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Tonko running again?

It was interesting to see Paul Tonko attending downtown Schenectady Martin Luther King ceremonies. This type of public event is heavily attended by politicians always looking for votes.
The Democrat dropped out of the Assembly last year to take an appointment as state energy czar so he doesn't have to be concerned about votes. Or does he?
Some Republican insiders believe Tonko may run against 32-year GOP state Sen. Hugh Farley in November. They say even though he's out of elected office, he's appearing at numerous public events in Schenectady and Montgomery counties.
When Tonko resigned his Assembly seat, I recall talking with Chris Gardner, Schenectady County Democratic capo. He said Tonko would miss campaigning and pressing the flesh. He said he wouldn't be surprised if Tonko returns to running for office sooner than later.
While beating entrenched Farley is a large order, Tonko is the only guy around with a shot. Farley's seat is a key to GOP Senate control, so any move by Democrats wouldn't surprise.

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He said Tonko would miss campaigning and pressing the flesh. He said he wouldn't be surprised if Tonko returns to running for office sooner than later.

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He said Tonko would miss campaigning and pressing the flesh. He said he wouldn't be surprised if Tonko returns to running for office sooner than later.

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Amsterdam democrat considers run for Congress
Updated: 01/25/2008
By: Mark Repasky

AMSTERDAM, N.Y. -- She is not ready to throw her name in just yet, but Amsterdam Democrat Susan Phemister confirms she's considering a run to represent the 21st Congressional District.

"At the moment it's about putting together the support and the money that I would need in order to run," Phemister said.

Phemister, a vice-president at Reuters in Manhattan, has never run for office before.

But she sees that an asset in today's political environment, comparing herself to people like George Amedore, Ann Thane and even Michael Bloomberg, who were business leaders long before they became office holders.


"I am a business woman. I work in Manhattan. I live in Amsterdam. I think that voters are showing they value business people and doers," she said.

Phemister moved to the Mohawk Valley with her husband and three children in 2005. They purchased the Amsterdam Castle and converted into their home and business.

That project gained the attention of Eliot Spitzer, who made it a stop during his campaign for governor.

While she has yet to speak to him about her run, Phemister says she has reached out to a number of leaders across the 7-county district.

"Every county wants to put forth the candidate that will win and be successful and provide the best for the district. Of course the Albany area is incredibly important and I just as any other candidate need to appeal to that," she said.

Phemister said April will be the point of no return, and she'll make a decision by then.

There is also another Amsterdam name being mentioned for the seat, Paul Tonko.

If he were to jump into this race, it could have a big impact on Phemister's fundraising ability.

We called his office today but did not get an immediate response.

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SCHENECTADY
Savage won’t seek House post
Tonko described as having interest
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter

    Susan Savage is out and Paul Tonko in, politicians say, as part of the latest changes in the lineup of candidates for the 21st Congressional District race.
    U.S. Rep. Michael R. McNulty, D-Green Island, announced in October he would retire in 2009 after 20 years in the House.
    Savage, of Niskayuna, is a Democrat and chairwoman of the Schenectady County Legislature. Tonko, also a Democrat, is a former state assemblyman for the 105th District and is now CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Corp.
    Savage announced Monday she would not seek McNulty’s seat. In the same announcement, she mentioned Tonko as interested in running for the seat. Tonko did not return repeated calls for comment.
    She added both Tonko and Schenectady Mayor Brian U. Stratton would make strong candidates. Several others are interested, and there may be both Democratic and Republican primaries.
    Savage said she considered a run for the seat after McNulty made his announcement. The congressional seat has opened but twice in 50 years.
    But she changed her mind after her father, Charles, died several weeks ago, Savage said. “I made my decision recently. I lost my father, but he was more than a father to me. He was a great adviser to me and I always looked to him for guidance in making big decisions,” she said. Her father served 22 years in the Cayuaga County Legislature.
    In an earlier interview, she said her parents would have joined her in Washington, D.C., had she been elected, to help look after her children.
    Savage said she will now focus her energies on Schenectady County. “Currently, I like what I do and I like the changes I was able to effect on Schenectady County. My mother and my children suffered a great loss and I am happy to be closer to home,” she said.
    Savage did not rule out other options. “There is always time to run for other things. Just because I am not running today does not preclude my running for something else,” she said.
    Her four-year term in the county Legislature expires in 2009. She was re-elected chairwoman for a second two-year term in January.
    Meanwhile, Tonko’s name surfaced in recent weeks within local, state and Washington, D.C., circles as someone interested in McNulty’s seat, several political observers said. Gov. Eliot Spitzer appointed Tonko to head NYSERDA last year after Tonko finished serving 24 years in the Assembly.
PROS WEIGH IN
    Carrie James, spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in Washington, said she had heard Tonko may enter the race, although he has yet to contact the committee. “He has not reached out to us; it’s not a protocol, but it is common for a candidate who is interested in running to give us a heads up,” she said.
    James said the committee will not get directly involved in the race, as it is considered a safe Democratic seat, but it will provide advice and guidance to candidates and incumbents.
    Most likely, James said, “whoever wins the [Democratic] primary will probably get elected.” The primary would be in the fall.
    Charles Diamond, McNulty’s chief of staff, said he heard consideration of Tonko as a candidate. He has not spoken with Tonko directly, however.
    “It’s pure speculation, but with Tonko coming in, it makes the race interesting,” Diamond said.
    Tonko would give Stratton a strong challenge, Diamond said. Tonko represented Montgomery and portions of Schenectady County in the Assembly, and he remains well regarded in the community and has strong name recognition.
    McNulty’s congressional district consists of parts of Fulton, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties and all of Albany, Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie counties.
    Stratton has name recognition in Montgomery County, as well, obtained when he ran against state Sen. Hugh T. Farley, R-Niskayuna, of the 44th District, several years ago, Diamond said.
    Stratton was not available for comment on Monday. He said in an earlier interview he would announce his plans after today’s “Super Tuesday” primary.
    James and Diamond said names of others Democrats they have heard include Tracy Brooks, who is regional director for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid in New York; and Albany County Legislator Phil Steck, the Colonie Democratic Committee chairman .
    Republicans J. Christopher Callaghan, a former Saratoga County treasurer, and Warren Redlich, a Guilderland board member who lost races to McNulty in 2004 and 2006, said they will seek the seat.
    There are over 50,000 more enrolled Democrats than Republicans in the district.
    Albany County has a numerical advantage in the district. Diamond said in a primary, Albany would account for 60 percent of the vote, while Schenectady would have 17 percent, Rensselaer 12 percent and the rest scattered.
    Steck and Redlich have created committees to collect money for their campaigns. The committees are listed with Federal Election Commission and both report they have not raised any money as of yet.

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Savage said she will now focus her energies on Schenectady County. “Currently, I like what I do and I like the changes I was able to effect on Schenectady County,...” she said.

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Traveling Tonko

Republican Assemblyman George Amedore can't believe his predecessor, Democrat Paul Tonko, showing up at many Schenectady and Montgomery county events.
Tonko left the Assembly last spring when appointed state energy czar. Yet, he continues attending ribbon-cuttings, public forums and other events elected officeholders often stop by.
"Tonko's at about 75 percent of the things that I go to, making me think he's running for something," Amedore said. "I told him we should start car pooling to save gas." Insiders say he is a potential congressional or state Senate candidate.
Incidentally, some people say they are confused when they see Tonko's vehicle license plate -- "State Assembly 26."
He left the Assembly many months ago, so what gives? I tried to reach him for five days, but he did not return calls.

Also, the Schenectady County Web site -- http://www.schenectadycounty.com/index.php?page_id=241
cq
-- has a picture and details about various area politicians. Tonko is still listed as assemblyman, even though Amedore was elected to replace him way back in July. Hopefully, this is an oversight and not a low-class political omission.

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"Tonko's at about 75 percent of the things that I go to, making me think he's running for something," Amedore said. "I told him we should start car pooling to save gas."

