From City Hall:The Queens Republican Party paid for a mailer suggesting the brother of indicted campaign operative John Haggerty was involved in a scheme to steal $1 million from Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Bart Haggerty is facing a Republican district leader primary challenge in the 28th Assembly District from Patrick Gallagher, the son of former Council Member Dennis Gallagher, who has the backing of the Queens Republican leadership.
The party paid for the negative mailer – which suggests Bart Haggerty was involved in his brother’s alleged scheme - that recently landed in mailboxes in Forest Hills, Queens.
The Haggerty brothers have long sought to overthrow Ragusa and are actively supporting Ognibene, while Dennis Gallagher is a Ragusa ally. Gallagher himself resigned from office in disgrace in 2008 after pleading guilty to misdemeanor sex abuse charges.
Ognibene said going after Bart Haggerty was completely out of bounds.
“Bart Haggerty has never, ever been accused of anything improper in his life,” Ognibene said.
A spokesman for Ragusa declined to comment, saying the mailer speaks for itself.
Bloomberg’s money has been a centerpiece of the battle for control of the party. Ognibene says he is running against Ragusa in part because the current chair failed to secure enough money from Bloomberg when the mayor was seeking the Republican ballot line in 2009.
“It is not our job to extort money from people,” Ragusa replied.
There's a pathetic bunch of hacks in the GOP. In the Democratic party, too, but the GOP wins the prize. Is this the best they can come up with?
23 comments:
get rid of Dennis Gallagher, he is an albatross to the G.O.P in Queens. i am ashamed of his actions.
if the Haggerty's are found guilty, get rid of them also.
vote for tea party patriots...
Run against these guys!
A party in terminal decline -all the signs are there.
Fighting over a dwindling electorate not just in Queens, but Statewide.
Let them have their fun.
Two assholes fighting over the crumbs of a rich liberal. Selling out their principles for cash like whores. Ognibene lost to Elizabeth Crowley, come on “Elizabeth Crowley”, gees, now he wants to lead the whole party. As long as these dem lights are standing in the way no one else will step forward, please all of you, just leave!
"There's a pathetic bunch of hacks in the GOP. In the Democratic party, too, but the GOP wins the prize."
Oh Really?
Weiner, McLaughlin, Monserrate, Seminerio, Hevesi, Manes, Troy...
None of those mentioned cannibalized their own in the pursuit of crumbs.
"None of those mentioned cannibalized their own in the pursuit of crumbs."
Get serious. Let me jar your memory: McLaughlin ripped off little league kids in his pursuit of crumbs. Seminerio ripped off hospitals in his pursuit of crumbs. Hevesi ripped off pensioneers in his pursuit of crumbs. Troy stole from the estates of dead clients in his pursuit of crumbs. Manes received bribes from a a variety of sources including PVB vendors, cable companies, etc. in pursuit of his crumbs.
However, it seems you are only concerned with those who screw members of their own party and not the constituents whom they represent.
That's the subject of this post. I have done plenty of posts about the other issues you brought up but I am criticizing the party stupidity in this one. I try to stay on topic and it would be nice if the commenters did, too.
"...I am criticizing the party stupidity in this one."
Why is this stupid? This is an old fashioned battle for control of the county republican party.
It is public and not hidden away.
Perhaps Crowley would like to shed a little disinfecting sunlight on his organization. Perhaps he'd like to explain how he became county chair, or the dumping of Sabini in favor of Monserrate. Or the annointing of his cousin to the city council.
But I guess we all have our peersonal definitions of Pathetic and Stupid.
And what do you get if you win? Ass-kissing rights to Bloomberg?
"And what do you get if you win?"
Probably the posthumous respect of the late Marguerite Adams whose signature was forged by...guess whom.
"None of those mentioned cannibalized their own in the pursuit of crumbs."
You're making it seem that Ragusa wants to take on Haggerty, when it's always been the other way around. The Haggertys have been offered peace time and again, but they want the leadership post so badly, they'll never give up. And Ognibene is just a big crybaby.
Ognibene's first "victory" was 39% in a three way. The same year Cooper and Ragusa ran the county DA race which got 39% (Cooper had 36% when she ran for beep). Who is the real political genius? Is Vito Lopez going to run Pam Fischer against Crowley, too?
Hide your grandmothers, Dennis "the molester" Gallagher is back directing an ignorant campaign! Phil Ragusa you are an idiot!
Why is it always about Party Politics? Why is it that the constituents are always thrown to the dogs to fend for themselves? I met Ragusa 20 years ago, and made a comment to him that some day I would like to possibly run for office. His response to me a 20 year old male at the time was " you have to pay your dues, be loyal to the party and wait your turn". I informed him that I was not talking about the near future and I did not believe in the "loyalty to the Party" philosophy when it was against those that are being represented.
Fast forward 20 years and I am once again in Ragusas office as he asks me to back one of his candidates. I say " I can't do that as I haven't met the candidate and do not know where he stands on issues" Phil got upset and told me that I was what was wrong with the party. I reminded him that I left his office 20 something years ago never to return because I did not then, nor do I now believe in "Da Party" , I believe in the representation of the constituents regardless of Party affiliation.
Our Elected officials need to understand that while they belong to a "Party" they represent our interests!
Our Elected officials need to understand that while they belong to a "Party" they represent our interests!
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AND THAT, IS WHY WE SAY "AL CENTOLA" WRITE IN CANDIDATE FOR COUNCIL IF HE WON'T RON.
they better get organized so they can take out avella and addabo
AND THAT, IS WHY WE SAY "AL CENTOLA" WRITE IN CANDIDATE FOR COUNCIL IF HE WON'T RON.
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I second the motion
Anon No. 17 -
Organized or unorganized, it's not going to happen. You're dealing with incumbents who will be very well organized
This is Awesome! You people get what you deserve.
Organized or unorganized, it's not going to happen. You're dealing with incumbents who will be very well organized
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The day willcome when the people are fed up and rise to arms in order to take back what was taken away from them.
Hopefully the rise to arms will come in the form of elections and getting rid of the incumbants and the machines.
AL CENTOLA FOR NORTHEAST QUEENS
i heard a rumour that al centola is going to become a dem so he can primary tony avella
i heard a rumour that al centola is going to become a dem so he can primary tony avella
I read somewhere that he is a registered Republican, maybe he will Primary Halloran?
Maybe he won't, either way he should throw his hat in the ring, and I don't mean dennis.
Al Centola for Northeast Queens!
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