...and it seems that Steve Pigeon and Tom Golisano are behind this one as well.
Must read from the Buffalo Pundit on all the details. In a nutshell, but read Alan's entire post:
...Tim Kennedy approached Democratic HQ to ask to run against Stachowski. Lenihan reportedly told Kennedy that he was going to stick with Stachowski and let him decide when he wanted to stop going to Albany. Kennedy then turned to Steve Pigeon and asked for his help to run against Stachowski. Golisano's money was pledged, but Pigeon wanted something in exchange.
Pigeon wanted Kennedy to deliver the legislature to him. Three Democrats to flip so Collins would have his majority. Rumor has it that Pigeon is working on Collins' gubernatorial campaign behind the scenes.
Kennedy delivered Miller-Williams, who is affiliated with Grassroots, which is currently aligned with Pigeon and City Hall, as well as Christina Bove. It is also rumored that Brian Higgins is one of the people behind the scenes brokering this on Kennedy's behalf.
Tim Kennedy, the man who wants Stach's job in the Senate, seems to be the new Pigeon/Golisano/Higgins/Collins owned Pedro Espada.
Just what we need in the State Senate...another Pedro Espada...and more coups about jobs and patronage staff hires.
Buffalo Pundit has given a great summary of the career politician talking point that Republicans in Erie County are using against their Democratic opponents (all of whom are incumbents).
Erie County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz, who has butted heads with Erie County Executive Chris Collins - the man helping push this notion of "career politicians" by putting forth his own slate of candidates - is one target of such labeling. Collins was asked who he thought was a "career politician" in his mind. One of the names? Mark Poloncarz.
Here's the Collins definition of career politician: "It starts with somebody who sees politics as a career path. It is someone who caters to the special interests in order to advance or preserve their career.
"It is somebody who makes decisions based on the political ramifications, not based on what's in the best interest of taxpayers. It is typically someone who does not have a lot of history of other experiences, meaning private-sector experiences."
He agreed that career politicians nest on both sides of the aisle.
Collins, a Republican, easily rattled off a few Democrats in county government he thinks qualify: Reynolds. Legislature Chairwoman Lynn M. Marinelli. County Comptroller Mark C. Poloncarz, who is completing his first term and made his living as a lawyer before seeking office in 2005.
The one item in the piece that sticks out is when Collins was asked about what Republicans are career politicians. When asked about Senator Dale Volker, who has been in office for over three decades, Collins gave this response:
"I don't want to get into name-calling necessarily."
So if he has to name Democrats who are career politicians, he is willing to do so to fit his political agenda. But once he has to name Republicans, he refers to it as "name calling" and dodges the question. Convenient dodging by a man who wants to run for governor next year. Talk about career politicians.
In Erie County, the problem with the "career politician" label is that it is being thrown around by, well, those who themselves could be affixed with the "career politician" label. Collins, for example, has served as county executive since 2008 and is already talking about seeking higher office. His name has been mentioned as a possible GOP gubernatorial candidate in 2010 if Rudy Giuliani doesn't run, which is a possibility.
But from there, it only gets worse for Erie County Republicans.
That isn't the only instance where the Republican accusing the Democrat of being a career politician is actually a career politician (or more of one) than his or her opponent. Republican Shelly Schratz is calling her opponent a "career politician" even though she has more years of experience as an elected official and also has sought other offices unsuccessfully.
It is an interesting strategy for the Collins Republicans. They are calling their Democratic foes "career politicians" in an attempt to make them seem like they are old, stale and just warm bodies in chairs at the Legislature Chamber. But these are candidates who have served many years in office. They have also ran for other offices unsuccessfully (Hardwick ran twice for Legislature and lost in the early 2000s).
But the troubling part, from Collins, is that he couldn't name a single Republican. Even though he said that there was career politicians on both sides, he wasn't willing to throw a member of his party under the bus. That tells you what kind of guy Collins is. It's no secret he wants to run for governor. It's no secret these candidates running against incumbent legislators and Poloncarz are his candidates. His hunger for power is so massive I can hear is stomach growling from here in Orleans County.
You can't think of a single Republican? And when Dale Volker, a man who has served 36 years as a New York state senator, is put in front of your face you say you don't want to engage in "name-calling"?
