Democratic Erie County Chairman Election

[SabreTooth]

I just got my notice that the election of the Democratic Erie County Chairman is Saturday the 20th. Anyone have any idea what Len Lenihan's chances are of retaining his seat?

[WNYresident]

Does anyone know who the choices are?

[OneEmerald]

Does anyone know who the choices are?

Len Lenihan
Frank Max

[crabapples]

Len Lenihan
Frank Max

Both equally bad choices.

[pudge]

According to today’s Buffalo News other names mentioned with the Chairmanship is former State Supreme Court Justice Nelson H. Cosgrove, Orchard Park Democratic Chairman Daniel J. NeMoyer, and attorney Michael J. Stachowski, a former vice president of the party.

Having and giving no opinion as to who sucks more between Lenihan and Max, I do find it disturbing to have received another unsigned mailer informing the recipient that Lenihan’s and Dennis Ward’s promises weren’t worth the chalk they were written in and that they have used their positions to enrich themselves, their family and friends.

The mailer goes on to encourage Democratic Committeemen to vote for a leader who will work with every group in the Democratic Family at the upcoming Erie County Democratic Reorganization meeting.

Neither defending or speaking against the mailers contents, what I find most offensive is that it is unsigned and does not tell the recipient who to vote for.

Three like mailers (the only mailers) were sent to Lancaster residents supporting the endorsed Democratic candidate in the primary and defaming the opponent. None of them gave any indication of sender, just return mail addresses.

Sick and tired of the trash mail and the gutless fear and smear political campaigns ads.

[crabapples]

I agree that the mailers should state who paid for them.

The content is pretty accurate. The News article does list the jobs that the Lenihans have received from Lennys chairmanship. The Wards are all a bunch of taxpayer funded leaches.

Lenny's accomplishments in terms of elections havent been that great. Sure he has won some judicial stuff, but a lot of the Dems big wins were without his help (Brown, Higgins, County Leg, etc).

Who to vote for though will be a tough decision for Democrats. I am sure Lenihan will win re-election easily though.

[OneEmerald]

Frank Max backed out.
Len Lenihan was voted in as chairman this morning.

[kernwatch]

It is usually interesting to read the differing perspectives of NewWNYPolitics.com & Illluzziletter.com on the same events.

For those unfamiliar with local political intrigue, Glenn Gramigna is a "divorced" former-Illuzzi writer who now publishes the Democratic "pay-for-praise" New WNY Politics" site, while Illuzzi is primarily funded to praise Republican candidates & the Byron Brown (Casey-Pigeon) camp, which has split with Lenihan.

From Gramigna . . .

http://www.newwnypolitics.com/index....d=827&Itemid=1

Lenihan Re-Elected Unanimously...Opposition AWOL

Written by Glenn Gramigna, Editor, Saturday, 20 September 2008

DEM CHAIRMAN LENIHAN RE-ELECTED UNAIMOUSLY AS SUPPORTERS LAUD HIS MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS...REAL REASON OPPONENTS DIDN'T SHOW: "THEY WANTED TO AVOID BEING BEATEN!"
Erie County Democratic Chairman Len Lenihan was re-elected to a new two year term unanimously Saturday, as supporters praised his success in getting Democrats elected to public office while contrasting it with the record of his predecessor.

"Our opposition is saying they didn't come today because they wanted to avoid a floor fight," Chairman Lenihan said. "The real reason they didn't come is because they wanted to avoid being beaten!"

We'll have the full story of the historic 2008 Erie County Democratic Re-organization meeting in our special Sunday Paper Edition tomorrow, including excerpts from speeches by and interviews with the likes of Chairman Lenihan, Champ Eve, Alice Kryzan and many others.

And, as usual, Illuzzi publishes "tomorrow's news today"!

http://illuzziletter.com/

September 21, 2008

EC DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE UPDATE

UPDATE: Lenihan elected to fourth term!!!

