Albany County Legislature - Soares Vote


By DIA, Section News
Posted on Mon May 08, 2006 at 12:27:00 PM EST

Apparently the Albany County Legislature is joining in the fun tonight and plan to hold a vote of "no confidence" regarding DA Soares.

The public is given a chance to speak so go say your piece if you choose.

County Legislature's meeting tonight at the Old County Courthouse, 2nd floor.
Public Comment period 6:30 - 7:00, arrive by 6:15

Update [2006-5-8 17:4:22 by DIA]: The word is that the motion or resolution or whatever was withdrawn at the beginning of the meeting. Then a large crowd spoke in favor of Soares, none against. Put this one in the "boneheaded" political move column.

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Albany County Legislature - Soares Vote | 13 comments (13 topical, 0 hidden)
Wow! (none / 0) (#1)
by Citizen McLain on Mon May 08, 2006 at 12:58:32 PM EST
This seems a bit premature.

We don't even have any numbers to examine or trends to analyze...#convictions or pleas/arrests...for Mr. Soares.  All we have is anecdotal information.

As a Republican, I would encourage my party to find a strong candidate to give him a good race (based on the idea that all incumbents should be challenged) based on the merits of his service, and let the voters decide.  I would also advise that candidate to stay away from the old-school Democrats and run his or her own campaign.

I think that (none / 0) (#5)
by Andrew C White on Mon May 08, 2006 at 08:24:36 PM EST
would be good advice. I wholeheartedly agree that is how it should be. The Republican candidate would get their butts kicked of course (this is Albany County after all) but that sort of healthy competition of ideas and beliefs is a good thing and I strongly support it.
Full Disclosure: I am Chair of the Darius Shahinfar for Congress Campaign Committee in NY-21.
[ Parent ]
Butts Kicked? (none / 0) (#6)
by Citizen McLain on Tue May 09, 2006 at 03:44:56 AM EST
Soares won with 54 percent of the vote; Cusick got 41 percent.  I guess that is a butt-kicking, but hardly the drubbing the GOP is expected to get.

If I recall the Republican just got edged out of the DA race in 2000, so you never know in a race like this; we'll just have to wait to see Mr. Soares statistics.  I imagine that 2008 could be a real horserace, if the numbers don't bear him out.

[ Parent ]

It does seem kind of stupid (none / 0) (#2)
by alfrednewman on Mon May 08, 2006 at 04:39:49 PM EST
Its premature, at best.

It is also not on the published agenda.

Besides, its meaningless.  No confidence doesnt mean squat.
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"

Um, (none / 0) (#3)
by alfrednewman on Mon May 08, 2006 at 05:11:46 PM EST
DIA,

Was this one of those premeptive strikes by Soares supporters.  It was not on the agenda.
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"
[ Parent ]

No confidence resolution withdrawn (none / 0) (#4)
by TerryONeillEsq on Mon May 08, 2006 at 05:15:41 PM EST
REMARKS
TERRY O'NEILL
ALBANY COUNTY LEGISLATURE
8 MAY 2006

AT THE OUTSET, AS THE DESCENDANT OF THREE GENERATIONS OF COPS, THE FEELINGS OF POLICE OFFICERS ARE A MATTER OF CONSIDERABLE CONCERN TO ME.  

SOME OF YOU WILL REMEMBER THE TIME I ASKED YOU ALL TO SIGN A 60TH BIRTHDAY CARD FOR TOM CONSTANTINE. TOM WAS, AT THE TIME, AMERICA'S TOP NARCOTICS OFFICER. I WANTED TO LEAVE AN IMPRESSION ON YOU OF MY PERSONAL APPRECIATION FOR HIS OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP IN OUR NATION'S STRUGGLE AGAINST THE SCOURGE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS.

