take19 - TAKEN!!!

As most people know, the League of Women Voters is a non-partisan group. Indeed, it's the very first thing you see when you Google the group. For the past few weeks, the Somers chapter of the LWV has been trying to get Sue Kelly to commit to a debate at the Somers Library on Oct. 16. Though they've sent three invitations, Sue hasn't had the courtesy to respond, according to this item on the Journal News's political blog.

As the JoNews noted, local LMV members are miffed at Kelly's rudeness. "It's disgusting," said Carol Fox, who serves as voter services chairwoman. So how do Kelly's folks respond? By anonymously attacking LMV members as "bitties" (we think the poster meant to say biddies) who are a "bunch of rich and/or retired self important busy body do-gooders." Needless to say, Sue's valiant defender declined to provide his real name.

From a reader in Garrison. We thought we'd share.

Hey! Looks like we are in a Red to Blue moment here in the 19th Congressional District. John Hall, the Democratic candidate running against Sue Kelly, has been identified by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as a candidate who has taken a traditionally non-competitive district, and through the strength of his campaign, put himself in a position to win in November!

Sue, better duck and cover - that's the sound of CHANGE that you are hearing!

So says Journal News political observer Phil Reisman.

Reisman has this to say about our favorite "independent"...

(S)ince the days of Newt Gingrich and "The Contract With America," Kelly has long been considered to be a loyal, lock-step Republican. That's why her proud disavowal of the so-called "party leaders" should raise a few amused eyebrows with the opposition.

Yep, Sue Kelly is slowly realizing that being a loyal, lock-step Republican might not be the best tactic for re-election in 2006 which is why she's trying to pull the wool over the eyes of 19th CD voters by claiming to be "independent" of her G.O.P. overlords

But we're not falling for it Sue. We know who you are and we know come January you'll be looking for a new job.

The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids tells us this:

Recently, the major cigarette companies were found GUILTY in federal court of being racketeers who have never stopped lying to the American people about the health risks of their products and about their marketing of addiction to children. Tobacco companies claim to have stopped their illegal conduct, but U.S. District Court Judge Kessler reveals Big Tobacco’s lying ways: "Defendants have not ceased engaging in unlawful activity" and have "marketed and sold their lethal product with zeal, with deception, with a single-minded focus on their financial success and without regard for the human tragedy or social costs."

The verdict is in. It is time for our political leaders INCLUDING SUE KELLY to stop accepting campaign cash from an industry full of guilty racketeers. Big Tobacco's deep pockets are still influencing Congress and members of Congress who take Big Tobacco's campaign cash should not breathe easy. Congress has been sitting on the sidelines while Big Tobacco marketed deadly and addictive products to our kids. Could this lack of action be the result of campaign cash?

A survey of Big Tobacco contributions to New York State representatives in our general locale shows who is representing us and our children and who is serving the tobacco industry – which do you prefer?

Tobacco industry contributions to current Senators and U.S. Representatives(1997-2006)

District/Name:
18/Lowey, Nita (D) $0
19/Kelly, Sue (R) $13,000
20/Sweeney, John (R) $32,500
21/McNulty, Michael (D) $0
22/Hinchey, Maurice (D) $0
23/McHugh, John (R) $5,000
24/Boehlert, Sherwood (R) $14,500
25/Walsh, James (R) $-1,000
26/Reynolds, Thomas (R) $41,000
27/ Higgins, Brian (D) $0
28/Slaughter, Louise (D) $0
29/Kuhl, John (R) $12,000

http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/doj/

Only inside the bubble that is Washington D.C. could Sue Kelly dust off a piece of legislation that's been sitting around since March 2005 and hold it up as an achievement in September 2006. Here's the details:

Back on March 3, 2005, Sue Kelly introduced this legislation designed to improve safety at public dams. The legislation, which seems innocuous enough and has 33 co-sponsors, went nowhere for a full year and a half, despite the fact that the Republicans control the House. Then, on Thursday, the bill passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Sue held it up as a bona fide accomplishment. Keep in mind that Republicans control both Houses of Congress, so they set the schedule, which makes the lack of action seem even stranger. Also remember that this legislation still has a long way to go: it has to pass the full House and get out of the Senate. Indeed, at the rate it's going, that should happen around 2010!

