Blast from the Past

Dick Weaver worked alongside Boss Tom Wade at the Board of Elections for years. Worked, that is, until Wade fired Weaver when Weaver didn’t follow political orders in the selection of a county chairman for the Rensselaer County Democratic Party.

In 2006, Wade snuck past Lynne Mahoney, his one-time co-chair, to grab control of the county Dems chair. None of Wade’s former co-workers at the Board of Elections supported Wade. Tom must have forgotten Secretaries Day. He did remember to allegedly extort a percentage of the annual salaries of several Democratic appointees in late 2006; Boss Tom claims such treatment is “expected” of loyalists in his party.

On Tuesday, Weaver dropped a bombshell, holding a press conference to state that he had knowledge of the Wade shakedown scheme from conversations with his former colleagues. And Weaver came bearing a statement from Archie Robinson, an employee who stated he paid more than $300 to satisfy the extortion request from Boss Tom. Wade said “thanks” by forcing Archie Robinson from his job at the Board.

The Weaver press conference played big, with TV and newspaper reporters showing up. Biggest was Weaver’s request for an investigation into Wade’s shakedown scheme, which led to another non-denial denial by Wade that must have his attorneys and advisers scratching their heads.

Expect more to come tomorrow...