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Also, the Schenectady County Web site -- http://www.schenectadycounty.com/index.php?page_id=241
cq
-- has a picture and details about various area politicians. Tonko is still listed as assemblyman, even though Amedore was elected to replace him way back in July. Hopefully, this is an oversight and not a low-class political omission.

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105TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
Tonko likely to run, officials say
Former assemblyman eyes contest for congressional seat
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter

    Paul Tonko Thursday said he is considering entering the 21st Congressional District race, a prospect that has fellow Democrats buzzing.
    Tonko retired last year after 24 years as the popular assemblyman from the 105th Assembly District to become head of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
    In a telephone interview Thursday, Tonko said he was “flattered by the many requests” he has received to run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Michael Mc-Nulty, D-Green Island.
    Several Schenectady County Democratic Party officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for Tonko, said they are virtually certain Tonko will enter the race.
    Tonko said he is not a candidate but is “considering a candidacy because I believe we need a new direction.” He said he would announce his intentions soon.
    “My first obligation is to Gov. Eliot Spitzer, to the NYSERDA board and to the people of New York,” he said. “They deserve to have a strong advocate at NYSERDA.”
    Tonko said he was returning to Albany from Washington, where he spent the day talking with officials about “NYSERDA business.”
    Two political officials speculated Tonko would have to resign from NYSERDA to run for the congressional seat, as he would otherwise violate Spitzer’s conflict of interest guidelines.
    Two Democrats have already announced their candidacies: Phil Steck, Colonie Democratic chairman, and Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton. Darius Shahinfar, a former aide to U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, and Lester Freeman, an Albany Democratic activist, are considering candidacies. The only Republican stating interest in running so far is J. Christopher Callaghan, former Saratoga County treasurer and a 2006 state comptroller candidate.
    Should Tonko enter the race, he would immediately become the front-runner, said Schenectady Mayor Brian U. Stratton. “I think Paul Tonko is the tier one candidate we need in this race. We expect him to get in,” he said. “He has told many people he is going to announce and announce soon.”
    Stratton himself considered running for the congressional seat held by his father for 30 years before McNulty’s tenure, but he announced Feb. 11 he will remain mayor; he is in the first year of his second term.
    Stratton said he spoke with Tonko and urged him to run. “Paul has always been a good friend and a great supporter. I told him I would like him to get in the race when I made my decision not to run,” he said.
    Stratton called Tonko “a tremendous partner for us in Schenectady and the Capital Region and we need a candidate with a proven record to support us.”
    Schenectady County Democratic Committee Chairman Brian Quail said “most Democratic leaders believe it is a matter of when, not if” Tonko announces.
    The Schenectady County committee, as well as other committees and major Democratic Party officials, have held off endorsing a candidate for the congressional seat until they knew Tonko’s intentions, Quail said.
    Tom Nardacci, spokesman for Steck, issued a statement from Steck about Tonko’s possible announcement: “We need a real change of direction in this country. I’ve been fighting for that change throughout my career and that’s why I am in this campaign to win. If we want to win, we have to earn it, and I intend to make sure that no one works harder than me to earn the support of the people of the 21st Congressional District.”
    Nardacci said Steck has a strong political base in Albany and Rensselaer counties and won the endorsement of former Amsterdam Mayor John Duchessi. Steck also has some 40 other endorsements.
    Brooks has endorsements from former Green Island Mayor Jack McNulty and current Green Island Mayor Ellen McNulty Ryan. The former is Michael McNulty’s father and the latter is his sister. McNulty himself has not endorsed any candidate.
    Brooks and Steck come from Albany County, which accounts for about half the district’s enrollment.
    Democratic Party officials said Tonko has gone to Washington to speak with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee about running and that he has $100,000 remaining in his Assembly Campaign Committee account available for an expected Democratic primary this summer.
    “He wants to do it, but he wants to get his ducks in a row,” a Democratic official said. Another party official said Tonko “can out-raise anyone” for a primary race. “He is the 800-pound gorilla and he would be the front-runner.”

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Plug Power founder to join congressional race
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
By Jill Bryce (Contact)
Gazette Reporter

LOUDONVILLE — A fifth Democrat is expected to announce Thursday he's entering the race for Michael McNulty 's 21st Congressional District seat.
Gary Mittleman, 55, of Loudonville, is the founder and former CEO of Plug Power. He started the company in 1997 and left in 2000. Mittleman does consulting work for small start-up companies, serves on different boards in the Capital Region, including IP Logic, a high tech company, and also invests.
He is expected to announce his candidacy at 3 p.m. Thursday at 255 New Scotland Ave. in Albany.
Mittleman said it's becoming increasingly clear that major issues addressing the country, including the economy, health care, energy policy, foreign policy - including the war in Iraq - the environment and education need to be addressed by people with knowledge in those areas.
"Career politicians are not getting it done," said Mittleman. "With my background and experience, I believe I can change things for the better."
He said he would provide more details about what he would do if in Washington when he makes his formal announcement on Thursday.
When asked about joining the pool of five Democratic candidates, Mittleman, said he's glad the American voters will have a real choice to move forward.
Mittleman, 55, is married and has two children and a step-daughter.
The other Democrats to announce their candidacies include: Phil Steck, Colonie Democratic chairman; Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U S. Sen. Hillary Clinton; Darius Shahinfar, a former aide to U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand; and Lester Freeman, an Albany Democratic activist. Former Democratic Assemblyman Paul Tonko, president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, said last week he's also considering a run.
McNulty, D-Green Island, is retiring at the end of this year after 20 years in Congress.
The two-year seat covers parts of Fulton, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties, and all of Albany, Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie counties.

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Tonko’s endorsed, sans announcement
March 16, 2008
by Lauren Stanforth, Staff writer

The Schenectady City Democratic Executive Committee voted Saturday morning to endorse current NYSERDA president and former state Assemblyman Paul Tonko in the 21st Congressional district race.

One problem. Tonko hasn’t announced he’s running. And he’s even hedged in the past about whether he’s interested or not.

City Council member Gary McCarthy, who said he’s not a voting member but attends the committee’s meetings, said today that the group wanted to be the first political committee to endorse the next member of Congress.

This is one of the many rumblings that Tonko, who would be the sixth Democrat to enter the race, will compete for Mike McNulty’s seat. But there’s been no indication of movement yet on his side of the table.

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Buhrmaster joins congressional race as lone Republican
Wednesday, March 19, 2008


GLENVILLE — Schenectady County Legislator Jim Buhrmaster entered the race for the 21st Congressional District on Wednesday as the first Republican, but immediately positioned himself as an independent candidate.

Buhrmaster, 62, is president of Buhrmaster Energy Group, a fourth-generation, locally owned and operated company based in Glenville.

A registered Republican, Buhrmaster said if elected, he would go to Congress in Washington, D.C., to represent taxpayers, not a political party.

“I can assure you when it comes to addressing the issues that concern us all, I won’t be looking for the Democrat or Republican solution. I will be looking for the solution that makes the best sense for taxpayers and folks back home,” he said.

Buhrmaster was re-elected to a second four-year term in the county Legislature in District 3 last year. He is chairman of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee, treasurer of the Schenectady County Industrial Development Agency and a member of the Scotia-Glenville Republican Committee.

Five Democrats have entered the race so far: Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton; Lester Freeman, the city of Albany’s Equal Employment Opportunity officer; Gary Mittleman, former Plug Power CEO; Darius Shahinfar, 41, an Albany attorney and former Kirsten Gillibrand aide; and Phil Steck, Colonie Democratic chairman.

Michael McNulty, D-Green Island, announced last October he would retire in January after serving 20 years in Congress. The district has been held by a Democrat for 50 years and is considered a safe seat.