Now apply this to your own life: let's say you told your boss you'd do something back in March 2005. By September 2006, you're only a quarter of the way there. Still think you'd have a job?

Sue Kelly is trying desperately to be viewed as ANYTHING BUT A REPUBLICAN.

She even went so far as to get an endorsement from the "Independence Party of New York." This is not to be confused with "independent" voters, who are unaffiliated with any political party.

But, there is a problem here. Doesn't a candidate of a party run on the platform of that party?

Uh, oh!, one of the planks of the NY State Independence Party's platform is twelve-year term limits for House members. That's right, and Sue Kelly is completing her twelfth year in office! You would think that Kelly devoutly believed in this plank because she also signed Newt Gingrich's so-called "Contract With America", which was gung-ho about twelve-year term limits. That is, until she and her buddies got elected and dropped the idea altogether...

But I digress. Kelly is using the IP ballot line as a fig leaf to bolster her claims that she is "an independent voice in Congress." That's the biggest sham of them all. An 85% voting record allied with her Republican leadership doesn't sound too independent to me. If Sue Kelly is an independent, then I'm the tooth fairy.

Voters, don't be fooled by Sue Kelly's shell game. The true independents I know -- some who are even registered in the Independence Party -- have at least one thing in common: NONE support Sue Kelly. As one Independence Party member said to me about Kelly, "She's a Republican through and through. Her attempt to repackage herself would make Houdini blush."

While we hope the Independence Party realizes the error of its ways in endorsing a candidate who doesn't share its values, we call on the voters of the 19th Congressional District to help Sue Kelly truly "live the platform" and end her service in Congress at 12 years!

From Sue Kelly's latest missive to her supporters and cash cows:

We now know that John Hall is the kind of Congressman Moveon.org wants. I don't think he'd be the kind of Congressman the Hudson Valley wants.

Oh really Sue? Would YOU even know what the Hudson Valley wants and deserves in a Representative?

Certainly we want and deserve more than a rubber stamp which is the best Sue Kelly has ever done. Of course, rubber stamps leave impressions and Sue Kelly can barely do that, but you get the idea.

I emailed my Congresswoman, Sue Kelly, urging her support of HR676, the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act, and all I got back was this robo-response:

“I agree that we must do more to make quality health care accessible and affordable for all Americans…” writes Sue, while fondling a statement from her own gynecologist with “$00.00 Patient Responsibility Balance” highlighted in pink.

“….Taxpayers’ costs associated with a government run health entitlement program would require a substantial increase in taxes…” Sue continues, blithely ignoring the fact that cutting out the insurance company-middleman would save her middle class constituents zillions.

“…I have supported the creation of Association Health Plans (AHP), which would allow small businesses to join together to purchase health insurance…” - Let’s see, with Group Discounts, small business owners and minimum-wage employees will now share only a $19,500 annual family premium – instead of $20,000?

“….I’m also pushing for medical malpractice reforms that will help rein in the cost of junk lawsuits that contribute to skyrocketing health costs…” - So, if I go in with a strep throat and end up with my left leg sawed off I should go: “Oh, well, I still have my right one, and I’m grateful to help keep down health costs!”

“…Improving America’s health care system will continue to be a top priority for me. As your representative in Congress, please know that I will keep your views in mind as I work on this issue.”

Thanks, Sue, for keeping my views in mind – and for motivating me to triple up on vitamins, exercise and health food. I will NEVER get sick. And, then, where will your pharmaceutical, HMO and medical insurance PAC money come from? HMMMMMM????

When is a reform not a reform? When Sue Kelly and her colleagues decide to build the rule-making equivalent to a “bridge to nowhere”.

