right to vote or not to vote for candidates by their refusing to put up candidates and run candidates unopposed, who would be “declared elected,” even if they got no votes at all.

Both parties have turned our polling places into portapotties.
Both parties have turned your ballot into a blumpkin.
Both parties have turned your voice into a fart.
Are you happy with your Democracy now?

Stay tuned for our follow-up article on how you are being denied your vote and the problem of Alan Van Wormer.

 

Riley’s Song: Verse Two – Update on Our Investigations.

There are too many contradictions, gaps, inconsistencies in the Riley Kern case to allow anyone with any sense of decency or any trace of compassion to rest easy. While we can’t answer all questions in such a tragic event we can at least try to be honest and thorough in answering those that are answerable. We can at least meet our obligations to come forward and speak the truth. We can at least do our best to connect the dots and minimize doubt and with doubt mistrust. None of this has been done in Riley’s case, at least as far as our investigations and informants have shown. Here’s where we are as of today.

They’re gonna getcha!

Riley Kern was 19 at the time of the accident. Riley Kern’s funeral was on his 20^th birthday. Riley Kern, although just before his death, was living with his mother and sister in Kansas, was a local boy. Riley Kern grew up in the RCS area and even attended Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk high school. Riley Kern’s father, Paul Gumpher, still lives in Climax, New York.

A group of local young people loved and respected Riley to such an extent that they got together and made the trip to Kansas to pay their respects and say a last farewell to Riley at his funeral. For all we have to say about today’s young people, that gesture of loyalty and love struck at even our heart chords. There’s no words to say that would do them the credit they deserve but Thank you! You really did Good!

We are asking Travis Hagen: If you have nothing to hide, nothing to fear, do you go into hiding?

A local man, Travis D Hagen, 48 years old, formerly of Ravena, New York, now residing in the Greene County hamlet of Coxsackie, just south of Ravena, has all but disappeared from the radar. Hagen didn’t have the decency even to express his condolences to Riley’s family at the death of their son, a death caused or at least contributed to by Hagen. Hagen is even avoiding the insurance investigators in the case. This raises the obvious question of: If you have nothing to hide, nothing to fear, do you go into hiding?

Why are you hiding?

Travis Hagen, 48, was driving a 2007 GMC pick-up truck on State Route 143 at the junction of County Route 106 (Tompkins Road) in front of the Sycamore Country Club. We might ask what Hagen was doing out there in the early evening hours of Friday, July 27, 2018, so far from Coxsackie on a sultry summer’s evening. There’s not a lot out there at that time of day except perhaps some friends and some brews. Informants share with us that Travis does like his brew. More on this later.

The Terry Hagen Golf Tournament benefiting the Lustgarten Foundation

Informants also tell us that there is an annual Terrry Hagen Golf Tournament held at the Sycamore County Club, and that the elder Hagen , now dead, was a popular denizen at the country club and an avid golfer. Dots are starting to connect, aren’t they?

Well, the Terry Hagen Memorial Golf Tourny was held at the Sycamore Country Club on August 18, 2018, so it’s reasonable to suggest that Travis Hagen was at the Sycamore Country Club taking care of “business” over a couple of brews, planning or finalizing details of the golf tourny. Sound reasonable to you? Why else would anyone be in that desolate area on a Friday evening? Now, an investigator would certainly have to question the staff at the Sycamore about Hagen’s being there that evening and what he was doing. Doncha think?

One person killed, NO accident reconstruction, and NO police photos taken.

Riley P. “Jeremiah” Kern

The NYS DMV Police Accident Report (MV-104A (6/04) shows the accident to have occurred on July 27, 2018, a Friday, at 6:22 p.m. One person killed, no accident reconstruction, and no police photos taken. That’s a bit irregular. Although our research with the National Weather Service shows that July 27, 2018, was generally sunny/partly cloudy with a high of 86 and a low of 67, there is no mention of weather conditions in the police report. Wouldn’t you think that would be important? Not according to Patrolman Ian Foard of the Coeymans Police Department, the “investigator” at the scene.