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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Republican running for district seat
Vasquez says priority would be to improve economy
BY JILL BRYCE Gazette Reporter

    A second Republican has announced that he is entering the race for the 21st Congressional District seat, which could set the stage for a Republican primary.
    Steven Vasquez, 33, of Ballston Lake, a self-described Tech Valley entrepreneur who started an electronics company called ReQuest, said he will work full time on his candidacy.
    He decided to run to “stop wasting money so we can protect seniors and veterans.” He said the key issue is the economy and he will “fight to make hard choices to stop Congress from deficit spending that robs Social Security.”
    Vasquez said the reason taxes are so high is because Congress is spending massive amounts of money, which is hurting the economy, increasing the defi cit and forcing the country to borrow money from Communist China and Saudi Arabia.
    Congress — both Democrats and Republicans — has been taking money from Social Security surplus funds for decades, he added.
    U.S. Rep. Michael McNulty, DGreen Island, who has held the seat for 20 years, is not running for re-election.
    The U.S. Government Accountability Office said that as baby boomers enter retirement age in the next 20 years, the federal government will go broke and not be able to fulfill its obligations, leaving taxpayers holding the bill for more than $500,000 per household, according to Vasquez.
    The U.S. country is reaching the threshold of how much the government can borrow vs. how much it can produce.
    “I would create a firewall and stop Congress from being able to loot the trust funds. That alone won’t save it, but it would buy time to help Congress stop wasting money overseas.”
    Vasquez, who is single, has not run for elected office before but has worked on political campaigns including Ron Paul’s recent run for president.
    A graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, Vasquez said he created manufacturing and engineering jobs in Tech Valley by co-founding ReQuest, a consumer electronics business.
    He now serves on the ReQuest board.
    “I am a tech-savvy entrepreneur, and I know how to bring jobs to Tech Valley. What’s happening in New York is that we are more highly taxed than elsewhere in country. It’s creating barriers for people who would like to move in and get jobs.”
    He said he’s excited by the number of candidates in the race. “It will allow voters a real choice. It should be a good race. I think I will win. I have the ability to take on hard choices most other candidates won’t talk about.”
    Earlier this week, Jim Buhrmaster, a business owner and Schenectady County legislator, became the fi rst Republican to announce he would run for McNulty’s seat.
    The Democrats who have announced their candidacies are: Gary Mittleman, founding CEO of Plug Power; Phil Steck, Colonie Democratic chairman; Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton; Darius Shahinfar, a former aide to U.S. Rep . Kirsten Gillibrand; and Lester Freeman, an Albany Democratic activist.
    Former Democratic assemblyman Paul Tonko, president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, is considering a run.
    McNulty has not endorsed any of the candidates.
    The district covers parts of Fulton, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties and all of Albany, Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie counties.
    It has a majority of Democrats with 41 percent; 28 percent of voters are Republicans and 31 percent are not enrolled in either major party.

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He decided to run to “stop wasting money so we can protect seniors and veterans.” He said the key issue is the economy and he will “fight to make hard choices to stop Congress from deficit spending that robs Social Security.”

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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Sixth Democrat joins race for Congress
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com

    A sixth Democrat, Arthur Welser, has entered the race for the 21st Congressional District seat, from which Rep. Michael Mc-Nulty, D-Green Island, will retire at the end of this term, after 20 years.
    Welser, 55, of Latham, is a licensed broker with Real Property Enterprises in North Greenbush. He is a graduate of Cornell University with a bachelor of science degree in economics, finance and statistics. His campaign information indicates he worked on his family farm for several years in Evan Mills and served on local community boards and the Le-Ray Zoning Board of Appeals. He also worked as a car salesman in central New York.
    He moved to Latham six years ago and describes himself as pro-family and pro-homeownership.
    Welser says he wants to fix Social Security, establish a Reserve Military Training Corps in high schools for problem children, stop promoting gambling and deal with global warming.
    “I’ve never served in a paid position in government, never been elected to political office and I’m of the opinion Congress is well, Congress! It shouldn’t be made up of former government employees and/or politicians. Maybe not people of wealth either, although a few of our Founding Fathers including Jefferson were very rich,” he said.
    He is running for Congress to create change, to end the war and to finish undecided issues left by McNulty, he said.
    The other Democrats in the race are: Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton; Lester Freeman, the city of Albany’s Equal Employment Opportunity offi cer; Gary Mittleman, former Plug Power CEO; Darius Shahinfar, an Albany attorney and former aide to Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand; and Phil Steck, Colonie Democratic chairman.
    Two Republicans have declared candidacies: James Buhrmaster, 62, is president of Buhrmaster Energy Group, a fourth-generation, locally owned and operated company based in Glenville, and a Schenectady County legislator; and Steven Vasquez, 33, of Ballston Lake, a self-described Tech Valley entrepreneur who started an electronics company called ReQuest.

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Aretakis to announce Congressional bid

By MIKE GOODWIN, Staff writer
Monday, March 31, 2008

Attorney John Aretakis is running for Congress.
     
In a news release sent to area media outlets, Aretakis announced that he planned to formally enter the race next week.
He'll join a field of six Democrats who are already vying to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Michael McNulty.

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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Attorney John Aretakis joining race for Congress
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter

  A high-profile lawyer known for pursuit of clergy abuse cases plans to join the field of Democrats seeking the 21st Congressional District seat of Rep. Michael McNulty, DGreen Island.
   John Aretakis, 47, of North Greenbush, will announce next week he will seek the seat, he said Monday in a news release.
   Mark Lyman, a spokesman for Aretakis, said Aretakis wants to address the sexual abuse of children through legislation in Congress, as well as economic issues affecting New Yorkers.
   Lyman is codirector of the Albany chapter of SNAP, the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. Lyman hired Aretakis in 2004 to represent him when he filed a lawsuit alleging that he was abused by a priest as a child.
   “He wants to appeal to the average middle class family. Look at what is going in Washington, look at what is going in New York,” Lyman said. “People are tired and feel they don’t have good representation in Washington. John will bring a fresh new agenda and will work very hard representing people.”
   Lyman said he and others have urged Aretakis to run for Congress: “John is a fighter and that is what people need right now.” Aretakis’ news release calls him a “battletested fighter and tireless advocate for the marginalized as well as the average person.”
   Aretakis has filed 15 sexual abuse lawsuits since 2003 against the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese in an effort to seek damages for people who claim they were abused by priests. All were either dismissed or withdrawn, diocese officials said.
   Aretakis said he’s settled 25 to 30 sexual abuse cases with the Catholic Church, which includes the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, and he estimates he has collected $2.5 million in churchrelated settlements.
   In 1996, Aretakis won almost $1 million in a clergy abuse case he filed against the Albany diocese, even though the statute of limitations had passed.
   In September 2007, Aretakis was sanctioned by a federal court judge and ordered to pay more than $24,000 for filing a “baseless lawsuit” against a Catholic diocese and the U.S. government. The lawsuit alleged that the church broke its agreement to provide charitable housing to a woman who was forced out of her New Orleans apartment because of Hurricane Katrina.
   Aretakis and his wife have a 9-year-old son.
   He obtained a law degree from Albany Law School and a master’s degree in international law from Georgetown University Law School. He worked as a staff attorney for two years in Washington, D.C.
   Aretakis would enter a race that includes six Democrats and two Republicans. The growing field will result in primaries for both parties this summer.
   The other Democrats in the race are: Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton; Lester Freeman, the city of Albany’s equal employment opportunity officer; Gary Mittleman, former Plug Power CEO; Darius Shahinfar, an Albany attorney and former aide to Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand; Phil Steck, Colonie Democratic chairman; and Arthur Welser, a licensed broker with Real Property Enterprises in North Greenbush.
   Two Republicans have declared their candidacies: James Buhrmaster, 62, is president of Buhrmaster Energy Group, a fourth-generation, locally owned and operated company based in Glenville, and a Schenectady County legislator; and Steven Vasquez, 33, of Ballston Lake, a self-described Tech Valley entrepreneur who started an electronics company called ReQuest.
   McNulty will retire at the end of this term after 20 years in Congress.

