8/13/2019 Cardinale Letter

1/1

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

As the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Ulster County I am extremely concerned that

the will of the voters is at risk of being subverted. Last month the people of Ulster County

exercised their constitutional right to vote. At the county level, the result of this election

was 12 Democratic county legislators, 10 Republicans and 1 non-enrolled (an individual

who ran for office on the Democratic line and caucuses with the Democrats). This cleanand fair election created a Democratic majority for the first time in four years. It was the

byproduct of a great deal of hard work from all of our Democratic committees and voters

across Ulster County committed to a better county legislature. These results would have historically meant a smooth transition of leadership within the

county legislature from the current Republican control, to one led by the Democratic

Party. Unfortunately, rather than participating in the responsible transition of power that

has been the hallmark of American democracy for centuries,we have been dismayed to

learn that Republican county legislators are now working behind closed doors to subvert

the will of the people, attempting to lure individual Democratic legislators with thepromise of the chairmanship of the entire legislature in return for continued Republican

control. This scenario is only made possible because of the narrow separation between

the number of Democrats and Republicans within the legislative body. With this desperate effort to cling to power despite their loss at the ballot box the

Republican Party appears willing to say anything and do anything --even if it means

subverting the very will of the Ulster County citizens. It is my great belief that no

honorable Democratic legislator would even entertain the idea of turning his or her back

on the hardworking Democratic committee people who have done so much or on the will

of the voters of Ulster County in return for selfish short term personal gain. Simply put, the majority of legislators, as elected by the people, select an individual

legislator to serve as Chairman. The preliminary portion of this process has already been

completed and the Hon. Hector Rodriguez has been selected. On behalf of the entire

Executive Committee of the Ulster County Democratic Party, we stand as one in

condemning the Republicans back room shenanigans that, once again, remind us of the

jail politics of the past. I urge solidarity throughout our party in insuring the democratic

process is not high jacked as well as in opposing the subversion of the core democratic

principles that have helped make America great.

Frank L. CardinaleChairman, Ulster County Democratic Committee