Back to the Police Report: In the Accident Description/Officer’s Notes section of the report, Riley’s vehicle is referred to as V1 and Hagen’s vehicle as V2, in the extract of the Police Report below, we are transcribing V1 to Riley and V2 as Hagen . Foard writes:

“Riley was traveling around a curve at high speed and Riley lost control of the vehicle and laid his motorcycle down.[1] Hagen was traveling Northbound [sic] on Route 143 and as Riley came around the curve it (V1 or V2? Riley or Hagen ?) traveled into the Northbound lane in front of Hagen.  Hagen swerved to avoid impact and struck Riley. Riley was ejected and struck the rear driver side of Hagen’s vehicle. Riley’s vehicle traveled under Hagen ’s causing damage to the undercarriage of Hagen s vehicle and eventually ending up behind Hagen ’s vehicle. Riley did pass away from crash-related injuries at Albany Medical Center.”

According to Patrolman Ian Foard, he was the last official to arrive at the accident scene after the EMTs arrived. So where did he get all of this information? Foard’s entry in the form is undated but the report shows that it was “reviewed by” Daniel Contento (acting Police Chief, Coeymans PD) on August 7, 2018, eleven (11) days after the accident, not including the day of the accident! eleven days later. The accident occurred at 6:22 p.m. on July 27, 2018. Riley died at Albany Medical Center shortly after 10 p.m.

Typical cop fashion: Cover me!

Only one “eye witness” is given in the report (we’re withholding that person’s name for now), who was allegedly mowing his “yard” according to Foard. Our visit to the scene would complicate that witness’ claim to having been an “eye witness” because the only property near the scene is to the South and the site of the accident would have been impaired by bushes. But the eye-witness named in the Police Report by Foard and claimed by Foard to have been “mowing his yard” at the time of the accident, is a big problem. You see, the so-called eye-witness lives on Alcove Road — and we are assuming that’s where his “yard” is —, some 4 miles distance from the accident site!

The one eye-witness was, according to Foard, “mowing his yard.” The problem is, his yard is 4 miles away from the accident site!

But that’s the least of the problems with Foard’s very late report. In fact, New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law Article 22, § 605. Report required upon accident reads (in pertinent part):

“(a) 1. Every person operating a motor vehicle, except a police officer (as defined in subdivision thirty-four of section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law ), a correction officer, or a firefighter, operating a police department, a correction department, or fire department vehicle respectively while on duty, if a report has been filed by the owner of such vehicle, which is in any manner involved in an accident, anywhere within the boundaries of this state, in which any person is killed or injured, or in which damage to the property of any one person, including himself, in excess of one thousand dollars is sustained, shall within ten days after such accident, report the matter in writing to the commissioner.”

“2. Failure to report an accident as herein provided or failure to give correctly the information required of him by the commissioner in connection with such report shall be a misdemeanor and shall constitute a ground for suspension or revocation of the operator’s (or chauffeur’s) license or all certificates of registration for any motor vehicle, or of both, of the person failing to make such report as herein required.  In addition, the commissioner may temporarily suspend the driver’s license or permit or certificate of registration of the motor vehicle involved in the accident, or of both, of the person failing to report an accident within the period prescribed in paragraph one of this subdivision, until such report has been filed.  However, no suspension or a revocation shall be made of a license or certificate of registration of any police officer, correction officer, or firefighter involved in an accident while on duty for failure to report such accident within ten days thereof if a report has been filed by the owner of such vehicle.”

“(c) The report required by this section shall be made in such form and number as the commissioner may prescribe.”

The law is clear on the reporting requirement and the time for reporting. In fact, in the next section, it actually states at VTL § 606. Processing of required reports:

“The commissioner [the DMV], when processing reports of accidents filed pursuant to this article, shall give priority to reports involving serious physical injury (as defined in subdivision ten of section 10.00 of the penal law ) or death.”

The investigating officer, when making his report, is an agent of the Department of Motor Vehicles, that is, the “Commissioner” in the laws. Accordingly, if there is serious physical injury or death involved, the officer is to give “priority” to the report. But it took the Coeymans Police Department eleven (11) days just to get the report written and reviewed! No one is going to tell us that the Coeymans Police Department is that overworked and understaffed that it takes 11 days to fill out a form! Incompetence and indifference; criminal obstruction!

Not only is the police report late and in violation of the law, it is incomplete and inaccurate!

