By Dee Richard
And the political beat goes on and on ad infinitum. This time we have three different versions of a political situation, which is the Queens Tribune reportage of the Dan Halloran campaign.
First, Michael Schenkler, publisher of the Tribune, in his Sept. 24 column says a reliable source close to Republican county leader Phil Ragusa informs us the Queens GOP inner circle met and were discussing possible methods to remove Halloran.
Fact: The primary was Sept. 15 and election law states the only time a substitution can be made is two weeks before the primary, which would be Sept 1. His article was printed four weeks too late. Being the political maven that you are, Schenkler, you were well aware of that fact, so why the razzle-dazzle post-mortem meaningless rhetoric? Or were you assuming the voters were a bunch of illiterate idiots who wouldn’t know any better and therefore buy what you were attempting to sell?
Second, on Oct. 3 in Maggie Mays in Bayside, I ran into Ragusa, who was celebrating the victory of being elected again as chairman of the Queens County Republican Party with his associates Vinny Tabone, Steven Graves and Anthony Carollo.
Fact: They all denied they ever discussed any way of removing Halloran as their candidate and said they stand firmly behind him and are giving him full support.
Third, as to Schenkler’s report that the Republicans had considered approaching Paul Vallone’s campaign and asking if he would be interested in obtaining their endorsement to replace Halloran as their candidate, Halloran tells a different story.
Halloran told me that when the Tribune story broke, he was upset. He called Vallone and suggested that in the event he would choose to step down, would Vallone be interested in running in his place? If so, Halloran would approach the GOP and ask if they would consider Vallone.
Now we come to all the variations on the same theme. I contacted Ragusa for his side of the story and Halloran for his side of the story. I also stopped by Vallone’s office on Francis Lewis Boulevard to get his version of the situation. His staff members informed me he was at a hockey game and would get back to me after 8 p.m. Saturday evening.
I’m still waiting.
I’m disappointed in Paul, as I always thought of him as a forthright young man. As a matter of fact, I printed my feelings about him in this column on several occasions in the past. On the outside chance the very young people in his office forgot to give him the message, I called him three times Sunday.
I’m still waiting.
That’s not like Paul. He has always retuned calls ASAP. Paul, I cannot write your side of the story if you do not tell me what it is.
My condolences to Jim Trent on the death of his beloved mother, Helen, last week. She was a community activist most of her life and will be missed.
Additional condolences to Mike Niebauer on the death of his father, John V. Kopacska, at 96. John was a professional marble and tile setter for 60 years, working on numerous banks and government buildings and buildings such as the Empire State Building, Saks Fifth Ave and Bloomingdale’s to name just a few. Politically in the 1950s and ’60’s he helped run the Beechhurst Republican Club and worked to run local and state candidates. Most recently he was elected the 26th State Assembly District State Committeeman Judicial Delegate in the Independence Party. Rest in peace, John.
My final condolence this week goes to U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney on the death of her beloved husband.
Congratulations to Assemblywoman Grace Meng on the birth of her second baby boy. Mom, dad and baby are doing fine.
That’s it for this week.
I look forward to hearing from you with information on people, parties and politics or gossip.
I like receiving your voice mail at 718-767-6484, faxes at 718-746-0066 and e-mail at deerrichard@aol.com.
Don’t forget to check out the Focus on Queens page.
Till next week, Dee.
Disclosure: Dee Richard has done some freelance work as a photographer for the Halloran campaign.