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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Field gets even larger
Craig Burridge becomes 10th candidate in race
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA
Gazette Reporter

    The executive director of the Pharmacist Society of the State of New York said he is entering the crowded race for the 21st Congressional District seat of Rep. Michael McNulty, D-Green Island.

     Craig M. Burridge, 52, of Waterford, becomes the eighth Democrat to announce. Two Republicans are also in the race.
    “I believe that I have the necessary credentials to go to Congress and make a positive difference in people’s lives, something I have tried to do throughout my life,” Burridge said. This is his first bid for public office.
    His platform is to reduce the high cost of health care, develop a health care system that does not bankrupt citizens, fix the mortgage crisis by regulating nontraditional mortgage lenders and reining in the financial securities market’s practices, to provide more resources to schools and to keep Social Security solvent.
    “All of these issues and more must be debated with the best interests of the American people coming first. I have the background and the will to make sure the people are heard,” Burridge said.
    Burridge was born in Troy and raised in the Capital Region. He holds a master’s degree in public service and a bachelor of science in political science.
    He worked as an analyst for the New York Senate minority leader’s office; as executive director of the state Association of Renewal and Housing Officials; and as commissioner of the Cohoes Housing Authority. He is immediate past president of the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations.
    The other Democrats in the race are John Aretakis, 47, of North Greenbush; Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton; Lester Freeman, the city of Albany’s equal employment opportunity officer; Gary Mittleman, former Plug Power CEO; Darius Shahinfar, an Albany attorney and former aide to Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand; Phil Steck, Colonie Democratic chairman; and Arthur Welser, a licensed broker with Real Property Enterprises in North Greenbush.
    The two Republicans are James Buhrmaster, 62, president of Buhrmaster Energy Group, based in Glenville, and a Schenectady County legislator; and Steven Vasquez, 33, of Ballston Lake, a self-described Tech Valley entrepreneur who started an electronics company called ReQuest.

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keep Social Security solvent.

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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Congressional hopeful drops out
Mittleman discouraged by cost of race
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    One of the candidates for Congressman Michael McNulty’s seat has dropped out, saying he is disillusioned by the realities of fund-raising and dismayed by the political machine that he believes would fight any true reforms he proposed.
    “It’s no wonder that our representatives are so unproductive. They spend most of their time raising money by twisting arms,” Gary Mittleman said in a press release. “The magnitude of manipulation and waste in our political system is the biggest surprise I have confronted since I announced my candidacy.”
    He said the average contender for McNulty’s seat would spend $1.4 million on the election this year — and that he would not do the sorts of things necessary to raise that amount of money.
    “I do not have the expertise nor the interest in horse-trading my way into office,” he said.
    At the same time, he began to doubt his ability to make reforms if elected.
    “First, I am concerned that if elected I will have a futile experience implementing ideas with a political machine that is so entrenched and financially motivated to prevent them,” he said. “Second, I believe there may be a better way to promote my ideas.”
    So he announced Monday that he would return all campaign contributions, in full, and devote his time and money toward a new foundation aimed at accomplishing what he had hoped to do in offi ce. He said it would be a better option than spending “hundreds of thousands of dollars” on a campaign.
    The foundation would get government to act on ideas that would improve citizens’ lives, he said. He is calling the foundation One Dream One Earth and promised to provide details soon.
    He is $100,000 in debt — primarily in loans to himself — and raised $4,000, according to his first-quarter campaign finance disclosure.
    Mittleman, 55, is married and has two children and a stepdaughter. He founded Plug Power in 1997 and is now a consultant to start-up businesses.
    There seven other Democrats in the race and two Republicans. The final candidacies will be decided by primaries in each party.

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Tonko appears close to decision

By LAUREN STANFORTH, Staff writer
Thursday, April 24, 2008

Former state Assemblyman Paul Tonko is one step closer to throwing his hat into the race for Democrat Michael McNulty's 21st Congressional District seat.
     
Tonko, who now heads up the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, said he will attend the Albany County Democratic Committee's screening meeting for potential candidates Saturday, and has filled out a questionnaire related to that appearance.
But Tonko was still firm Thursday that he hasn't made a decision about whether he will run. He would join seven other Democrats and two Republicans who have already entered the race.
Tonko is aware that he would most likely have to quit his NYSERDA job before he would seek the Congressional seat, being vacated by the retiring McNulty at year's end.
"I am working through a decision on my future and I will announce that decision in the very near future," Tonko said Thursday afternoon.
Last July 1, Tonko, 58, an Amsterdam Democrat, become president and CEO of NYSERDA after resigning from the state Assembly. He had represented the 105th Assembly District, including all of Montgomery and part of Schenectady counties since April 1983.
His interest in seeking the Congressional seat has been rumored for months, and speculation has abounded as to how he would have to handle his state job if he wanted to run for Congress.
Tonko served as chairman of the Assembly Committee on Energy, and gained a national reputation as an expert on energy and utility issues, according to his official biography. He is a graduate of Clarkson University with a degree in mechanical and industrial engineering.

Quoted from Shadow

I didn't see anywhere in our Constitution that only the rich can hold office but that's what has happened over the years. We need an overhaul of our whole system of how we elect our officials to government positions on all levels so that honest middle income people can afford to run for office.

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Tonko resigns as head of state energy authority
April 25, 2008
By Michael Lamendola (Contact)
Gazette Reporter

ALBANY — Paul Tonko resigned effective immediately Friday as president and CEO of the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority, freeing the Democrat to run for the 21st Congressional District seat, local party officials said.
He is expected to announce formally next week, said Schenectady Mayor Brian U. Stratton.
Tonko would not confirm a bid for Congress during a phone interview Friday afternoon. “I will be sharing my thoughts on my future plans with the people in the relative future,” he said.
Tonko issued a statement Friday, stating “I have informed Governor Paterson that I have tendered my resignation to the NYSERDA board effective immediately. After a long career in state service, I am looking forward to a new challenge.”
He retired as the popular assemblyman from the 105th Assembly District last year after 24 years to become NYSERDA head.
His resignation means he likely will run for Congress, said Bethany Schumann-McGhee, chairwoman of the Montgomery County Democratic Committee and a Tonko aide for 10 years.
Tonko was prevented from openly seeking Democrat Michael McNulty’s congressional seat by an executive order signed by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer. The order banned directors, executives and senior officials from starting up a political run while serving the state in a paid capacity.
Tonko said his decision to resign from NYSERDA was difficult, adding he was proud to have led the agency and its staff.
Mayor Brian U. Stratton said he would “absolutely support Paul” in his candidacy. Stratton had considered a run for the seat once held by his father but said he wanted to remain mayor of Schenectady.
“I hope it is true. He becomes the only tier one candidate in the race. He is a proven leader and a strong, energetic and proven representative we need in Washington. Much of the success I was able to achieve in the first years of my administration was due to his strong representation in Albany,” Stratton said. “He knows what it is all about.”
Schumann-McGhee said Tonko’s name immediately surfaced when McNulty announced in October he would retire after 20 years in office. But Tonko persistently refused to say whether he would seek the seat.
Schumann-McGhee said Tonko brings a big advantage to the race: “Paul has a great name recognition and very good record in state and local government.” Nevertheless, she said, Tonko “has some significant ground to cover for fundraising.”
He would have to start raising money from scratch in a bid for Congress, as federal law prevents him from using the $100,000 he collected through his Assembly campaign committee. As of Friday, he had not filed a notice with the Federal Election Commission establishing a committee to raise funds.
Candidates may have to spend at least $1 million to wage the expected Democratic primary this summer.
The Schenectady City Democratic Committee has already endorsed Tonko for the seat; the county committee is expected to follow suit when it meets shortly.
Schumann-McGhee said the Montgomery County Democratic Committee may break with tradition and endorse a candidate when it meets next month. She would not say whom the committee would endorse, but Tonko is expected to be a heavy favorite.
The Albany County Democratic Party will screen Tonko today.
The other Democrats in the race are John Aretakis, 47, of North Greenbush; Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton; Lester Freeman, the city of Albany’s equal employment opportunity officer; Darius Shahinfar, an Albany attorney and former aide to Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand; Phil Steck, Colonie Democratic chairman; and Arthur Welser, a licensed broker with Real Property Enterprises in North Greenbush.
The two Republicans are James Buhrmaster, 62, president of Buhrmaster Energy Group, based in Glenville, and a Schenectady County legislator; and Steven Vasquez, 33, of Ballston Lake, a self-described Tech Valley entrepreneur who started an electronics company called ReQuest.
Democrat Gary Mittleman, former Plug Power CEO, withdrew from the race this week, citing the fundraising difficulties and an inability to achieve his agenda if elected.

