Kerry Saunders is an African-American Democratic Party political operative who was recently cited in a Buffalo News article on "big-name backers" in the Buffalo School Board race. Although the BNews article refers to Saunders as "a staff member for State Sen. Tim Kennedy," the Senator's office claims he is not on staff, but part of his election campaign team. Mr. Saunders is registered to vote at 252 Shumway Street in Buffalo's Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood where he is a Democratic County Committee Member for election district Fillmore 20 and its 438 registered Democrats. Saunders fills out his schedule as an employee of the Dennis Ward/Champ Eve team at the Erie County Board of Elections, where he works at the Tri-Main warehouse. In his spare time, Kerry is employed as a volunteer and paid employee of various and sundry political campaigns. In the past, he has been observed simultaneously participating in the campaigns of several competing candidates in the same election, thus earning himself a reputation as a campaign spy or "rat in the woodpile." As Senator Kennedy is currently engaged in a battle for survival with County Legislator Betty Jean Grant who is tightly aligned with the Ward/Eve/Zellner axis of the party, Saunder's employment by Kennedy has to make you wonder who he may be spying on.
A review of public records of campaign contributions and expenditures reveals that Mr. Saunders operates out of two separate addresses: the somewhat rundown 252 Shumway Street and 82 Garden Court in a stylish Amherst neighborhood. See the attached New York State Board of Elections reports which present contributions made and payments received by Saunders:
A review of public records of campaign contributions and expenditures reveals that Mr. Saunders operates out of two separate addresses: the somewhat rundown 252 Shumway Street and 82 Garden Court in a stylish Amherst neighborhood. See the attached New York State Board of Elections reports which present contributions made and payments received by Saunders:
Saunders was an uninvited attendee at the Progressive Democrats of Western New York annual breakfast in Cheektowaga last Saturday morning, dressed to the nines in a dark business suit. Ever curious about the lifestyles of local big-hitting political movers and shakers, WNY Cam visited Saunders at his Amherst address.......
Erie County Board of Elections records show that Saunders is registered at 252 Shumway Street in Buffalo and has been since 2000 .....
However, Saunders is not in title to 252 Shumway, Cleatis Saunders is......
But there is no Cleatis Saunders registered to vote in Erie County. However, Ernest and Betina Watson are registered to vote at 252 Shumway. Stephanie A. Torres is the owner of record of 82 Garden Court, Amherst, where she is registered to vote as a Republican.
Why should we care about this stuff? First, it is election fraud not to live where you claim when you register to vote and you sign an affidavit stating, "The information above is true. I understand that if it is not true I can be convicted and fined up to $5000 and/or jailed for up to four years." In addition, one can only serve as a Democratic Committeeman in the Assembly District where one is registered. 252 Shumway is in a different Assembly District than 82 Garden Court. If Saunders lives in Amherst, he cannot be a Committeeman in Buffalo. Perhaps more importantly, false registration and party committee participation deprives the people of the affected area of necessary representation.
When we were there, the water line at an abandoned house one door away from 252 Shumway was leaking and flooding the street. I called the problem in to 911. My wife and I are Committee Members in Buffalo Delaware 21, WHERE WE LIVE. We call in water leaks, streetlight outages, pick up dead animals in the streets, and otherwise try to make sure that government services are being properly provided to our neighborhood. We participate in our home owners association, plant trees, and take responsibility for our community. Fillmore 20 is a poor neighborhood with many problems. It needs a committeeman, not someone who lives in the fancy suburbs for his own selfish purposes.
Why should we care about this stuff? First, it is election fraud not to live where you claim when you register to vote and you sign an affidavit stating, "The information above is true. I understand that if it is not true I can be convicted and fined up to $5000 and/or jailed for up to four years." In addition, one can only serve as a Democratic Committeeman in the Assembly District where one is registered. 252 Shumway is in a different Assembly District than 82 Garden Court. If Saunders lives in Amherst, he cannot be a Committeeman in Buffalo. Perhaps more importantly, false registration and party committee participation deprives the people of the affected area of necessary representation.
When we were there, the water line at an abandoned house one door away from 252 Shumway was leaking and flooding the street. I called the problem in to 911. My wife and I are Committee Members in Buffalo Delaware 21, WHERE WE LIVE. We call in water leaks, streetlight outages, pick up dead animals in the streets, and otherwise try to make sure that government services are being properly provided to our neighborhood. We participate in our home owners association, plant trees, and take responsibility for our community. Fillmore 20 is a poor neighborhood with many problems. It needs a committeeman, not someone who lives in the fancy suburbs for his own selfish purposes.