First of all, Patrolman Foard and Sgt Daniel Contento apparently can’t read or understand the clear labels on the form. For example, in the section “Vehicle Model” the form actually gives examples, such as “Mustang, Corvette” but Foard (Contento) insert “Motorcycle” for Vehicle 1 (V1, Riley) but “Sierra” for Vehicle 2 (V2, Hagen).

In the “Emergency Medical Services” the form requires times (in military notation; we are converting to conventional time notation here). EMS was  “Notified at 6:24” and “Arrived at the scene at 6:26 p.m.” The form shows that the EMS “Arrived (with Riley) at hospital” at 7:05 p.m. We don’t find those times to be believable.

First of all, any 911 calls go through the Albany County Sheriff’s Dispatch Center in Albany, who then take down the details and relay them to the appropriate First Responders. That alone should take several minutes. Then the First Responders have to get their acts together and get to the scene, which will take another several minutes, at least. But the accident, according to the report happened at 6:22 p.m. If we are to believe the accident report, the accident was reported after the accident occurred, naturally, that is, after 6:22 p.m., the 911 dispatcher contacted the local EMS, who then got all their information and gear, and personnel together and got to the scene at 6:26. That’s in less than 4 minutes!!! Do you believe that?

That raises yet another question: How long did it take anyone to make the 911 call once the accident occurred?

But it took them about 45 minutes to get the dying boy to Albany Medical Center! And that’s assuming the ambulance arrived at the very same moment as the EMS, which is unlikely because they were also busy trying to decide whether to medevac (Lifeline) Riley to the hospital, a decision that fell through the cracks due to “thunderstorms” in the area (Thunderstorms? No mention of these in the National Weather Service reports. Rain, maybe, but no thunderstorms in Albany County on July 27, 2018).

Back to the report: Patrolman Foard writes that the first point of impact on Riley’s motorcycle was at point 11, the left door. We weren’t aware that motorcycles, much less Riley’s bike, had left doors but maybe Patrolman Foard and Sgt Contento know more about this than we do.

Besides, if you are filling out a form, you’d indicate everything you need to indicate, wouldn’t you? It’s all done half-assed, as usual in Coeymans! We’ve always said, ”You pay peanuts, you get monkeys!”

And then you put them in uniforms and hand them guns.

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Editor’s Note: New Law in New York: Serious Accidents to Trigger Mandatory Sobriety Tests in New York. The new law expands the responsibilities of police officers who are first responders to the scene of a motor vehicle accident if the collision either caused a serious injury or caused a death. Now, among the responsibilities that police have as they investigate the cause of the accident is a responsibility to assess whether the driver was in violation of state traffic law or not. Under the previous rules related to field sobriety testing, the laws in New York stipulated that it was up to the discretion of the officer to determine if a person should be tested for impairment. The new rule simplifies and streamlines the system and ensures that drivers don’t simple evade the law when a death or a serious injury happens.

According to New York State Senator Pamela Helming, who was one of the bill’s sponsors, indicated that” “Individuals need to be held accountable for their choices, especially when it leads to the death or serious injury of someone else.” Helming also warned: “Eliminating loopholes in the current law that allow drivers under the influence to escape prosecution at the expense of someone else’s life is a start.” With new evidence available to demonstrate intoxication after serious accidents, victims should be better able to pursue claims for compensation against those who caused collisions while drunk. A New York City car accident law firm can provide help to victims in taking action.

The bill was signed into law on December 18, 2017, and went into effect 30 days after signing.

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Seems both Foard and the Sycamore Country Club have no clue where they are.

The accident happened on State Route 143 40 ft South of what Foard calls Tompkins Road. The roadway Foard is referring to, apparently, is County Route 106. Tompkins Road is not the roadway’s DOT real designation but is the street name used by locals and the Sycamore Country Club in its address, but then the Sycamore Country Club is located in the hamlet of Coeymans Hollow, not in Ravena! Seems both Foard and the Sycamore Country Club have no clue where they are. Foard can almost be forgiven, being from Mechanicville and given his history (see below, Editor’s Aside].

Annotated Police Report Sketch

The narrative text also states that Riley was “traveling around a curve at high speed.” How does anyone know that as a fact. Foard himself admits that he was the last to arrive on the scene, after the EMS. The eye witness named in the Police Report was “mowing his yard” and lives on Alcove Road. OK. Maybe Foard can explain how a guy mowing his lawn 4 miles away could see the accident? That guy must have one hell of a set of eyes! Or has Foard left something out? What’s your guess?