Sue helped pass a new House rule that purports to make public the names of members requesting “earmarks” (special projects which often benefit only a single entity). Problem is (and with these guys you always have to read the fine print) this rule will last only until the end of 2006, and would not eliminate a single earmark.

Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) pointed out in the floor debate that this was a “deceptive bill that is riddled with loopholes… you could drive a truck through.”

But what do you expect from the folks who have more criminals than statesmen (dare I say Tom DeLay/Bob Ney/Duke Cunningham for starters?) in their midst. You certainly wouldn’t expect anything that smelled like ethics reform.

In contrast, the Democratic bill (yes, Virginia, there is a difference between Democratic values and Republican corruption) would have banned Congressional travel on corporate jets, prohibited lobbyist gifts, slowed the revolving door between Capitol Hill and the lobbying firms, shut down the trading of jobs in lobbying firms in exchange for legislative favors, and exposed earmarks to the light of day so that they couldn’t be slipped into bills without public scrutiny, including disclosure whether the Member proposing the earmark has a financial interest in it.

Sue voted "yes" which was a vote to kill the Democrat's comprehensive ethics reform.

Sue Kelly and her ethically-challenged gang are a clear and present danger to honest government.

A beautiful late summer weekend. Perfect for a country fair. And our operative, let's call him PoundRidge Dem, spent today with his family at the Pound Ridge Community Fair. Unbeknownst to him, Sue Kelly and her personal army of handlers were there as well and they would not suffer anyone to bother poor Sue Kelly as she wolfed down a bowl of chili and ignored Pound Ridge voters.

We'll let PoundRidge Dem take it from here:

I was enjoying a beautiful day in the park with my family when who should I see rushing by us but Sue Kelly and two men - one older and in a t-shirt and another much younger, maybe college age, in a suit and dark sunglasses.

Sue Kelly and her entourage, if you could call it that, zipped right by the community booths, the games, the families and the rest and headed right to the food stand. Sue and the older man then walked even further away from the crowds, to the bleachers near the playground, while the kid in the suit stood guard behind them.

I was shooting a few pictures of my kids, who happened to be behind Sue and her buddies, in the playground. Predictably enough, she was sitting alone, talking to the other guy while real live voters were sitting five feet away.


There's Sue, her bowl of chili and her friend on the right, and real live voters on the left.

No sooner had I realized who was in my viewfinder than I felt a cold clammy hand on my shoulder and found the younger goon standing right over me. "Who are you and who are you with?" he demanded.

"I'm taking pictures, is that allowed?" I asked.

"I just want to be sure you aren't with the media." he said. And continued to stare at me with a slightly exaggerated (and very amusing) air of menace. As if he were trying to scare me I suppose.

"Am I still allowed to take pictures?" I asked.

He started to say something and I guess he thought better of it because he then stomped off back to his position immediately behind Sue Kelly and her chili and her other friend. Here's his picture. If you run into Sue and have a camera, be ready for an inquisition.
At this point I rounded up the brood and left figuring it was a good time to head home. But I'm sure if you ask anyone who was there, they wouldn't even know Sue Kelly came by today. And if Sue Kelly's staff is willing to harass a guy with his six year old son standing right next to him just for the sin of carrying a camera too close to her, imagine what they would do to someone who actually has a question for her.

There you have it folks. Whatever you do, don't get between Sue Kelly and her bowl of chili.

A friend of Take19 was surprised to find this frantic email from Sue Kelly cluttering her inbox only a day after John Hall won the primary on Sept. 12:

In Congress I fought to ease the tax burden on those who call the Hudson Valley home. I voted to cut the federal income tax, worked to abolish the capital gains tax for middle class homeowners, voted to double the child tax credit, abolish the marriage penalty tax, the death tax and am working now to increase the federal deduction for property tax payers to ease the onerous property tax burden imposed on New York's families.

And Mr. Hall? He wants to raise taxes and repeal income tax cuts passed by Congress after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center . He's endorsed a bill that would impose a new 'transaction' tax on anybody who buys or sells a stock, (which New York City officials say would cost the region thousands of jobs) and create a new payroll tax.

