WCDO Radio News

P.M. NEWS TUESDAY 12-8-20

State Supreme Court Judge Scott DelConte ruled today that the Board of Elections for all 8 counties in the 22nd Congressional District must fix their errors in the ballot counting process.  Justice DelConte said that the Board of Elections must ensure there are no more misplaced ballots, that all challenged ballots noted as challenged and all previously uncounted ballots must be counted, if those 3 items are not finished, a recount may be ordered.  Vote counts had both Anthony Brinidisi & Claudia Tenney leading by about a dozen votes at various times, after more than 28,000 ballots were counted.

Joe Angelino is getting ready to begin his 1st term as an Assemblyman, replacing Cliff Crouch, who is retiring after 25 years in the Assembly; Angelino told WCDO News that he has been to Albany recently to start the orientation:

(Angelino 12-8-20)

Angelino said that he also met with a dozen other new Assembly representatives at the Orientation, no decision have been firmed up with regards to starting a legislative session without have over 150 people meeting in 1 place, which contradicts CDC & State guidelines for COVID 19.

Former area 3-term Congressman Richard Hanna & Mohawk Valley republican Assemblyman Marc Butler announced their support for Democrat Anthony Brinidisi over Republican incumbent Congresswoman Claudia Tenney at an event in Earlville Wednesday night. Hanna was known as a moderate Republican who worked well with other congressional members from both parties, during his term in Washington. Most of the recent polls have Brindisi & Tenney running neck & neck in the 22nd
Congressional District.

Lawmakers from both major parties were not pleased with President Trump's statements to the Wall Street Journal this week. Trump was quoted as saying that Upstate New York residents should just leave, and head to states where there are not enough people for existing manufacturing jobs, like Wisconsin. Local Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, who normally supports Trump, released a statement, saying that she hoped Trump’s comments were taken out of context, that Upstate has a rich history of manufacturing, and policies must be implemented to revive the region. Democratic Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, who is challenging Tenney for the 22nd district seat next year, said President Trump should be doing what he promised and help create American jobs here at home."

Utica Democratic Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi already announced his intentions to run for the 22nd congressional district in November 2018, at a press conference in Utica this morning. Brindisi seeks to unseat Republican Claudia Tenney, who is only 6 months into her first term in Congress. The 22nd congressional district covers part of Chenango & Broome Counties locally. Brindisi will reschedule a press conference for Binghamton that was postponed today due to the extraordinary session of the Assembly called by Governor Cuomo for today in Albany.

Lawmakers were called back to Albany today for an Extraordinary session to deal with some left over legislation that was not dealt with before the end of the 2017 session last Wednesday. Local Assemblyman Cliff Crouch said that some of the bills really should be dealt with by the local municipalities, and not the state legislature:

(Cliff Crouch 6-28-17)

In the last weeks of the legislative session, state lawmakers had to decide on what Crouch called "Home Rule" issues, like allowing for counties to continue to collect sales tax, in addition to the issue of New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio overseeing the City schools.