Once again, members of the Rochester Democratic Committee and assorted political hacks are connected with a ferocious attack against Hon. Manuela Michailescu, the Republican Town of Rochester Councilwoman.

In early May, after she was asked and encouraged to do so, Councilwoman Manuela Michailescu decided to run for Ulster County Legislator, District 1. A few days later the hell broke loose. She was informed that the seat belongs to the wife of Ulster County Independence Party Chairman, Len Bernardo. This time, Manuela was "encouraged" to step aside, and threatened with – among other things – making public her financial situation. Anonymous Kingston area blogs started to hurl insults at Manuela.

The County's newspapers were not fooled:

"The Catalano-Bernardo deal screws voters, but then, that's what politicians do."
Kingston Times — June 25, 2009

"Catalano, [cooked] a deal with Bernardo to guarantee his wife, Terry Bernardo, a seat in the legislature."
Kingston Times — July 2, 2009

“A backroom deal was made a few months ago between the major parties to cross-endorse, thereby deciding to go around the voters completely and make sure the 'right' people won the election without any of that disturbing democracy business getting in the way.”
Ellenville's Shawangunk Journal — July 23, 2009

:: :: ::

As everybody knows, Manuela and I have filed for personal bankruptcy protection on March 11, 2009. The debt was discharged on June 8, 2009. A trustee was appointed to oversee the property. The building housing our antiques shop was put on the market a few months ago. There was no interest til Friday, July 7, when Jennifer No-last-name-given called twice from Westwood Metes & Bounds Realty in Stone Ridge to arrange and confirm a showing of the property.

On Saturday, July 8, a young woman entered the Antiques Store, looked around, and complimented us for the shop's look. A second woman came in, holding a sheet of paper. When it became obvious that they are the 1:00 o’clock appointment, and after seeing that they did not introduce themselves, I volunteered: “Jennifer?” Jennifer she was, and she asked to see the store’s backroom. I asked her what she knows about the property. “Not much” she said. When I informed them that it’s a trustee ordered sale of a non-vacant property, the client said “I'm outta here.” They left.

Two minutes later they returned and asked to see the store’s backroom. Wish fulfilled, they left for good. What on earth was that about? No introduction? No last name? No business card? Just a burning desire to see the backroom? Is that how they conduct business at Westwood Metes & Bounds? Does she really work for Metes & Bounds?

Yes, she does. A quick Internet check returned her blogger profile:

The name Jennifer McKenzie rang a bell for me and Manuela alike. We checked the store security cameras:

Manuela recognized her from an interview with the Town Board and her subsequent appointment as an alternate on the Zoning Board of Appeals. After a while, I remembered why she looked familiar. I saw her in a photo taken at the 2007 Rochester Democratic Caucus, while she and Stuart Fraser were discarding inconvenient paper ballots:

Out of all realtors in Ulster County, the only one "showing" our store happened to be Jennifer McKenzie, who displayed unacceptable unprofessional conduct, did not inform the prospective buyer about the conditions of sale, and appeared to be on a mission to inspect the store's backroom. Jennifer McKenzie is a member of the Rochester Democratic Committee. So is Councilwoman Lynn Archer, who pressured Supervisor Carl Chipman into sending the town's Code Enforcement Officer to... inspect our store's backroom.
What a coincidence!

What do they expect to find in the back of the store? Ask Zali Win!

The Rochester popular wisdom has it that Zali Win — the Chairman of the Rochester Democratic Committee — sent to the Town Board members (except Manuela) the anonymous envelopes containing our bankruptcy filing and a cover letter announcing that "as of the date of Mihailescu's bankruptcy petition" Manuela automatically vacated her seat on the Rochester Town Board" and she "is ineligible for public office in Ulster County." Either that or else: " a $500,000 fine and 5 years in prison."

