Congressman Brian Higgins brought suit today to throw Emin Eddie Egriu off the ballot in the Democratic Primary on June 24 in Congressional District 26. Oh sure, Higgins name isn't on the lawsuit, but his name is still all over it. The Petitioner is Erich S. Weyant, Executive Director of the Erie County Democratic Committee and employee of ECDC Chairman, Jeremy "Wonder Boy" Zellner. Higgins is one of Zellner's stalwart supporters, especially financially. Weyant's attorney is Jerry Schad, formerly counsel to the now extinct Democratic majority caucus in the County Legislature where he served as Betty Jean Grant's personal election law attorney. Schad is now an Erie County Water Authority Commissioner. You may recall that Mr. Schad was selected as the poorest choice for the job.
The suit is brim full of insane allegations of petition fraud. Most are frivolous, unhinged and tending towards the absurd. Typically they involve incidents where someone put down an incorrect address. In response to this mistake, a Higgins public employee staffer was dispatched to the bad address, snapped a grainy picture and asserted the claim that signatures were being obtained from non-existent houses. The matter has been assigned to the Hon. Joseph Glownia and it is unlikely he will give much credence to this steaming mass of crap. However, the real purpose of this suit is to drain Egriu of funds, distract his campaign efforts and impede his fund raising efforts. Today Egriu issued a press release:
The suit is brim full of insane allegations of petition fraud. Most are frivolous, unhinged and tending towards the absurd. Typically they involve incidents where someone put down an incorrect address. In response to this mistake, a Higgins public employee staffer was dispatched to the bad address, snapped a grainy picture and asserted the claim that signatures were being obtained from non-existent houses. The matter has been assigned to the Hon. Joseph Glownia and it is unlikely he will give much credence to this steaming mass of crap. However, the real purpose of this suit is to drain Egriu of funds, distract his campaign efforts and impede his fund raising efforts. Today Egriu issued a press release:
In the words of the late Pat Paulson, "Picky, picky, picky." What Eddie failed to tell you was that nearly all of Higgins' bloated staff has been working around the clock to keep you from having a choice on election day. Chuck Eaton, Theresa Kennedy, Chris Fahey, and Megan Corbett Rizzutto did prodigious amounts of work on this travesty. So did Lyndsey Barnes and Walter Koch, but the latter two haven't been confirmed as Higgins staffers yet. So if you wonder why Congress doesn't get anything done and long to know what "Your Tax Dollars At Work" is buying us, you now have your answers. Remind me to FOIA Higgins office staff timesheets. Sure hope all this junk wasn't done on government time.
An interesting side note is the absence of the New York State Democratic Committee from this effort. What gives there?
As CD-26 is heavily Democratic, the winner of the Primary Election will likely be elected in November. Stay tuned to see if you are going to get a meaningful vote.
An interesting side note is the absence of the New York State Democratic Committee from this effort. What gives there?
As CD-26 is heavily Democratic, the winner of the Primary Election will likely be elected in November. Stay tuned to see if you are going to get a meaningful vote.