In the narrative (text) description of the accident, Foard notes that Hagen’s truck sustained “damage to the undercarriage of Hagen’s vehicle” but Foard does not indicate that damage in the diagram! This raises the question of whether Foard was able to crawl under Hagen’s vehicle to inspect it and on what grounds Foard determined the damage to be caused at the time of the accident. We don’t think that a part-time patrolman has that expertise. Do you?

Foard makes an interesting commitment as to the sequence of the events: He writes that Riley “laid his motorcycle down” indicating that Riley was actually in control of his vehicle and took the emergency measure of putting the cycle into a skid to avoid the accident. This in no way would indicate that Riley “lost control of the vehicle” as Foard speculates in his narrative. Foard was not there and given the situation, it’s unlikely that any witness would be able to state with certainly that Riley lost control of his motorcycle.

Foard then writes that Hagen “swerved to avoid impact and struck Riley.” This is the black letter written narrative that likely went through some editing and, if anything had to be changed before or after Contento “reviewed” and passed the report, that something would have been changed. As it now reads, Hagen struck Riley, not the other way around!

In this narrative the sequence continues: Riley was “ejected and struck the rear driver side” of Hagen’s vehicle. According to the damage diagram in the Police Report, Foard indicates in the Damage Codes for Riley’s vehicle: Point of impact 11 (left, driver side door), “Most Damage”: 8 (rear of vehicle), and Foard enters three other damage codes: 14, undercarriage; 5, passenger side door (or right side of vehicle), and 11, driver side door (or left side of vehicle).

Foard indicates Damage Codes for Hagen’s vehicle:  : “Point of impact 1” (left, front headlight/fender), “Most Damage: 8” (rear of vehicle), and Foard enters three other damage codes: “1”, (left, front headlight/fender); “”10”, driver side door (or right side of vehicle), and “12, driver side front panel (or left front side of vehicle). But this doesn’t seem right because the pictures taken by an EMS person do not show Driver-side damage at all!

Nothing in Foard’s report seems to agree. And it was reviewed by acting police chief Sgt Contento, and released to the Department of Motor Vehicles! How embarassing!

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(Photo Credits: Thomas Marra)

When asked about this, the EMS photographer/journalist explained that the only damage he documented was on the passenger door side, a dent, probably from impact (how else would you get a dent like that shown in the image?) When questioned further, the EMS photographer/journalist explained that if there were no damage he would not have photographed it; there was not damage on the left side, the driver’s side, of Hagen’s vehicle, according to this EMS photographer/journalist.

So this information, along with Foard’s statements in the Police Report actually damage any credibility of the Coeymans Police investigation, if there were any investigation at all, and contradict or rule out most of what Foard writes in his report!

Here’s some other information that creams Foard’s report. The manufacturer’s specs for the 2007 GMC Sierra driven by Hagen give a front ground clearance of 9.1 inches. The rear ground clearance for this vehicle is 12.1 inches, or an average of 10.6 inches along the length of the vehicle.

The 2008 Buel motorcycle driven by Riley has a width of about 29” and a length of about 78 inches. Given the condition of the motorcycle as shown in the pictures taken at the accident scene, and given Foard’s report saying that Riley’s motorcycle “struck the rear driver side” of Hagen’s pickup truck” and then “traveled under Hagen’s vehicle[,] causing damage to the undercarriage of Hagen’s vehicle[,] and eventuallyending up behind Hagen’s vehicle.” Given the specs of the two vehicles, you think the cycle would have been a mangled mess. It wasn’t — at least not until Burn’s Towing got their hands on it. (Click the link to view the insurance investigator’s photos.)

Insurance Investigator’s Photos

True to local scoundrel form, Burns + Sons Auto Repair & AAA Towing in Ravena (2537 US 9W Ravena, NY 12143 ) didn’t waste a minute getting their hands into Riley’s family’s pockets. We have learned that Burns charged the family more than $1800 ($300 for “towing” the motorcycle and $65/day for storage)! Good Lord! The cycle weighs only about 350 lbs and two men could lift it onto a pickup bed! Thank you! Burns & Sons Towing (Ravena) for confirming everything we have ever had to say about local crooks!