Name-calling isn't okay when it's someone of your own party AND someone who, as a senior Albany Republican, surely would help to have on your side should you run for governor in 2010. But name-calling is acceptable if you're trying to take down the Democrats.
Erie County Democratic Chairman Leonard R. Lenihan is recovering in Buffalo General Hospital after undergoing heart bypass surgery Friday afternoon.
Lenihan had been feeling ill over the past few days and reported to Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital on Thursday for tests, said Jeremy Zellner, the party's executive director.
He was then referred to Buffalo General for the surgery.
"Doctors said the surgery went well and that the chairman will soon be back on his feet," Zellner said.
Lenihan, 60, encounters his latest difficulty after two recent hip replacement surgeries. But Zellner said doctors believe he is in overall good health and expected to make a full recovery.
The chairman's hospitalization occurs just days before he was scheduled to act as official host of the State Democratic Committee's fall meeting in Buffalo on Tuesday and Wednesday. Zellner said local officers are expected to stand in for Lenihan.
It has been a tough year for Lenihan. It is good to hear that the surgery was successful and that he is in otherwise good health.
Our best goes out to Lenihan today and we hope he makes a speedy recovery.
In Erie County, not all county employees get to park for free. Because the offices are located in downtown Buffalo, there is limited parking for county employees that is free. The system to award free parking has been not-so transparent and has many flaws.
So if you can't park for free, why not just make your own "official business" placard to put in your window?
Erie County auditors examining the odd patchwork of parking for county employees downtown found that some workers have devised a way to beat the system and park free.
They create an "Official Business" placard, post it on the dashboard and park their personal vehicles wherever they wish.
The city's Parking Enforcement Bureau admits it doesn't ticket those vehicles when parked in proximity to important county buildings, even when the placard is on private cars that don't move throughout the day.
"If you can get a good laser printer, put "official business' on it, and put the county seal on it, you can pretty much park wherever you want," County Comptroller Mark C. Poloncarz said Wednesday, after his auditors completed a review of parking in and around the county- government complex.
He said that his auditors in recent months found official-business placards on privately owned cars parked around the Erie County Holding Center, Rath County Office Building and Old County Hall.
They also found no apparent connection to official business, aside from the fact the owners work for the county or some government agency.
There is a lot wrong with this system. However, with no policy in place for the limited free parking that is available, it was bound to be a disaster. But now you have county employees making their own placards, which is a problem. In fact, it should be illegal to create a document like that. It misrepresents reality (also known as fraud) and it has led to parking enforcers to NOT ticket these cars because, based on what they know, the cars are there for "official business."
Comptroller Mark Poloncarz wants more accountability and oversight. But he has been met with resistance from the County Executive's office, who actually stooped to a low by resorting to name-calling in the Buffalo News piece.
The county executive's office responded Wednesday by accusing the comptroller of again focusing on tedium.
"Once again, Erie County taxpayers have been shortchanged by an unqualified comptroller more focused on politics than on protecting taxpayers," spokesman Grant Loomis said. "For the last five months, the comptroller has spent an undisclosed amount of manpower and taxpayer resources on a political fishing expedition that will not save one penny of taxpayer funds.
"Chicken Little" - as Collins has dubbed Poloncarz - "has now become Inspector Gadget," Loomis said.
Calling someone "unqualified" is a personal insult and one that shouldn't have a place in government, regardless of politics. Claiming that the comptroller is "more focused on politics" is laughable, considering it is the county executive who listed Poloncarz as an obstructionist when Collins was recruiting candidates to run against Poloncarz and two Erie County legislators.
Also, the claim made by Loomis that Poloncarz "has spent an undisclosed amount of manpower and taxpayer resources on a political fishing expedition that will not save one penny of taxpayer funds" is an interesting take. This parking fiasco probably won't save the taxpayers money, but rather, if the situation is fixed, it could produce revenue. A clear cut parking program will make it known who gets free parking and who doesn't. Those who don't get free parking will have to pay.
There are ethical questions involved, especially with county employees using the county seal in an inappropriate manner. If that's not serious enough for the county executive to care, then maybe a serious review needs to be done of his job performance and his belief in a "culture change." Apparently, this is a long-standing practice. So if Collins isn't willing to change a long-standing practice, he must not be a big fan of changing the culture.
The Buffalo News has an article today on the campaign announcement of another challenger to one of the Democratic members of the Erie County government. This time the target is Kathy Konst of Lancaster, representing District 5 in the county legislature.