THE TRUE NATURE OF TOM'S UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION TO THIS STRUGGLE IS NOT WELL-APPRECIATED. I WOULD CHARACTERIZE IT AS "TOUGH BUT SMART ENFORCEMENT." HIS HIGHEST PRIORITY BOTH AS SUPERINTENDENT OF STATE POLICE AND ADMINISTRATOR OF DEA WAS TO FOSTER INTERAGENCY COOPERATION. HE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO BUILD RELATIONS OF TRUST AND MUTUALITY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES LARGE AND SMALL ALL OVER THIS STATE, NATION AND ABROAD. THAT IS WHAT MADE IT POSSIBLE TO BRING DOWN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE LARGEST AND MOST POWERFUL CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY IN HISTORY - THE CALI CARTEL.

HE ALSO FOCUSED UNPRECEDENTED ATTENTION AND RESOURCES OF BOTH THE STATE POLICE AND DEA ON BELEAGUERED INNER CITIES. HE DID THIS THROUGH SIGNATURE PROGRAMS CALLED THE COMMUNITY NARCOTICS ENFORCEMENT TEAMS AND DEA'S MOBILE ENFORCEMENT TEAMS. A SPECTACULAR CNET OPERATION IN SCHENECTADY'S HAMILTON HILL IN 1993 HAD THE LONG-TERM EFFECT OF DRIVING RATES OF CRIME IN THAT COUNTY DOWN FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS.

I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO SPEAK UP IN SUPPORT OF OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY DAVID SOARES AND HIS CONTINUED LEADERSHIP IN CARRYING ON THAT SAME KIND OF TOUGH BUT SMART ENFORCEMENT. BUT TODAY, BEYOND INTERAGENCY COOPERATION AND A FOCUS ON THE MOST TROUBLED COMMUNITIES, TOUGH BUT SMART ENFORCEMENT REQUIRES A MULTIDISCIPLINARY, PROBLEM-SOLVING STRATEGY. THREE DECADES OF LONG SENTENCES FOR NONVIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS IS NOT NOW AND NEVER HAS BEEN SMART ENFORCEMENT. TOUGH, YES. SMART, NO.  AND COST EFFECTIVE, HARDLY.  IF EVER THERE WAS A TIME TO CONFRONT THE ECONOMIC REALITIES OF THIS FAILED POLICY IT IS IN THE POST-9/11 ERA WHEN A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF PUBLIC SECURITY PRIORITIES HAS EMERGED.

THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS AS MUCH AS BOUGHT INTO THIS REALIZATION WITH LEGISLATION THAT WOULD RATIONALIZE THE DRUG SENTENCING LAWS. BUT THE POLITICAL MOMENTUM TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP HAS STALLED. SOMETHING DRASTIC HAS TO BE DONE TO REIGNITE REFORM FERVOR. FOR THAT REASON, WHEN DISTRICT ATTORNEY SOARES SPOKE OUT IN THE STRONGEST AND MOST IMPASSIONED TERMS THIS PAST WEEK IN VANCOUVER, I'M CERTAIN HIS PURPOSE WAS TO FURTHER THE KIND OF TOUGH BUT SMART ENFORCEMENT THAT WE ELECTED HIM TO DELIVER IN 2004 AND THAT COURAGEOUS AND PROFERSSIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS KNOW IS BEST.

NOW, IF THIS BODY WANTS TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION, IT SHOULD BE ONE THAT CALLS UPON THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ACT NOW TO MOVE FORWARD ON DRUG POLICY REFORM.

Terry (none / 0) (#10)
by kateb on Tue May 09, 2006 at 01:44:09 PM EST

Your words are powerful and true, and I want to commend you for the obvious care you took to compose your thoughts.  I hope your words are repeated in another form, perhaps a column in the newspaper.

kate

[ Parent ]

Thank you (none / 0) (#11)
by TerryONeillEsq on Tue May 09, 2006 at 02:34:31 PM EST
Thanks for the compliment.  I've been exploring these issues for twenty years.  Dave Soares taking the position he has gives New York a truly promising opportunity to turn the page on drug policy as we have known it.

[ Parent ]
Terry (none / 0) (#12)
by alfrednewman on Tue May 09, 2006 at 07:35:47 PM EST
Isn't it true that the District Attorney is supposed to carry out the laws, not make them?

