The Hotline
Bylaw Blues
More bylaw blues for Boss Wade. On Friday, Schodack Town Dem Chair Tim Nugent, the party’s former candidate for DA, won a court case that may end up trashing bylaw changes designed to give Boss Wade more power over local chairpersons. Nugent is the latest to take on the controversial bylaw changes, following legal action by NGB Chair Jeff Spain.
The court setback Friday came after Dems under Wade’s leadership suffered huge defeats in the September 18 primaries, with Democrat candidates losing virtually every race across the county.
Shakedown Street
Somewhat hidden among the news about the devastating defeats suffered by Rensselaer County Democrats in the Sept. 18 primaries was the report that subpoenas have been issued to Democrat Board of Elections employees by investigators probing allegations that Boss Wade shook down BOE employees for kickback contributions in late 2006.
Also subpoenaed, according to Dem sources, was Sue Steele, the chief of staff to Democrats in the County Legislature. Steele is no stranger to subpoenas in county scandals, having given testimony in the McDonough insurance scandal in the early 1990s. We hear that the Steele subpoena has got Wade and his advisors real nervous.
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