There’s more, much more but we won’t share it until we confirm and vet it. Stay tuned!

This is one of a long series of botched investigations that have become the hallmark of the Coeymans Police Department. It’s not only that they are incompetent and too arrogant to call in real professionals from the Albany County Sheriff’s Department or the New York State Police, their incompetence and arrogance has and is continuing to cause good people a lot of unnecessary suffering. On top of all that, we as taxpayers are paying for this incompetence and abuse! How stupid can it possibly get?!?

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Editor’s Aside — Some Notes on Coeymans Patrolman Ian FOARD

It appears part-time Coeymans patrolman Ian FOARD comes to Coeymans from the Mechanicville PD, and he brings a bit of baggage with him.

At the regular meeting of the Mechanicville City Council on Wednesday, February 5, 2014. Mayor Baker and the Mechanicville City Council appointed Ian Foard to the position of full-time desk-officer at a rate of $13.47/h (Resolution #20-14)

According to the official minutes of the Coeymans Town Board Meeting of March 22, 2018 Mr. Foard was appointed to the position of Probationary Part-Time Police Officer effective March 26, 2018. Foard’s appointment was contingent upon Foard’s signing a personal services contract with the Town of Coeymans and his paperwork being filed with the Human Resource Clerk. According to the minutes, Foard would be compensated at the rate designated in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. (Resolution #063-18). At that same meeting, Sgt Daniel Contento was appointed acting Police Chief (Resolution #062-18).

The Albany Times Union reported on January 25, 2018, that Ian Foard was one of five Mechanicville police department employees who filed a multiple-charge complaint with the Mechanicville Human Resources Officer alleging multiple abuses by Mechanicville Mayor Baker. Foard alleges in the complaint that when Foard was dealing with a personal family matter, Mayor Baker allegedly told Ian Foard, that his father is “disgusting, weird” because he is transgender. Baker allegedly told Foard “every mistake you’ve made was because of your dad.”

The 5-page complaint was filed with the Commissioner of Accounts Kimberly Dunn who acts as the city’s human resource officer and city clerk. It was signed by Police Benevolent Association officers President Alexander Dunn, Vice President Matthew Dunn, Foard, the bargaining unit’s treasurer, and Rabbitt, the union’s secretary. Both Alexander Dunn and Matthew Dunn are the City Clerk’s, Kimberly Dunn’s sons; the rumor is that the Dunn boys were put up to the complaint by momma Dunn, who has her eye on the mayor’s office.

Later, on July 12, 2018, the Albany Times Union reports that the charges against Mayor Baker were dropped, and that Mechanicville Police Chief Police Chief Joseph Waldron “retired,” “retired” usually used to pretty up the fact of “resigned.”

Ian Foard subsequently resigned or was terminated from employment with the City of Mechanicville Police Department and was later hired as a part-time patrolman by the Town of Coeymans.

We have requested information from the City of Mechanicville relating to FOARD’s termination or separation.

See the extract from the complaint filed by FOARD and others, below.

This is an extract from the official complaint.

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This is not an isolated incident with the Cold-Case Coeymans Police Department. We’ve been covering stories on a regular basis. Here are just a few of the most recent articles we’ve run about the a dysfunctional law enforcement mistake:

Dumbass Team: Coeymans Police and Albany DA Soares!
More on the Coeymans Police Department. Our Recent Investigations.
We are speechless! OMG! Coeymans Police Caught on Video Again!
Coeymans Police Turning Into Coeymans Gestapo Again?
Criminals Thumbing Their Noses to Law Enforcement? Why?
Local Law Enforcement Might Need Some Help with the Math: 2 + 2 = Stahlman!
Drive-by Shooting Arrives in RCS

We’re in control, Rye!
We won’t let you down.

Click this link to read Riley’s mom’s response to detractors of Smalbany: Riley’s Mom Responds: A Mother’s Perspective.

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[1] Motorcycle accidents involving a lay–down by the operator of the motorcycle means that when the motorcyclist experiences a sudden emergency and he decides to lay down the bike rather than collide with another object. Because of the suddenness of the hazard, the rider applies the brakes and the bike slides on its side.