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Quoted from Kevin March:
I think we know who our next congressman is...  

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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Resignation frees Tonko for Congress bid
Ex-NYSERDA head won’t confirm he’s running
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter

    Paul Tonko resigned Friday as head of the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority, freeing himself to run for the 21st Congressional District seat, local party officials said.
    He is expected to announce formally next week, said Schenectady Mayor Brian U. Stratton.
    Tonko would not confirm a bid for Congress during a phone interview Friday afternoon. “I will be sharing my thoughts on my future plans with the people in the relative future,” he said.
    When he declares, Tonko will join a field of six already in position for the Democratic primary for the 21st Congressional District candidacy.
    Tonko issued a statement Friday, stating “I have informed Governor Paterson that I have tendered my resignation to the NYSERDA board effective immediately. After a long career in state service, I am looking forward to a new challenge.”
    He retired as the popular assemblyman from the 105th Assembly District last year after 24 years to become NYSERDA head.
    His resignation means he likely will run for Congress, said Bethany Schumann-Mc-Ghee, chairwoman of the Montgomery County Democratic Committee and a Tonko aide for 10 years.
    Tonko was prevented from openly seeking Democrat Michael McNulty’s congressional seat by an executive order signed by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer. The order banned directors, executives and senior officials from starting up a political run while serving the state in a paid capacity.
    Tonko said his decision to resign from NYSERDA was difficult, adding he was proud to have led the agency and its staff.
    Stratton said he would “absolutely support Paul” in his candidacy. Stratton had considered a run for the seat, once held by his father, but said he wanted to remain mayor of Schenectady.
    “I hope it is true. He becomes the only tier one candidate in the race. He is a proven leader and a strong, energetic and proven representative we need in Washington. Much of the success I was able to achieve in the first years of my administration was due to his strong representation in Albany,” Stratton said. “He knows what it is all about.”
    S c h u m a n n - M c G h e e s a i d Tonko’s name immediately surfaced when McNulty announced in October he would retire after 20 years in office. But Tonko persistently refused to say whether he would seek the seat.
    She said Tonko brings a big advantage to the race: “Paul has a great name recognition and very good record in state and local government.” Nevertheless, she said, Tonko “has some signifi cant ground to cover for fundraising.”
    He would have to start raising money from scratch in a bid for Congress, as federal law prevents him from using the $100,000 he collected through his Assembly campaign committee. As of Friday, he had not filed a notice with the Federal Election Commission establishing a committee to raise funds.
    Candidates may have to spend at least $1 million to wage the expected Democratic primary on Sept. 9. But first, the candidates need to get on the ballot. The first day to sign a designating petition is June 3, the last day is July 10.
    The Schenectady City Democratic Committee has already endorsed Tonko for the seat; the county committee is expected to follow suit when it meets shortly.
    Schumann-McGhee said the Montgomery County Democratic Committee may break with tradition and endorse a candidate when it meets next month. She would not say whom the committee would endorse, but Tonko is expected to be a heavy favorite.
    The Albany County Democratic Party will screen Tonko’s questionnaire today.
    The other Democrats in the race are John Aretakis, 47, an attorney from North Greenbush; Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton; Lester Freeman, the city of Albany’s equal employment opportunity officer; Darius Shahinfar, an Albany attorney and former aide to Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand; Phil Steck, Colonie Democratic chairman; and Arthur Welser, a licensed broker with Real Property Enterprises in North Greenbush.
    The two Republicans are James Buhrmaster, 62, president of Buhrmaster Energy Group, based in Glenville, and a Schenectady County legislator; and Steven Vasquez, 33, of Ballston Lake, a self-described Tech Valley entrepreneur who started an electronics company called ReQuest.
    Democrat Gary Mittleman, former Plug Power CEO, withdrew from the race this week, citing the fundraising difficulties and an inability to achieve his agenda if elected.

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Actually, I will be on some medications for the next few days (can you say a $10 copay for 3 pills of antibiotics, along with a few other drugs at additional cost), but I'm raring to go, especially with all the big news coming out on the Metroplex front lately (did you know, if you're inpatient at Ellis, part of your inpatient stay is a FREE copy of the Gazette every morning?).

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Tonko confirms he'll seek House seat
Thursday, May 1, 2008
By Bob Conner (Contact)
Gazette Reporter


21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT — Paul Tonko confirmed Thursday that he is running for Congress in the 21st District to succeed U.S. Rep. Michael McNulty, D-Green Island, who is retiring at the end of the year.

“Yes,” Tonko responded when asked at a Democratic Party event in Saratoga Springs whether he is running. He said he has not yet made a formal announcement of his candidacy because he is “putting my paperwork together.” Tonko resigned last week as head of the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority. He previously served more than 20 years as a state assemblyman representing Montgomery and much of Schenectady counties.

Saratoga County Democratic Chairman Larry Bulman said he sees Tonko as one of the two leading candidates in the race, the other being Tracey Brooks of Albany County. Brooks is an attorney and a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.

Assemblyman Bob Reilly, D-Colonie, said he sees three leading candidates: Tonko, Brooks, and Phil Steck, an attorney and Albany County legislator. They are all good candidates, Reilly said, though he is sticking by his endorsement of Steck.

McNulty’s district includes all of Albany, Schenectady, Montgomery and Schoharie counties, and parts of Fulton, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties.

Enrolled Democrats outnumber Republicans there by 174,054 to 119,493. Several other candidates have already declared that they are running for the seat. Most of them, like Tonko and McNulty, are Democrats.

McNulty, like most of the district’s Democrats, is from Albany County. Tonko is from Amsterdam in Montgomery County.

Montgomery County Democratic Chairwoman Bethany Schumann-McGhee said that the committee does not usually endorse in primaries, but might make an exception in this case to back Tonko. Tonko also has substantial support in Schenectady County.

Meanwhile, in Saratoga Springs, the New York State Democratic Committee on Thursday elected four new superdelegates to the Democratic National Convention. All four — state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, former Manhattan Borough President Virginia Fields and Assemblywoman Carmen Arroyo — are supporters of the presidential candidacy of Hillary Clinton.

New York’s elected leaders have lined up in overwhelming numbers behind their home state senator, but nationally Clinton remains about 139 delegates behind Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Schumann-McGhee was sporting two Obama buttons, but stressed that her committee has not taken a position in the race. Speaking personally, she said she was inspired by Obama’s speeches and his life story, noting that she is in an interracial marriage, and he is the product of one.

Bulman, like most New York Democrats, is a Clinton supporter. The Saratoga committee got behind her candidacy last year, he said.

At the Democratic meeting, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, gave a fiery lunchtime speech denouncing President Bush as the worst president in U.S. history, but did not mention the contest for the Democratic nomination. Asked later if Clinton still has a realistic chance of winning, Silver responded: “Absolutely, unequivocally. You’ll see it in the next few primaries.”

Assemblyman Jack McEneny, D-Albany, said he too thinks his candidate, Clinton, can pull it off. But she needs to get Obama’s delegate lead down below 100, McEneny said. Otherwise, he said, the superdelegates may be reluctant to put her over the top. Under Democratic Party rules, the superdelegates are not directly elected by voters. They are mostly senior officials, such as members of Congress, and are not legally bound to any candidate.

