Wilcox embarrasses GOP Community

Photo to left is one of the rogue executive committee members. In this case it's disgraced treasurer Hugh Burke who TV 13 reported ADMITTED using taxpayer paid for county attorney office equipment to run his political operation.



05/16/2008
Republican Committee renounces council members
By:GLENN GRIFFITH Community News


Story Link http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19697109&BRD=1668&PAG=461&dept_id=7135&rfi=6


CLIFTON PARK - The town's Republican Party Committee May 9 renounced four of five Town Council members in a brief and succinct press release saying they no longer spoke for, or represented, the Republican party.All five members of the town board are members of the Republican Party. The four renounced were supervisor Philip Barrett, councilwoman Lynda Walowit and councilmen Tom Paolucci and Scott Hughes.

The notification by the Clifton Park Republican Committee states the four were renounced for failing to show up to a committee meeting where they were expected to explain recent actions. The press release was unsigned but listed town Republican Party Chairman Robert Wilcox as the contact person.

Town Republican Party Committee vice chairman and committee communications director Adam Kramer disapproved of the action, calling it a hasty maneuver, counter productive, and a potentially suicidal move. He said he was sick and tired of divisions within the local party's ranks. Kramer was out of town on a family vacation when notice of the action was released. "If I had been given the courtesy of a heads-up as to the committee's actions before-hand, I would have strongly counseled against such a counterproductive move," he said. "I understand emotions have run very high, but this serious action should not have been done in such haste. It was not the right thing to do and I strongly disagree with it."

Requests to Kramer and Wilcox for a tally of the commit tee's vote to renounce the four party members were unsuccessful. Each political party in Clifton Park is allowed two committee members for each of the town's 34 election districts.The committee's action comes two weeks after the four Town Board members unanimously appointed John Ryan to the Clifton Park Water Authority's Board of Directors. The four refused a request from absent fellow board member Sanford "Sandy" Roth to table the appointment.Roth returned to the board April 28 and reprimanded the four for failing to allow others to be interviewed for the water authority appointment.

This is not the first time the Clifton Park Republican Committee has turned on one of its own. In the early 1980s, Kevin Dailey was ousted from the party. He was subsequently elected supervisor with support from the town's Democrats. What Griffith doesn't add is that it was some of the same politically deaf, dumb and blind players who were involved then as now - namely Linda McNab, Elaine Kelly, Bob Wilcox, and Jasper Nolan - proving the definition of insane is correct as they expect different results from the same bone-headed hate filled decisions. Dailey remains VERY popular and his crime? It was creating THE CLIFTON COMMON the most popular recreation park in the REGION.


In the late 1990s, incumbent Walowit was victorious in a primary to determine who would run for office under the Republican banner in the general election.Reaction from the four board members to the committee's actions ranged from muted to humorous.

Barrett had little to say. "It is what it is and we'll move forward," he said. "I wasn't contacted to be at the meeting. I wasn't told to be there or else, or told you should be there."Barrett said he did not know of anyone else ever being renounced by their political party's committee for missing a meeting.

Walowit said she and the other board members were asked to attend illegal meetings and to support financial contributors to the party. "Now they've reached the core of having to explain to the people of Clifton Park why we're being punished," she said. "If Mr. Roth had shared our concerns about water, the people who came to the April 21 meeting wouldn't have bothered coming."

Paolucci said he was proud to be a Republican, one who believes in small, fiscally responsible government that can improve the quality of life for the town's citizens. He noted the present administration's fiscal record of retaining the no town tax policy."I am dismayed that a small group of local Republican leaders have determined that they can undermine the governmental process in Clifton Park by threatening political support in exchange for votes that forward their agenda," he said.

WILCOX NEEDS A LOOONG TIMEOUT - A RETIREMENT PARTY

"Bob Wilcox's statement and actions are very much like that of a small child throwing a temper tantrum when things do not go their way, and then picking up their toy truck and stomping home, stating if you don't play by my rules then you won't play at all," Paolucci said.Paolucci believes Wilcox is under pressure from county Republicans to deliver a signed contract from the Clifton Park Water Authority to buy water from the county. He called he county water expensive and something the town doesn't need.

Like Walowit, Hughes said he was asked to attend meetings he believes contradict the state's Sunshine Laws. Wilcox, Hughes said, speaks for a small minority on the town's Republican committee.He described Wilcox and others on the committee who supported the renouncment as the gang that can't shoot straight.

"Bob Wilcox does not get to choose who is and is not a Republican," Hughes said. "I'm proud of the record I'm creating in support of the citizens of Clifton Park. Bob Wilcox is having a temper tantrum because he can't control the Town Board through political pressure.

He thinks he's Boss Tweed and Clifton Park is Tammany Hall."Hughes said when Wilcox was elected committee chairman of the town Republican Committee, he promised everyone would have a voice. "Now it seems the executive committee seems intent on doing things in back rooms," he said. "I refuse to compromise my support for open ethical government."