Judging from his past and the promises he's made, it's clear to me that Mr. Hall thinks you should pay more taxes and send more to Washington. I don't. As long as I'm in Congress, I will continue working to keep your taxes down.

And our friend, who happens to be a registered Republican, thought to herself: "They're rolling out this tired old chestnut again? In fact, Here's what she wrote:

"Well, here's a news flash for Sue: The REPUBLICANS are in charge in Washington AND in Albany AND in Orange County AND in my little town and guess what? My school taxes just went up another 7.7% this year! And you want us to be afraid of the Democrats, Sue? Are you kidding?"

In her missive, Sue actually wrote this: "As long as I'm in Congress, I will continue working to keep your taxes down." To which our friend said, "Huh? Sue, I beg you, please don't work so hard, all your hard work is killing my family!"

Try as Sue might to play the tired but untrue tax fear card -- even trying to co-mingle it with the tragedy that happened on Sept. 11 -- we're betting that most voters know which direction taxes have been going for the overwhelming majority of people who live in NY-19: up.

Sue Kelly and her GOP overlords are addicted to pork.

Not even embarrassed in the least by the wave of bribery scandals overtaking their leadership, they are moving forward to gut a bill which would require full disclosure of pork-barrel set-asides.

The New York Times has the details on how the House GOP leadership (you know, Sue Kelly's best friends forever) is gutting a bill which would require Members to disclose funds earmarked for their districts.

Maybe a little fresh air in Washington is too much for Sue Kelly and her friends. Maybe it's time for a change.

Sue Kelly needed something to divert attention from her abysmal voting record on the environment (only 17% pro-environment on significant votes, according to the League of Conservation Voters).

Her latest environmental misstep related to the Highlands Conservation Act. Not only did Sue fail to increase (as she had promised to do) the paltry $2 million for 2006 that the Administration was willing to fund for this (supposedly) $10 million program but she didn't stop her own Republican colleagues from reducing that amount to $1 million.

But what to do? This was a dilemma.

What about the centerpiece of her Faux Environmentalist credentials - preserving the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge?

That's it! Give her the newly-minted, made-for-Sue, Alaska Defender Award, for her "efforts to keep Alaska wild". So that's what happened at a local "Renewable Energy Exhibition".

The only fly in that ointment - her bad report card from the LCV included embarrassing votes she made, supporting drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge...

Could this be why the organization giving the award kept a low profile on the event (no press, minimal publicity), issuing a canned "news" report on the event, in the hopes that this all blows over without anyone digging into the real facts? We bet Sue hopes no one blogs about this....

On the day that Democrats in NY-19 chose John Hall to take on Rubber Stamp Sue Kelly, it was somewhat surprising to see a bunch of Sue's lackeys waving their signs at the Peekskill train station. But there they were as we got off of the 5:12 from Grand Central, getting in the way of two of the candidates that were actually on the ballot on Tuesday: Darren Rigger and Ben Shuldiner.

One has to wonder how desperate Sue's folks must be to try and disrupt an official election. Then again, perhaps they're getting some tips from Sue's neighbor to the north, John Sweeney, who according to this article in Slate has some expertise in this area.

Don't the people in NY-19 deserve better than some party goons intent on disrupting an election? We think so. Unfortunately, Sue's primary day tricks are probably just the beginning. With the Republicans desperate to hang on to Sue's seat, we're betting that today's Florida on the Hudson moment is just the beginning.

So today is primary day and the polls are open until 9 p.m. If you haven't voted already, please be sure to make it to the polls because no matter who you support, it's all about beating Sue Kelly in November.

If you're interested in where the four candidates will be later this evening once the polls close, here's a list (in alphabetical order):

Judy Aydelott will be at her Beacon campaign HQ at 464 Main St.

John Hall will be at the Courtyard Marriott in Fishkill.

Darren Rigger will be at his campaign office on Division street in Peekskill.

Ben Shuldiner will be at his campaign HQ directly across from Cortlandt Town Center at 1 Baker St.