U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, head of the Democratic congressional campaign committee for New York, said in a speech that several Republican seats are vulnerable, including that of Rep. John McHugh, whose district includes part of Fulton County.

Some local Democrats, however, were skeptical. Bulman said he thinks the three most vulnerable Republican seats are in central and Western New York, and does not see McHugh’s seat as a likely pickup.

Meanwhile, the suspense in the GOP race is over, and Republicans are looking past their convention to the general election.

J. Christopher Callaghan, a delegate for Republican presidential candidate John McCain, said he is finding strong support for McCain, and not just from Republicans. Callaghan, the former Saratoga County treasurer, said people admire McCain’s courage, character and candor, even if they don’t agree with all his positions. “He’s the adult in the race,” Callaghan said.

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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Tonko says he is in running
Democrats line up for candidates
BY BOB CONNER Gazette Reporter

    Paul Tonko confirmed Thursday that he is running for Congress in the 21st District to succeed U.S. Rep. Michael Mc-Nulty, D-Green Island, who is retiring at the end of the year.
    “Yes,” Tonko responded when asked at a Democratic Party event in Saratoga Springs whether he is running. He said he has not yet made a formal announcement of his candidacy because he is “putting my paperwork together.” Tonko resigned last week as head of the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority. He p r e v i o u s l y served more than 20 years as a state assemblyman representing Montgomery and much of Schenectady counties.
    Saratoga County Democratic Chairman Larry Bulman said he sees Tonko as one of the two leading candidates in the race, the other being Tracey Brooks of Albany County. Brooks is an attorney and a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, DN.Y.
    Assemblyman Bob Reilly, DColonie, said he sees three leading candidates: Tonko, Brooks, and Phil Steck, an attorney and Albany County legislator. They are all good candidates, Reilly said, though he is sticking by his endorsement of Steck.
    McNulty’s district includes all of Albany, Schenectady, Montgomery and Schoharie counties, and parts of Fulton, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties.
    Enrolled Democrats outnumber Republicans there by 174,054 to 119,493. Several other candidates have already declared that they are running for the seat. Most of them, like Tonko and McNulty, are Democrats.
    McNulty, like most of the district’s Democrats, is from Albany County. Tonko is from Amsterdam in Montgomery County.
    Montgomery County Democratic Chairwoman Bethany Schumann-McGhee said that the committee does not usually endorse in primaries, but might make an exception in this case to back Tonko. Tonko also has substantial support in Schenectady County.
    Meanwhile, in Saratoga Springs, the New York State Democratic Committee on Thursday elected four new superdelegates to the Democratic National Convention. All four — state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, former Manhattan Borough President Virginia Fields and Assemblywoman Carmen Arroyo — are supporters of the presidential candidacy of Hillary Clinton.
    New York’s elected leaders have lined up in overwhelming numbers behind their home state senator, but nationally Clinton remains about 139 delegates behind Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
    Schumann-McGhee was sporting two Obama buttons, but stressed that her committee has not taken a position in the race. Speaking personally, she said she was inspired by Obama’s speeches and his life story, noting that she is in an interracial marriage, and he is the product of one.
    Bulman, like most New York Democrats, is a Clinton supporter. The Saratoga committee got behind her candidacy last year, he said.
    At the Democratic meeting, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, gave a fiery lunchtime speech denouncing President Bush as the worst president in U.S. history, but did not mention the contest for the Democratic nomination. Asked later if Clinton still has a realistic chance of winning, Silver responded: “Absolutely, unequivocally. You’ll see it in the next few primaries.”
    Assemblyman Jack McEneny, D-Albany, said he too thinks his candidate, Clinton, can pull it off. But she needs to get Obama’s delegate lead down below 100, McEneny said. Otherwise, he said, the superdelegates may be reluctant to put her over the top. Under Democratic Party rules, the superdelegates are not directly elected by voters. They are mostly senior officials, such as members of Congress, and are not legally bound to any candidate.
    U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, head of the Democratic congressional campaign committee for New York, said in a speech that several Republican seats are vulnerable, including that of Rep. John McHugh, whose district includes part of Fulton County.
    Some local Democrats, however, were skeptical. Bulman said he thinks the three most vulnerable Republican seats are in central and Western New York, and does not see McHugh’s seat as a likely pickup.
    Meanwhile, the suspense in the GOP race is over, and Republicans are looking past their convention to the general election.
    J. Christopher Callaghan, a delegate for Republican presidential candidate John McCain, said he is finding strong support for McCain, and not just from Republicans. Callaghan, the former Saratoga County treasurer, said people admire Mc-Cain’s courage, character and candor, even if they don’t agree with all his positions. “He’s the adult in the race,” Callaghan said.

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Paul Tonko confirmed Thursday that he is running for Congress in the 21st District to succeed U.S. Rep. Michael Mc-Nulty, D-Green Island, who is retiring at the end of the year.
    “Yes,” Tonko responded when asked at a Democratic Party event in Saratoga Springs whether he is running. He said he has not yet made a formal announcement of his candidacy because he is “putting my paperwork together.”

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Quoted from Kevin March:
... Brad, what do you think about possibly running, as suggested by MT?

Quoted from Brad Littlefield

Tonko is a retread.  .

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SCHENECTADY
Tonko revs up Democrats as his campaign begins
Candidate talks energy, jobs, education
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com

    Former Assemblyman Paul Tonko fired up a crowd of Democrats Thursday night with a congressional stump speech emphasizing energy, jobs and education.
    Tonko has already announced his candidacy for the 21st Congressional District seat, repeating his plan at the Schenectady City Democratic Committee’s annual dinner at the Ancient Order of Hibernian club on State Street. Congressman Michael McNulty, D-Green Island, is retiring Dec. 31 after 20 years.
    Tonko said he formed a “Paul Tonko for Congress Committee” this week with the Federal Election Commission, which will allow him to begin fundraising. And he said he is creating a campaign team consisting of representatives from the seven counties comprising the district.
    “My friends, I am running with you as a Democrat,” Tonko said, referring to upcoming races for president, the state Assembly and Senate.
    “We as Democrats will carry our message to Washington and to everyone in New York state,” he said. Democrats gave him a standing ovation and chanted, “Tonko, Tonko.”
    City Democrats endorsed Tonko weeks ago, expecting he would enter the race. County Democrats are expected to endorse him as well.
    Tonko said his congressional race platform will focus on energy, the economy, education and health care. He also said he will work with labor unions to seek decent paying jobs and benefits for working families.
    Tonko resigned April 25 as head of the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority. The resignation allows him to run for Congress without violating state government conflict-of-interest rules. He became NYSERDA’s chief after retiring from the 105th state Assembly District after 24 years.
    The dinner’s other keynote speaker, Mayor Brian U. Stratton, said he expects an announcement that the city’s bond rating will improve for the sixth time since he took office in 2004.
    Moody’s Investors Service last raised the city’s credit rating to Baa2 in May 2007. Stratton called the rating investment grade, a significant improvement over the junk-bond rating the city once had.
    The city finished 2007 with a $10.4 million cumulative surplus, the third in Stratton’s tenure, he said.
    The other Democrats in the race are John Aretakis, 47, an attorney from North Greenbush; Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton; Lester Freeman, the city of Albany’s equal employment opportunity officer; Darius Shahinfar, an Albany attorney and former aide to Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand; Phil Steck, Colonie Democratic chairman; and Arthur Welser, a licensed broker with Real Property Enterprises in North Greenbush.
    The two Republicans are James Buhrmaster, 62, president of Buhrmaster Energy Group, based in Glenville, and a Schenectady County legislator; and Steven Vasquez, 33, of Ballston Lake, a self-described Tech Valley entrepreneur who started an electronics company called ReQuest.