Why would Zali Win do something like that? For starters, lets look at this email sent by Terry Bernardo to Mario Catalano:

Please, read the email again. What does it tell you about the sender? Do you see what I see? An impulsive, extremely vindictive person, seeking to harm a fellow Republican — with the help of her Democratic friends. A politically crooked character who will support whoever, just to get her way.

If she swears revenge against Ulster County Clerk Nina Postupack, in return for a perceived slight, what would she do against somebody who made public the backroom deal which guaranteed her a seat in the legislature? Well, how about summoning to the rescue her Democratic friends?

Enter Blaber

Blaber who? Lets sample what Ulster County bloggers wrote about Blaber:

"The only information Mr. Blaber has is that which the Democrats feed to him in the hopes he will disseminate their propaganda."

"Jeremy Blaber's blog is back. He is still living in Brooklyn and working for the Working Families Party. I spoke with him and he seems to be enjoying the job. In his own words, he said he could not believe he was being paid for doing something he enjoys so much."

"Frustrated in his efforts to get paid for repairs on a local Democratic political operative's car, city mechanic Tim Halpin plans to settle his dispute with Jeremy Blaber once and for all — with a baseball bat. Blaber, however, needn't run for cover. Instead, Halpin's Louisville Slugger will be made available to anyone willing to pay $1 for an opportunity to take a swing at the 2001 Hyundai Accent, on which Halpin recently obtained a mechanic's lien."

"Blaber has to control his addiction to whoppers."

According to Ulster County Republican Committee Chairman Mario Catalano, Blaber is "a hatchet man for the Democratic Party." In the same article Len Bernardo is quoted: "We were at Mariner's Harbor after this really successful fundraiser... We get off the boat and who's there haunting me? Jeremy Blaber." (Kingston Times — October 2, 2008).

Politics makes strange bedfellows

The New York State Board of Election 2009 Calendar designates July 13 - July 16 as the dates for filing designating petitions. Look at this coincidence:

On July 13, Jeremy Blaber’s blog called for Manuela’s resignation from Rochester Town Board and declared that she is not eligible to run for County Legislature.

On July 16, after Manuela filed the designating petitions, Jeremy Blaber’s blog “breaks” the fake news: “Manuela Michailescu Resigns from Rochester Town Board.” How is this for a whopper? As a bonus, he posted online our bankruptcy filing.

It has been reported that a few hours before he "broke the news," Blaber had dinner with Bernardos at Mariner's Harbor. It has been reported that Blaber spends weekends at Bernardos' house. On his blog, Blaber congratulated County Legislator Elect Terry Bernardo — five months before the coming elections! Blaber carried petitions for Terry Bernardo...
What a bunch of coincidences!

The timing of Jeremy Blaber’s actions against Manuela Michailescu is best described in David O’Halloran’s letter to this website: “And now, in an attempt to block her petition drive to be on the ballot, a smear campaign has been mounted against her by the opposition.” The opposition is, of course, Len Bernardo' wife.

Enter Kathy Kuthy

Always a fighter against Manuela, Kathy Kuthy (above) wanted more people to read the "breaking news" on Blaber. A girl has to do what a girl has to do. So, she sent an email to Ellenville's Shawangunk Journal in which she pasted two paragraphs from Blaber's whopper. Just in case.

A few days later, on July 21, Kathy Kuthy left a message on Manuela's answering machine:

"Hi, this is Kathy Kuthy...This is a message for Manuela...I'll try you at the store...I'll look it up, see if it's a different number...I was wondering if you'd like to go have a cup of coffee...and...obviously...the topic of the day...I...I...I want to talk to you...I hope you guys still understand and remember that I do not in any way dislike you and...politics aside...I'd like to see you...maybe I can help you find an easy way out of this mess and...you know...in a way...you can keep go forward...I happen to agree with your point about the deal that the Republicans at the County level have made...Anyhow...that I agree with you or not agree with you is not the point...If you'd like to have a cup of coffee with me, I'd love to have a cup of coffee with you...Maybe is something I can do to help you with all this...because this website, this Blaber thing is out of control...My number is 626-2898...I want you to know that this is very sincere, this is from the heart."