From the News:
Dino Fudoli, 38, a Canisius College graduate who owns a property development company, will oppose Konst. He is already labeling the incumbent an "obstructionist" to the county executive's agenda.
Fascinating, isn't it, that the only "obstructionists" in the Erie County Legislature are Democrats in potentially competitive seats.
Apparently Fudoli learned a little something from the embarassingly fawning rollout of Kevin Hardwick, and so made sure to at least pretend to disagree with Collins on something. Though whether that means anything, we'll see later.
"It's strange that someone like Kathy Konst would go against the county executive on everything," he said. "I don't support everything he does; I don't support his tax increase. But she sticks her neck out to obstruct everything he wants done."
Of course anyone who knows Erie County politics is aware that that's a load, and that Kathy has actually gotten in hot water with her own party a few times for taking the other side in a disagreement. However, Kathy has also had several high-profile fights with Collins over the county budget--and as I said with regard to the challenger to "obstructionist" Michelle Iannello, attempting to obstruct incompetance is not a bad thing.
Now that appears to have extended to Konst, with Fudoli indicating he has met with Collins and hopes he will assist him politically and financially.
"I can expect he would maybe help me in that aspect," Fudoli said of Collins' financial backing. "It's certainly something I would ask him for."
And there's the onion. Each and every one of these candidates is effectively running as a proxy for Chris Collins, in what you could be forgiven for thinking of as a "Vote Lapdog" campaign. All of them are going to be so politically indebted to Collins if they got elected that they wouldn't be able to provide real checks and balances government without losing their sugar daddy.
The Erie County legislature races this November are far more important than they might seem to the outside observer. Besides preserving a vital Democratic foothold in western New York, they're a crucial bellweather of Chris Collins' popularity and political capital. Collins is already being talked up by elements within the state GOP for statewide office next year, possibly even the Governor's race. Facing a major defeat of his hand-picked puppet candidates this year would put some serious marks on his self-touted record.
In a not-so surprising move, Erie County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz announced his re-election. He announced his re-election through a video posted on YouTube:
A line to remember is when Poloncarz says that he isn't independently wealthy, but he is independent. That will be a theme during the Erie County Comptroller's race, which will surely draw plenty of attention in Western New York. Poloncarz is considered a possible contender to Republican Erie County Executive Chris Collins, who has made it known that he is targeting Poloncarz.
Poloncarz does have an opponent. That opponent was announced today and will be retired accounting executive Philip Kadet. Kadet is someone who fits the mold that the Erie County Republicans are looking for. They want more of their candidates to look like business types (i.e. look like Chris Collins) and who will run government more like a business.
Poloncarz was first elected to his post in 2005. He is a strong Democrat who is a very active campaigner. He has worked on his past races and has worked very hard on behalf of many other Democratic contenders. He is someone all Democrats and even Republicans should get behind in Erie County. He has made a difference in the county and will continue to do so when he is re-elected.
This is just horrible. New York State Police are confirming that there were no survivors among the 48 souls aboard Continental Airlines flight 3407 that crashed into a home in Clarence, NY and that another person on the ground is a confirmed fatality.
BUFFALO, New York - New York state police said a 50-passenger commuter plane crashed into a home in suburban Buffalo, killing up to 49 people.
Authorities said Continental Airlines Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J., hit a house in Clarence around 10:10 p.m. Thursday.
The flight was operated by Manassas, Va.-based Colgan Air. It was en route from Newark, N.J. to Buffalo. The FAA confirmed to NBC News producer Jay Blackman that there were 44 passengers and 4 crew members on board.
State police said there were no survivors on board.
Clarence emergency control director Dave Bissonet says the crash killed one person on the ground.
Such a tragedy. My thoughts are with all the victims and their families.
This sounds pretty bad. A commuter plane has crashed into a home in Clarence, NY and sparked a raging fire on the ground. The plane was en route from Newark, NJ to Buffalo and could seat up to 50 passengers.
A small passenger plane crashed into a home near Buffalo, N.Y., Thursday night.
New York state police said the aircraft was a 50-passenger commuter plane. Television reports said it was on a flight from Newark, N.J., to Buffalo.
It was just after 10:20 p.m. when the plane, believed to be heading towards the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, crashed into the home on Long Street in Clarence Centre, a small community just northeast of Buffalo, neighbours said.