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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Tonko joins race for House seat
Rival Steck blasts ex-assemblyman
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter

    After weeks of teasing, former assemblyman Paul Tonko officially launched his bid for Congress Tuesday and almost immediately found himself under attack by a fellow Democratic candidate.
    Tonko, 58, who has been running for the 21st Congressional District seat quietly for about a month, made his announcement at the Albany Labor Temple. The crowd numbered about 100 supporters, many of them wearing T- shirts with union insignias.
    Tonko said his priorities are to focus on working, middle-class families, affordable health care, an education system based on student achievement and an energy policy that strengthens the economy.
    Among the speakers introducing Tonko were Albany County Executive Michael Breslin and Albany Common Council President Shawn Morris.
    Albany County contains the lion’s share of Democratic voters in the sprawling congressional district, and the Democratic candidates are vying for endorsements there. The district also includes all of Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie counties and part of Fulton, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties.
    The Albany County Democratic Committee is scheduled to meet tonight. A candidate screening committee several weeks ago voted to support Phil Steck with 10 votes, Tonko with nine votes and Tracey Brooks with two votes. The executive committee has not met to make a recommendation to the full committee, so it will meet tonight without a formal position.
    The chairmen of the Democratic committees of Schoharie and Schenectady counties, Clifford Hay and Brian Quail, also attended Tonko’s event. The Schenectady County committee will meet June 1 and will likely endorse Tonko, Quail said.
    Hours earlier, Steck issued a news release blasting Tonko as part of the broken political system in Albany. Steck entered the race for Congress more than two months ago.
    “Paul talks about being an energy expert and his time as ‘energy czar,’ yet New York state has the secondhighest energy costs in the country behind Hawaii,” Steck said. “He is a member of the political establishment and simply has not delivered for the people of New York on energy.”
    Tonko retired last year as assemblyman for the 105th District after 24 years in office to become head of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. He resigned from that position April 25 to run for Congress.
    Quail said Steck’s attack on Tonko on the day of his announcement was an effort to “get his name out there

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2008

GOP Chairman Tom Buchanan comments on Paul Tonko's announcement for Congress
FOR RELEASE: May 20, 2008
STATEMENT FROM SCHENECTADY COUNTY GOP CHAIRMAN TOM BUCHANAN:

"As a 24-year incumbent in the state Assembly with an agonizingly long public record of voting for higher taxes, wasteful spending, including using $4 million in taxpayer dollars for a 'bridge to nowhere,' I'd say Paul Tonko is a perfect fit for a do-nothing Democrat Congress and our broken government in Washington. In fact, based on Tonko's complete inability to do anything about record-high gas prices as New York's energy czar, the Democrats would probably fast track him to a committee chairmanship. Tonko's experience is just what we don't need in our next Congressman. To some, Tonko's running for Congress might be seen as a logical next step in the long career of a career politician. Now, he says he wants to be our Congressman; but not even a year ago, he said he wanted to go to his ‘dream job’ as head of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). But, for the people who know him, Tonko's ambition is viewed much differently, as people are treated as pawns and public office becomes a mere stepping-stone in an unending personal pursuit of political power. He caused taxpayers unnecessary expense for a special election to replace him in the Assembly seat; now he has worked for not even a year and has no accomplishment to mention in his brief tenure at NYSERDA. He did of course boost up his final average salary insuring that he can collect a fat state pension, which he hopes to supplement with a $165,000 Congressional salary. Maybe Paul thought his long, grueling 11-months as President of NYSERDA were too strenuous and he grew wistful of all those lobbyist fundraisers. I think it is utterly amazing that this guy can try and say with a straight face that he believes in public service after having abandoned two public offices in less than two years. God forbid if Hillary's Senate seat opens up – he might try and go three-for-three. If Paul Tonko does to taxpayers of the 21st Congressional District what he did to them as a Member of the Assembly, voters had better hang onto their wallets. If voters want more of the same, they should stick with a career politician like Tonko. If they want real change and someone with a proven record of creating jobs and solving problems in the private sector, they should vote for a businessman like Jim Buhrmaster for Congress. People of the 21st District need a Congressman who is not a career politician; someone who has run a small business, actually employing people and creating opportunity here in the Capital Region. Jim Buhrmaster represents the views and values of average citizens; he is much more in tune with the real needs of our area than someone like Paul Tonko.”

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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
GOP committees throw support to Buhrmaster
Congressional candidate releases plan for energy crisis
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com.

    Congressional candidate James Buhrmaster is close to locking up the endorsements of the Republican county committees of the 21st Congressional District.
    The seat has been held for 20 years by Democrat Michael Mc-Nulty, who is retiring.
    Buhrmaster picked up the endorsements Friday of the Republican committees in Montgomery and Saratoga counties. He already had the endorsements of the Republican committees of Schenectady and Albany counties.
    Campaign spokesman Josh Hills said Buhrmaster is also expected to pick up the endorsements of the remaining Republican county committees in Schoharie, Fulton and Rensselaer counties.
    Buhrmaster also has the endorsement of the Albany County Conservative Committee and is expected to pick up the endorsement of the Schenectady County Conservative Committee, Hills said.
    The other Republican in the race is Steven Vasquez of Ballston Lake. He picked up the endorsement Tuesday of GOP Presidential candidate Ron Paul.
    Montgomery County Republican Chairwoman Rosemary Smith said she supports Buhrmaster because he knows the community and understands its needs. “He also recognizes what’s wrong with Washington. Jim knows that creating a responsible government in Washington means less spending, resulting in less taxes here in Montgomery County,” she said.
    Saratoga County Republican Chairman John “Jasper” Nolan called Buhrmaster the best choice for “anybody who wants lower taxes, lower energy costs and more jobs.”
    Buhrmaster, president of Buhrmaster Energy Group in Glenville, released an energy plan Thursday to provide relief to consumers. The plan calls for more domestic drilling, tighter oversight of the commodities market, the expansion of refining capacity, more investment in alternative fuel sources and energy conservation.
    Eight Democrats are also seeking the seat: John Aretakis, an attorney from North Greenbush; Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton; Craig Burridge, executive director of the Pharmacists Society of New York; Lester Freeman, the city of Albany’s equal employment opportunity officer; Darius Shahinfar, an Albany attorney and former aide to Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand; Phil Steck, chairman of the Colonie Democratic Committee and an attorney practicing civil rights and labor law; Paul Tonko, former 105th District assemblyman and former chairman of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority; and Arthur Welser, a licensed broker with Real Property Enterprises in North Greenbush.

Quoted from Salvatore

again it is a compromise - here is a guy who is 99% with the Democrats, but 100 times better than Tonko who never did one thing. He was the big energy man for New York State and we end up with the highest priced energy in America.

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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
House race field widens
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter

    A former city of Albany Republican chairman, now a Democrat, will run for an open seat in the 21st Congressional District, he announced Tuesday.
    Joseph P. Sullivan, who switched parties two years ago, becomes the 11th candidate to declare for U.S. Rep. Michael McNulty’s seat. McNulty, DGreen Island, is retiring at the end of his term this year after 20 years in the House of Representatives.
    Sullivan said he will focus on fighting terrorism, strengthening education, securing America’s borders and fixing transportation infrastructure.
    Sullivan is a Navy veteran and a retired state Senate administrative staffer. He ran unsuccessfully as a Republican against Mayor Jerry Jennings, a Democrat, in 2001.
    Sullivan faces an uphill battle for the congressional seat. He is unlikely to receive endorsements from the major county committees of the Democratic Party, as all have made endorsements or are planning to endorse candidates already in the race.
    Candidates for Congress must submit designating petitions by July 10. There will be a primary among the nine Democrats on Sept. 9. It is unclear if the two Republicans will face a primary. Those two are James Buhrmaster of Glenville and Steven Vasquez of Ballston Lake. The other Democrats seeking the seat are: John Aretakis, an attorney from North Greenbush; Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton; Craig Burridge, executive director of the Pharmacists Society of New York; Lester Freeman, the city of Albany’s equal employment opportunity officer; Darius Shahinfar, an Albany attorney and former aide to Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand; Phil Steck, chairman of the Colonie Democratic Committee and an attorney practicing civil rights and labor law; Paul Tonko, former 105th District assemblyman and former chairman of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority; and Arthur Welser, a licensed broker with Real Property Enterprises in North Greenbush.

