New Name But Not New Behavior: Tom Basile comes to Orange County

Dear Nieces and Nephews:

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves:

 

“...Contrast what happened in Kingston to what is happening in Orange County where local Republican leaders are embracing a candidate who comes from Rockland County and the extreme wing of the party.

Tom Basile, endorsed by party leadership in his quest to win the seat so long held by Bill Larkin, comes with the backing of the Mercer family, those responsible for prolonging the presidential candidacy of Ted Cruz, for supporting Breitbart, Steve Bannon, Kellyanne Conway and Donald Trump.

Basile earned a six-figure income working for the Mercers and already has one five-figure donation from Rebekah Mercer.

County Legislator Mike Anagnostakis is his opponent in the Republican primary and Assemblyman James Skoufis announced this week that he will run as a Democrat.

That brought the usual response from Basile: no facts, just attacks. He blasted both as shameless self-promoters, saying that Skoufis has “cranked out one soundbite after another” and that Anagnostakis “has a long-standing reputation for political opportunism and grandstanding.”

In truth, both have been in the press a lot because they have done a lot. And this criticism is amazing coming from a man who put up billboards featuring his name all over the district even before there was an official vacancy.

It is not surprising that Orange County Republicans are behind him. Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus and party chairwoman Courtney Canfield Greene were Trump delegates to the national convention in 2016 and guests at the inauguration.

So while Ulster County Democrats court respect to appeal to voters, Orange County Republicans are going in the other direction and embracing the divisive politics so visible every day in Washington”.

http://www.recordonline.com/opinion/20180523/editorial-divide-and-conquer-or-unite-and-prosper 

   

Auntie and the Team are not favorably impressed. Maybe he should go back to Stony Point.

Many interesting contributors, let’s start with this one:

That couldn’t be Hal Teitelbaum, of Crystal Run could it?