Neighbours said the plane - which appeared to be a small propeller plane - came in loudly and lower than normal, before it hit the house with a loud bang.
...
A woman and her daughter said to be living in the home made it out uninjured and were at a neighbour's house. A man also lived at the house, but it wasn't clear whether he was hurt or not.
Sources said 10 people were hurt, but it wasn't immediately clear if anyone died.
Half an hour later, fire departments had arrived and put out the fire. The house continued to smoke, one of the plane's wings sticking up out of the remains.
"The house is gone. totally gone," neighbour Kelly Simkin told a local news station. "We really think it only landed on one house.
"It is amazing what this plane maybe could have done."
Hoping for the best.
UPDATE (12:30am): The Buffalo Newsreports that 49 people have died.
Forty-nine people reportedly died when an aircraft identified as a Continental Airlines flight crashed into a house in Clarence Center shortly after 10 p.m. last night, starting a huge fire which poured thick smoke throughout the hamlet.
Unconfirmed reports from a source at Buffalo Niagara International Airport said that the dead included 44 passengers, four crew members and a person on the ground.
County Executive Chris Collins said that there may have been as many as 50 people aboard the plane and crew members had reported mechanical problems as they approached Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Several injured people were taken from the scene to Erie County Medical Center for treatment.
The room was packed. I estimated no less than 100 people in the room not including the candidates and elected officials. It was a passionate crowd that gave loud ovations when Stachowski and Mesi were introduced or when their names were mentioned. Sen. Thompson gave an excellent speech and riled up the crowd. Hochul also gave a great speech and Mayor Brown introduced Gov. Paterson. Brown and Paterson served in the New York State Senate together before each ended up in their respective executive roles.
Paterson gave an outstanding speech. I do have video of the whole thing, which you can see below the fold, but I wanted to emphasize this clip.
While Paterson might not be taking that no-holds barred approach that his predecessor did, he is willing to help Democrats win the Senate and help further his own executive agenda. Paterson certainly helped the cause yesterday as he received a warm welcome from everybody in the room. Not only that, but he helped boost Stachowski and Mesi, who are involved in hot contests here in Western New York.
The Erie County Democratic Committee decided to pass on endorsing one of the three Democratic candidates for the 61st Senate District seat and instead allow the voters to decide which candidate the party will support.
The executive committee of the Erie County Democratic Committee decided today to conduct an open primary to determine which of the three candidates will get the party line.
The three are, Dan Ward, who carried the banner for the party in the 2003 election for county executive; Michele Iannello, a county legislator, and "Baby" Joe Mesi, the professional boxed and political newcomer.
"All three could proudly carry our banner and serve with distinction if elected," the executive committee said in a release.
I will repeat myself here by saying that all three of these candidates bring something different to the table. Dan Ward brings a long record as a local leader in government and has the experience needed in the New York State Senate. Michele Iannello is the grassroots candidate. She is a "fresh face" and has served in local government, most recently as an Erie County legislator, for the last five years. Joe Mesi brings plenty of name recognition to the table as a former heavyweight boxer and is, according to a few people I have spoken to, canvassing the 61st district and getting his message out.
I have interviewed all three of these candidates. For a refresher, here are the links to those interviews.
It is worth noting that the Genesee County Democratic Committee did endorse a candidate when they endorsed Michele Iannello last month. However, Erie County's endorsement is important, considering the obvious population disparity and the fact that all three of the candidates hail from Erie County.
It will be a tough primary. The downside to the primary is that we won't be able to rally around one candidate to take this seat until September. But democracy will take its course and come September, there will be a Democrat to support in SD-61.
The two leading contenders for the Democratic nod in the 61st Senate District race met with the Genesee County Democratic Committee last night. Dan Ward and Michele Iannello both impressed the Genesee County Dems. In the past, a number of sources from Genesee County have said that Iannello has been very impressive in her approach thus far and Ward has a great resume and experience to run on.
As for "Baby" Joe Mesi, he was a no-show after originally being slated to attend the Genesee County Dems meeting last night.
Iannello and Ward both impressed me when I met them. Their resumes speak for themselves but as people, they are very open and they worked the room. I think we need to know more about Mesi. Mesi hasn't really opened up politically. The 61st needs to know where he stands on the issues if he wants to be considered a serious contender.