Enter Sheila Finan

Thank God for small miracles! Blue Stone Press (August 7, 2009) published the jewel of the letters to the Editor:

Got it? Sheila Finan is thanking an anonymous person for giving her the opportunity to read anonymous comments. Sheila Finan got infected with the "contagious enthusiasm for the truth." Sheila Finan is thrilled by a ferocious politically-motivated character assassination attempt that crosses the line into invasion of privacy, intimidation, blackmail, hate crime, ethnic discrimination, and interference with the electoral process. Thrilled!

Go to Blaber, scroll down, read the comments, see for yourself what thrills Sheila Finan.

Anonymous attacks? Rumors? Innuendos? Insults? Shenanigans? Right down Sheila Finan's alley! But don't you ever try to confuse her with the facts.

In fairness to Sheila, she must be commended for doing what no local donkey did before: no matter how revealing her letter was, she signed it. Attagirl!

jdm

Town of Rochester Councilwoman Manuela Michailescu won the right to a Republican line
Times Herald-Record

And in District 1, which includes Ellenville, Town of Rochester Councilwoman Manuela Michailescu won the right to a Republican line. Michailescu’s victory will kick incumbent Joe Stoeckeler off the line, but Stoeckeler has also been endorsed by the Democrats.

Legislature races take shape in Ulster County
Daily Freeman

IN DISTRICT 1 (Marbletown, Rochester, Wawarsing), Republican voters will choose from among five candidates for four spots on the Republican line. Democratic incumbents Joseph Stoeckeler, Mary Sheeley and T.J. Briggs, all of Ellenville, and Terry Bernardo, who is registered in the Independence Party, have the backing of the Ulster County GOP. They are facing a primary challenge from Kerhonkson Republican Manuela Michailescu.

Bad Behavior All Around
Ellenville's Shawangunk Journal

“...The reason for all of this mud is Mihailescu's quite reasonable objection to the political carve up in District One between Republicans, Independents, and Democrats. A backroom deal was made a few months ago between the major parties to cross-endorse, thereby deciding to go around the voters completely and make sure the 'right' people won the election without any of that disturbing democracy business getting in the way.”

Smear Campaign in Rochester?
Ellenville's Shawangunk Journal

Why are they afraid
of Manuela?
Daily Freeman

“At this point, I think it is fairly clear that Councilwoman Michailescu did not, in any way abandon her domicile in the town of Rochester, and therefore she can continue to hold her position on the Town Board.”

— MaryLou Christiana
— Attorney for the Town

Ulster County
Board of Elections...

...notified Manuela Michailescu that she was nominated as a candidate for Public Office by the Republican and Conservative Parties, to be voted for at the Primary Election to be held on September 15, 2009.

Solomon splits
Kingston Times

"Catalano, after cooking a deal with Bernardo to guarantee his wife, Terry Bernardo, a seat in the legislature..."

— Hugh Reynolds

John Morrow: thug or buffoon?
Speak Out

Wheels and Deals
Kingston Times

"The Catalano-Bernardo deal
screws voters, but then,
that's what politicians do."

— Hugh Reynolds

Rumbling in Rochester:
Will District 1 Have A Choice?
Ellenville's Shawangunk Journal

We the Voters want to vote for people who will represent us
Speak Out

We the People demand
an end to deals
Speak Out

Bernardos' Districks 1

Shame on you, Mario Catalano!
Speak Out

District 1 Voters Without Say in Upcoming County Election
Ellenville's Shawangunk Journal

Ulster County's GOP —
A Party Fractured?
Ellenville's Shawangunk Journal

What has happened
to democracy?
Ellenville's Shawangunk Journal
Daily Freeman
Blue Stone Press

Shame on the deal-makers!
Blue Stone Press

Dirty Party Politics?
Ellenville's Shawangunk Journal