My personal opinion is that people like Soares are destroying our republic by undermining the concept of majority rule.  Soares was not elected to the legislature. He was not elected to influence the creation or interpretation of the law.  He was elected to enforce it.

The dynamic of the race, if you will recall, was that people were voting against Clyne, an idiot that gave a pass to Boxer and anger over the New Years Eve festivities on lark street.  In the general election the GOP was some clown.  The election was hardly a referendum on drug laws.
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"
[ Parent ]

Role of DA (none / 0) (#13)
by Citizen McLain on Wed May 10, 2006 at 04:05:36 AM EST
The role of the District Attorney is to determine whether or not cases are worthy of prosecution and then go forth and get the best conviction/sentence possible.

This does not mean he should not recommend changes in the laws, as they relate to their execution.  Nor does it mean that he can pick or choose which laws to more forcefully execute.

I see no reason for a DA to not recommend changes, even wholesale changes in the law, as they relate to his role.

A good example of this is AG Spitzer, who wrote an opinion on gay marriage that stated that the New Paltz marriages were not valid.  Politically, he supports expanding the definition of marriage to include gay couples, but he appropriately read the law, interpreted it accordingly and thus enforced it.

As we don't have the statistics, we can't tell the extent to which Mr. Soares is enforcing NYS drug laws as they are written.  But he should, until they are changed.

At the same time, there is no reason why he can't advocate for change.

By the way, I make reference to the GOP candidate above, who lost by 13 percent.  Clyne barely won the seat in 2000, so if the GOP put up a serious candidate who stays away from the Democrats intra-parta fracas, he or she might do ok.  I personally would prefer a candidate who did support broader change in the drug laws.

[ Parent ]

Commisso (none / 0) (#7)
by truthbetold on Tue May 09, 2006 at 05:15:39 AM EST
Frank Commisso gave the orders for the republican resolution at a subcommittee meeting earlier this week.  He was quoted as saying "Soares needs to be taught to behave like other department heads in the county.  He needs to learn the hard way that the legislature runs Albany County".  
Apparently Frank doesn't like the transparency of the DA's lawsuit against the county.  Why have facts heard in open court when they can be discussed behind closed doors where they won't be mistaken for the truth.
What Frank didn't count on was a strong showing of support by the people of Albany County at last nights legislative meeting.  Word has it that Ron Hoyt for Council 82 showed up as ordered but snuck back out the door when he saw the crowd.
Republicans were nonplussed about what they should do regarding the resolution which never made it to the floor.  The honorable Comella from Loudonville at first refused to speak with the press unitl Frank, in true mayoresq fashion crossed the isle and convinced her to speak to them.  Frank your boss, the mayor is very proud of you.
 Passing legislation to change job titles in the DA's office and resolutions to condem the DA's right to free and true speech are fine examples of the very important work being done by the Commisso, (jennings) led Albany County Legislature.
Frank is the Albany County Legislative majority leader.
Chairman of the Audit and Finance Committee
Head of the majority pac
Albany County Democratic Executive Board Member
and Democratic Ward Leader

One must ask themselves how does a man find the time to accomplish all the tasks associated with these important positions.  Oh, yeah I forgot to mentioned he also works full time for the mayor at the port of Albany.  Cronyism Frank.

What? You worry?

OK, (none / 0) (#8)
by alfrednewman on Tue May 09, 2006 at 06:37:00 AM EST
So in a county of well over 100,000 people how large was the turn out?

COme on, lets tell the truth here, what was the turn out.  I saw of Capital news nine about 20-30 people- if that.
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"
[ Parent ]

sad, isn't it (none / 0) (#9)
by DIA on Tue May 09, 2006 at 06:41:35 AM EST
that members of the albany county legislature are so easily scared away from backing up their convictions.   Very sad.  Like Jennings and the rest they are so unused to having any opposition they don't know what to do about it when there is any.  Perhaps we need to elect some representatives that have some spines and are willing to stand up for what they believe in?

[ Parent ]
Albany County Legislature - Soares Vote | 13 comments (13 topical, 0 hidden)
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