I authored this post on Paul Rivera last night. I concede that the NAFTA argument might be a stretch. Nonetheless, Jack Davis has always been anti-Clinton(s) due to NAFTA, among other issues. So when Davis is linked to a former Clinton consultant, it makes you wonder.
The facts are that Rivera is very qualified. He is a very experienced operative for the Democrats, most notably working as a senior political consultant to the Kerry-Edwards campaign and ran their New York campaign.
But as evidenced by this filing and this one, Rivera made a nice sum of money, considering he was working only for Erie County and for local races. In fact, Rivera made $55,515.67 from Erie County and the Jim Keane campaign, with most of that being contributed by the Keane campaign for county executive in Erie County.
My conclusion: Rivera is in this for Erie County. Not for those of you in the 26th who hail from Wyoming, Genesee, Orleans, Livingston, western Monroe or even Niagara. This is all about Erie. It always has been.
When Jon Powers first entered this race, Bob McCarthy of the Buffalo News wrote a great piece on Jon's entry into the race. In that article is a very key piece to this rather complicated puzzle. It's an excerpt that is still relevant today.
"I'm keeping my options open just like last time," Davis said last week. "In '06 I didn't announce until the end of March. I don't see any need to be out there early, and I don't need to raise money."
In addition, Davis says Erie County Democratic Chairman Len Lenihan has promised him the endorsement again if he wants it.
Now, on the surface, you might be thinking that Lenihan would endorse Davis because Davis can self-finance. Maybe that's true. But that (at least in my eyes) is not what is going on here.
In reality, Davis is a huge donor to the Erie County Democrats. According to the Erie County list of contributors, Davis has contributed $30,750 since February 2006. That includes two $10,000 contributions made last year, and a $200 donation made in December 2007. One would think that there's a reason why Davis is still giving money. He wants the endorsement of the Erie County Democrats and a race between Powers and Alice Kryzan.
An Erie County source tells me that Michele Iannello is the Erie County Democrats' favorite and most likely the NYS Senate Dems' favorite for the open seat in the 61st Senate District.
I know that the Genesee County Democrats really were impressed by Iannello. She is very knowledgeable about the district and she is willing to work hard for the seat. In addition, Iannello does have a strong ally on her side: Dennis Ward, the Democratic Board of Elections Commissioner for Erie County.
Iannello is seen by many as the most electable. She doesn't have any political skeletons in her closet and she can run a strong campaign. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. Nothing is set in stone yet, and certainly you never know what could happen with the Erie County Democrats involved. But Iannello looks like the possible candidate in SD-61.
After learning of Sen. Mary Lou Rath's retirement announcement (she has said that she will serve out the rest of her term) there has been a lot of speculation as to who will run for the seat on the Democratic side. Republican Jim Hayes seems to be the Republicans' choice (at least, Rath said she saw Hayes as a logical choice and Joe Bruno prefers Hayes over anyone else) but the field of Democrats is wide open.
There is plenty of possible contenders, possible sleeper candidates and candidates who wouldn't stand a chance or might not run for such a seat, but it would be interesting to see them run.
Come over the flip for a complete look at the Democratic candidates in SD-61.
At the regular monthly meeting of the Clarence Democratic Committee last night, the members heard from the two candidates for the 26th Congressional District seat now held by Tom Reynolds (R-Clarence).
Alice Kryzan spoke first, touting her legal experience - particularly having represented the town in past litigation - and took questions ranging from desired committeeships to No Child Left Behind.
Jon Powers spoke next, and the young Iraq War vet from Clarence underscored his campaign theme of leading by example. He reminded everyone of his campaign kick-off picnic at the Clarence Town Park last June when about 250 - Democrats and Republicans alike - came out to wish him well. That sort of bipartisan support was telling, and since then he’s been traveling all throughout the district, talking to suburbanites and farmers, students and businesspeople, young and old, about his vision, why he’s running, but more importantly listening to them and their concerns.
After hearing the candidates, and a lively discussion about their various merits, the committee voted unanimously to endorse Jon Powers for Congress. They join Wesley Clark, Bob Kerrey, and the Democratic Committees of Livingston, Genessee, and Orleans Counties.
Go read the whole thing for some on the ground in the district perspective.