Once again Buffalo News Bob McCarthy has it wrong, wrong, wrong.

Lenihan's victory is not a call to political retribution but a call to arms to ally with County & City leaders for the better good.

"The Bell Tolls" Chairman Lenihan

We fully expect Len Lenihan to be magnanimous in victory. Using his "good offices" to assist Dr Williams in bringing the School District back to a place we all can be proud.

Doing whatever he can as Chairman, coalescing the his political forces, to help Mayor Brown end the violence in Buffalo, the killing of our children on our streets. ###

We believe Chairman Lenihan's remarks published in the Buffalo News directed at Mayor Brown & our City are inappropriate & unproductive. His remarks are the reason that he was being challenged by a few on the Committee.

Children are dying on our streets Chairman Lenihan; this is NO time for political hubris directed at our City & our Mayor.

Its a time to come together to bring an end to the bloodshed. Not use the blood of our children to attack your political enemies. ###

The reorg session will go on as scheduled on Saturday per Chairman Lenihan. ###

We are told by reliable sources to expect a "floor fight" whenever Chairman Lenihan decides to convene the reorg session. If these sources are correct & depending on the anger quotient, Lenihan's 4th term could be very difficult as a result of a lack of consensus within the Party. However, all believe Lenihan has the votes for reelection. ###

[WNYresident]

DEM CHAIRMAN LENIHAN RE-ELECTED UNAIMOUSLY AS SUPPORTERS LAUD HIS MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS...REAL REASON OPPONENTS DIDN'T SHOW: "THEY WANTED TO AVOID BEING BEATEN!"

Accomplishments? as in?

[kernwatch]

It is painful to watch from afar the petty & counter-productive power struggles in one of the most distressed US cities, as the US economy is also in shambles.

After all the recent smut & expense, Lenihan this morning won his party-leader role unanimously.

Here is the Bflo News report on the debacle.

And ARTVOICE has published the 3 anonymous mailings attacking Lenihan, which did not even propose who should take his place. Prime suspects in the mailings are Pigeon (plus Brown-Casey?). And there is a copy of Lenihan's response. See links below.

Hopefully another sad chapter in Bflo is finally over?

http://www.buffalonews.com/258/story/443831.html

Lenihan will keep control of Democratic Party

By Robert J. McCarthy - News Political Reporter, Updated: 09/20/08 2:08 PM


Erie County Democratic Chairman Leonard R. Lenihan cruised to re-election Saturday, winning unanimous approval from the county committee despite weeks of battling among various party factions.

Lenihan, Elections Commissioner Dennis E. Ward, and the entire slate of officers were backed by several hundred committee members at a morning meeting in the Hearthstone Manor in Depew.

Though Mayor Byron W. Brown has been feuding with Lenihan and declared his break with him earlier this week, he did not attend the meeting. Neither did Frank C. Max, the Cheektowaga Democratic chairman who had mounted a campaign against him.

But several Democrats previously outside the headquarters circle - such as congressional candidate Alice J. Kryzan and Senate nominee Joe Mesi - did attend in a display of new unity.

A jubilant Lenihan, winning a fourth two-year term as leader of upstate New York's largest Democratic organization - noted that his most vocal opponents never showed at the meeting.

"Some people say they did not want to come because they didn't want to cause a floor fight," he said to cheers. "Let me tell you something: They didn't come because they didn't want to lose a floor fight."

Lenihan now enters another term with widespread support from throughout the county, though it appears that Democratic Headquarters and City Hall will remain at odds for the immediate future.

rmccarthy@buffnews.com

COPY:
Anonymous anti-Lenihan mailing #1

http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/20...ty-never-ends/

Anonymous anti-Lenihan mailing #2

http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/20...-up-the-fight/

Lenihan strikes back & Anonymous anti-Lenihan mailing #3

http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/20...-strikes-back/

[WNYresident]

What were Lenny's last 10 endorsements.... lets see what those people did.