Crowley elected new Dem leader

Just days after the Queens primaries, the powerful Queens County Democratic Organization elected Congressmember Joseph Crowley as its new chair. Crowley succeeds his mentor Thomas Manton, the influential powerbroker who led the Queens Democratic Organization for 20 years until his death this past July.
&#8220Tom was a friend,” Crowley said on Monday, September 18, speaking at Monsignor McClancy High School. &#8220He brought us from the lowest depths of Queens County politics to some of its highest heights including helping elect Bill Clinton President of the United States.”
Officials unanimously elected Crowley to the position on Friday, September 15, at the Queens County Democratic headquarters in Forest Hills. Crowley said that his first priority in the new position would be focusing on the elections in November and making sure that Democrats win the elections in the upcoming races.
However, Crowley also weighed in publicly about the process of selecting state judges.
&#8220It's my intention to establish an independent judicial screening panel for next year,” Crowley said. &#8220What form it will take [yet], I don't know. I am talking to a lot of people including the state party chairs.”
The selection of these judges has come under scrutiny lately following long-running corruption abuses in the Brooklyn courts, and naysayers believing that party bosses have too much influence in the selection process.
Crowley said that he expects the new state legislatures to weigh in on the issue, and he will abide by the law, but he said &#8220I'm the Democratic County leader; it's my job to elect Democrats.”
Crowley's election as Queens County Democratic Party boss is not the first time he succeeded Manton in a position. When Manton retired from Congress after serving for seven terms in 1997, he handpicked Crowley to serve as his successor.