As Phillip mentioned yesterday, two Western New York county clerks (one in Erie County, the other in Niagara) plan on calling their respective law enforcement authorities whenever a suspected illegal immigrant tries to obtain a driver's license under Gov. Eliot Spitzer's new plan.
Today, the Buffalo News reports that these clerks are now being accused of profiling if they choose to go down this road:
The Spitzer administration and immigration rights groups say the county clerks in Erie and Niagara counties will be engaging in inappropriate profiling with their plan to alert police when illegal immigrants seek to obtain driver's licenses.
Critics said the clerks will be acting purely on a hunch and that people in the country legally could find themselves being inappropriately detained by police because they were wrongly suspected of being illegal immigrants.
"It's an attack on undocumented immigrants. It's not the job of county clerks to enforce the immigration laws. It's a federal problem," said Norman Eng, an immigration attorney with the New York Immigration Coalition, an umbrella group of 200 organizations.
The Spitzer administration said it was taking very seriously the threat by Erie County Clerk Kathleen C. Hochul and Niagara County Clerk Wayne Jagow to turn over to local or federal police agencies suspected illegal immigrants who come into their motor vehicle offices to get a driver's license.
Eng, who is mentioned in the above quote, really made a great point later in the article regarding the current policy and what the county clerks in Erie and Niagara wish to do:
Illegal immigrants who try to apply for driver's licenses in Erie and Niagara counties will be subject to arrest - and deportation - under a plan being developed by the two county clerks and law enforcement officials.
The move is the latest - and potentially most serious - challenge to Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer's new policy to permit illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses if they possess a valid foreign passport and other identification.
...
"We didn't ask to be put in this situation, but this is the proper recourse," said Hochul, a Democrat who was appointed to her post earlier this year by Spitzer after her predecessor, David Swarts, was named commissioner of motor vehicles.
One of the biggest reasons that you are reading this right now is that a little over a year ago, I got involved in a state Senate campaign up in the Hudson Valley. The candidate was a blogger who had decided to take it upon himself to run for office. He was a guy who decided to stop complaining and take some responsibility for the way he was governed. He'd never run for office before and there were plenty of folks telling him that he'd never raise enough money to compete, that it was a hopeless challenge to an entrenched incumbent armed with all the advantages that such incumbency in the majority caucus affords in the wild west of New York State, the money, the outrageous franking privileges, the tailor made district, all of it. You may know that guy. His name is Brian Keeler and, though we didn't win, neither of us have given up trying to change things for the better. Neither of us would shy away from doing it all over again.
This brings me to the story of another blogger who has decided to throw caution to the wind and throw his hat in the ring against yet another powerfully entrenched incumbent with a fat campaign war chest and wielding all the institutional advantages at his disposal. Our good friend Alan Bedenko, better known as Buffalo Pundit, has launched a campaign for a seat on the Erie County Legislature:
A local political blogger is throwing his hat in the political ring against a veteran county legislator.
Alan Bedenko, a Democrat, says he's running against Republican Legislator Michael Ranzenhofer in a district sprawling across the county's northeast corner.
In announcing his campaign, Bedenko says too little changes around here and he wants to get away from the status quo.
"Our current ways of governing is not working and strong leadership is lacking," Bedenko said.
Bedenko says the relatively rural district needs more attention from the county.
Bedenko is the blogger behind the website Buffalo Pundit and a founder and former president of the Western New York Coalition for Progress.
Though the Erie County Legislature has 12 Democrats to 3 Republicans, the district Alan is running in, the 4th, has a definite GOP registration advantage and his opponent is an incumbent of 18 years, Michael Ranzenhofer. This is going to be one hell of a challenge for Alan and he's going to need all the help he can get. Ranzenhofer has a campaign war chest containing well over six figures. Alan has, shall we say, considerably less.
This is where we come in. I said many times last year while working on Brian's campaign, when we ourselves start running for office, when those who aren't just netroots savvy, but actually of the netroots ourselves start running, that changes everything. Alan Bedenko isn't someone who "gets" the movement. He isn't someone who engages the netroots because that's what all smart candidates do these days. Alan Bedenko is one of us. He's decided to take on a huge challenge. He will need our help.
Please drop by his site. Make a donation if you can. If you live in or near the district, volunteer. Get involved. Spread the word.
This isn't just what democracy looks like, it's what democracy should be.
The Buffalo News 
A small passenger plane crashed into a home near Buffalo, N.Y., Thursday night.