Remember: no matter who wins today, defeating Rubber-Stamp Sue remains the ultimate goal. We'll be posting information about a unity event set for Thursday.

Sue Kelly's latest missive to her supporters is out and it's a hoot. Sue's all afraid of the big bad "liberal" "bloggers" (the air quotes are hers, you can't make this stuff up folks).

And of course, we'll need your financial support to counter what
promises to be a hard-hitting campaign. Thanks to the concerted
effort of the 'bloggers' to 'nationalize' this race, I fully expect
my democratic opponent to be the best funded Democrat I have ever
faced. As thousands of dollars pour into their coffers from Howard
Dean Democrats from around the country, I'll need your help to fight
back.

"Nationalize??" Do you think she might be referring to the failure of her political bosses who took a surplus and turned it into trillions in debt, a robust economy and turned it into recession and took us into the quagmire of Iraq while failing to secure the Homeland and capture the real perpetrator of 9/11?

Could be.

While we realize that many politicians tend to stretch the truth a bit, the story spun by Sue Kelly in this story headlined "The Politics of Terror" really goes above and beyond.

Sue told the JoNews that she "recently struggled to enlist Democratic support for a bill that renamed a post office in her district." Sounds pretty compelling, right? That partisan politics had spiraled so far out of control that Congress was even fighting over renaming post offices, a very routine non-event.

Too bad it doesn't appear to be true. A search of the 31 pieces of legislation sponsored by Kelly during the current session -- we'll assume that's what she meant by the word recently -- only turns up this post office legislation, which attracted 27 co-sponsors, or essentially the entire New York delegation, with the exception of Charlie Rangel, who is indeed a Democrat, but given that he's only one person, hardly represents a lack of Democratic support.

Remember: when your Congresswoman lies about the small things that are easy to fact-check, chances are that she's telling even bigger tales about the more complicated stuff too.

It seems like the folks over at Sue Kelly's campaign website can't seem to make up their minds on exactly what her involvement was with H.R. 5319, which seeks to protect children from online predators.

First, they called the legislation Kelly's Bill. Then, when Take19 pointed out that she was one of 39 co-sponsors, they fixed the mistake and noted that she had only co-sponsored the legislation. But a quick skim of her site shows that it's back to being called Kelly's bill.

Talk about whiplash! When your Congresswoman lies about the small stuff -- the stuff that's easily checkable -- you have to start to wonder about what else she is lying about!

Sue and her buddies, the National Marine Manufacturers Association have been having lots of fun on luxury cruises lately.

Here's how the Chicago Tribune describes it:

lovely evenings on a luxury yacht complete with "two large staterooms ... a deluxe entertainment center and an airy comfortable salon."

Wouldn't you love to get Sue Kelly's attention? Better go offer her a trip on a 38 foot yacht.

Last week, we noted how Sue was greatly exaggerating her role in crafting a piece of legislation that few people can find fault with: making it harder for online predators to prey on children.

Though Sue made it seem like this was her very own legislation, going so far as to call this "Kelly's bill" on her cheery campaign site, the fact is that she was only one of 39 co-sponsors.

Well, we're glad to report that Sue's folks have fixed the lie on her site. They're now accurately describing this as legislation that Kelly co-sponsored. We're happy to keep Sue and her loyal band of whitewashers honest and plan to be doing a lot more of this going forward.

So, if you catch Sue in a big-fat lie, or even a weasel (as Al Franken might say), be sure to send us a note. After all, Pinnochio is a fine children's story, but it doesn't make for a particularly appealing voice in Congress.

Here's a fun game, try as hard as you can to find Sue Kelly describing herself as a Republican.

Sue Kelly's new TV ads describe her as our "independent voice" in Washington. But a quick examination of her voting record shows she's anything but independent. Again and again, when faced with any issue of importance to the voters of the 19th CD, Sue Kelly votes the way her political bosses tell her to vote.

Here's a better tagline... Sue Kelly, our out of touch voice in Washington. Out of touch with everyone except her political bosses.