This is my second year as a Rochester Republican Committee member and, thankfully, it will be my last. When I petitioned for and was elected to the Committee, the republicans in our town were divided between the Republican Committee and the Republican Club. I thought that if I was a member of both, I would be able to help bring the two sides together. There was a time when it appeared to be working, but I guess it was just wishful thinking on my part. It's now very obvious that it will never happen and I am tired of wasting my time and efforts.

The total lack of trust and honesty from the leaders of each organization has gone to the point of no return. It wasn't very long ago that the Club filed a grievance against the Chair of the Rochester Republican Committee for "actions unbecoming a Republican," and now the president of the Rochester Republican Club is demonstrating the same exact behavior. What's even worse, so is the Chairman of the Ulster County Republican Party.

This year, Mario Catalano, the Ulster County Republican Party Chairman, with the support of the Rochester Republican Club president, has decided that residents of Ulster County do not need or deserve a choice. So, choice was removed from the democratic process. Instead we have deals and veiled threats. Apparently, the Chairman of the Independence Party wants his wife to be awarded a seat on the County Legislature. Yes, awarded. Not elected. Awarded.

So the deal is this: Independence Party Chairman Bernardo has promised the Independence Party endorsement to the democrats and to the republicans if they put his wife Terry on their line. Now, how is he going to accomplish this? Easy! You get the republicans to cross-endorse the three incumbent democrats and one republican as long as the "republican" is his wife. Then he promises the democrats that they can all keep their seats and that no one will run against them if they cross-endorse one republican on their line.

Yup! As long as the "republican" is his wife Terry. As a bonus, Bernardo will endorse a few republicans in the Town of Ulster, where — yup! — Mario Catalano lives.

What in the hell are people thinking? What has happened to democracy?

And what do the Bernardos want so badly that an election has to be arranged?

Kandy Santosky
Town of Rochester Republican Committeewoman
Accord

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