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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Buhrmaster lining up endorsements
County GOP committees give backing
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com.

    Republican James Buhrmaster this week became the only candidate for the open seat in the 21st Congressional District to lock up all the endorsements of a major party. Ten-term Congressman Michael R. McNulty, D-Green Island, is retiring at the end of his term this year.
    Buhrmaster picked up the distinction Wednesday when the Schoharie County Republican Committee endorsed him. He has now collected the endorsements of every Republican committee in the counties comprising the 21st District.
    Buhrmaster also has endorsements of the Conservative Party committees in Schenectady and Albany counties and is seeking their endorsements in the other counties of the district, a campaign spokesman said.
    The other Republican in the race is Steven Vasquez of Ballston Lake.
    Paul Tonko comes closest to having the most major-party endorsements among the nine Democratic candidates. He has endorsements of the Democrat committees in Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie counties and the endorsement of the labor-backed Working Families Party.
    Tonko is the former assemblyman of the 105th District and the former chairman of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
    The Democratic committees in Rensselaer and Saratoga counties are not making endorsements prior to the Sept. 9 primary, said Tonko spokesman Sean Shortell. The Fulton County Democratic Committee will consider endorsements after candidates file their designating petitions in July, he said.
    Democrat candidate Phil Steck has the endorsements of the Albany County Democratic Committee and the Independence Party. He is chairman of the Colonie Democratic Committee and an attorney practicing civil rights and labor law.
    Steck also holds the advantage in fundraising among all the candidates, according to first-quarter filings with the Federal Election Commission. He had raised $206,000 and had $154,000 on hand as of March 31. Second-quarter fi - nancial disclosure reports will be available July 15.
    The district consists of all of Albany, Schenectady, Montgomery and Schoharie counties and part of Schenectady, Fulton and Rensselaer counties. Democrats hold a plurality in voter registration, 41 percent to 28 percent for Republicans. Voters in the district gave Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry 55 percent of the vote in 2004, according to CQ Politics.
    McNulty said he will not make an endorsement in the race. However, his father, former Green Island Mayor Jack McNulty, has endorsed Democrat candidate Tracey Brooks, a former aide to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. McNulty’s sister, Ellen McNulty-Ryan, mayor of Green Island, is chairwoman of Brooks’ campaign.
    The other Democrats in the race are: John Aretakis, an attorney from North Greenbush; Craig Burridge, executive director of the Pharmacists Society of New York; Lester Freeman, the city of Albany’s equal employment opportunity offi cer; Darius Shahinfar, an Albany attorney and former aide to Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand; Joseph P. Sullivan, a former city of Albany Republican chairman; and Arthur Welser, a licensed broker with Real Property Enterprises in North Greenbush.

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It’s Just Unjust

To the Editor:

I read, with great interest, David King’s article “A Time to Fight” [Newsfrront, July 3].

As a Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in New York’s 21st Congressional District, I wanted to add my voice to the concerns regarding recent action taken in the Congress to revise the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

I do not support retroactive immunity for any industry that violates the law and I do not support secret courts. Judicial power may be abused like any other.

However, the immunity provisions are not the worst aspect of the FISA revisions. There are two major problems with the new law. First, the new FISA revisions extend the time under which the NSA may conduct a wiretap from 72 hours to a week. No need has been demonstrated to increase this time period. Second, the bill gives wholesale approval to bulk monitoring of electronic communications (primarily email and phone calls). This monitoring is based on software algorithms of dubious validity that determine whether or not a person’s behavior patterns suggest that he or she is acting in a way that merits eavesdropping.

This concept, which is really a form of profiling, flies in the face of our longstanding mandates of probable cause and reasonable suspicion that require attention to individual circumstances. As a civil rights attorney, I am aware of no conceivable constitutional basis for this type of surveillance.

The recent revisions to FISA are an example of why I strongly believe that we need members of Congress who will not only challenge a Republican president, but who are also willing to stand up to members of our own party’s leadership when they are wrong.

Phil Steck
Democratic candidate for Congress
New York’s 21st Congressional District
Colonie

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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Two candidates face petition challenges
Vasquez, Sullivan could lose spots
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com

    Two candidates in the 21st Congressional District race face legal challenges to their bids to run in the September primary, according to the state Board of Elections.
    Republican candidate Steven Vasquez and Democratic candidate Joseph Sullivan received notices by Thursday’s deadline that their designating petitions are under challenge.
    Republican candidate James Buhrmaster filed a challenge in Albany County Supreme Court against Vasquez.
    Keri Kresler filed specific challenges against Sullivan with the state Board of Elections.
    Candidates may challenge petitions either through the courts or through a board of elections, said state Board of Elections spokesman Bob Brehm.
    The state board will review challenges against the 1,734 signatures Sullivan collected on his petitions, issue a report and hold a hearing, Brehm said. Sullivan can appeal the board’s ruling if it goes against him, he said.
    Vasquez’s court date has not been determined, Brehm said. The board has until Aug. 4 to certify the list of candidates.
    Vasquez, Buhrmaster and Kresler were not available for comment.
    Buhrmaster has to the most to gain by knocking Vasquez off the Sept. 9 primary ballot. If successful, he would have more money to spend against his Democratic challenger in the general election. Buhrmaster has raised more than $200,000 for the race, according to financial filings.
    Sullivan said he is being targeted because he is a threat. “I have done the best at the debates and have the most complete and most comprehensive platform,” he said.
    He said Kresler is active in the Working Families Party, which endorsed Democrat candidate Paul Tonko for the 21st Congressional District seat.
    “Connections are key. People are knocked off ballots by people who pull strings, Sullivan said.
    Two Republicans and fi ve Democrats are seeking to succeed Rep. Michael McNulty, D-Green Island, who is retiring in January after 20 years in office.
    The outcome of the petition challenges will determine who will be on the primary ballot. The General Election is Nov. 4.

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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Judge expected to rule on challenges to petitions
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter

    Republican 21st Congressional District candidate Steve Vasquez should learn initially Wednesday whether he will remain on the ballot for the Sept. 9 primary.
    That is when Acting State Supreme Court Judge Roger Mc-Donough is expected to rule on challenges to Vasquez’s designating petitions. Either side can appeal his ruling.
    Republican congressional candidate James Buhrmaster filed 450 challenges to Vasquez’s petitions, hoping to knock him off the ballot. Vasquez submitted 1,640 signatures to the state Board of Elections in July, 390 more than required.
    Buhrmaster and Vasquez appeared Monday in Albany before McDonough, who scheduled another hearing Wednesday to allow Vasquez to produce people who witnessed his petitions, said Josh Hills, a spokesman for Buhrmaster. Buhrmaster filed the objections in state Supreme Court in Albany County. Vasquez spokesman Warren Redlich said the candidate will have enough signatures to remain on the ballot and force a primary against Buhrmaster. “We have been through all their objections and some of their objections, more than 200, are valid. But we believe we have more than enough,” he said.
    Hills disagreed. “By our research, Mr. Vasquez does not meet the minimum requirement to run for Congress. We have him around 1,185,” he said.
    The objections center on technicalities such as the same people signing both Vasquez’s and Buhrmaster’s petitions, illegible signatures, people not enrolled in the Republican Party and more, Hills said.
    Redlich said Buhrmaster filed the challenges to knock a credible Republican candidate off the ballot, giving Democrats a better shot at winning the race.
    “He is spending his money to ensure no one can run a credible campaign against the Democrats,” Redlich said. “They are using the election laws to harass their opponents and knock them off ballot so they don’t have to pay for a primary.”
    Hills said Buhrmaster sees the fall race as the best opportunity a Republican has had in decades to win the congressional seat, long held by Democrats, and “having a primary would use some resources we would otherwise prefer to use in November.”
    Hills said the 21st district looks Democratic “on paper, but we have