Letters to the editor

Tenney clear choice for NY22

The culprits change, but the lies keep coming. This time, the culprits are special interests and Washington-based political action committees dedicated to restoring Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House. They are spending millions of dollars trying to defeat conservative Claudia Tenney for Congress by conducting a smear campaign over the airwaves containing vicious, nasty false attacks.

However, the facts are clear. Claudia Tenney has a 96 percent attendance record in the State Assembly and one of the best conservative voting records. The few live votes that Claudia missed were during her mother’s illness, death, and funeral and when her son graduated from the United State Naval Academy. We are proud to say that in casting tens of thousands of votes, Claudia Tenney proved to be one of the state’s leading conservatives. In fact, she earned the 2011 “Conservative of the Year” award and has been consistently ranked as one of the state’s top conservative legislators. Throughout her tenure, Claudia has relentlessly fought reckless spending, tax increases, and burdensome regulations.

So, why are liberal special interests blatantly distorting her record and spending so much money trying to defeat Claudia Tenney?

It is because Claudia Tenney presents a threat to the political insiders and entrenched established political order in Washington, D.C. They know she will be a powerful voice for reform in Washington, just like she was in Albany. She will expose corruption, regardless of party, just as she did when she demanded the resignation of former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

Moreover, Claudia has repeatedly demonstrated that she will fight for our values. For example, she was an outspoken voice and leader against the unconstitutional NY SAFE Act gun control legislation in 2013. Congress needs more unwavering Second Amendment defenders like Claudia. She is a staunch defender of innocent lives and traditional values.

It is crystal clear that Claudia’s opponents, together with special interests and Washington-based political cronies, will do and say anything to stop her from getting elected to Congress. During the final days of this election cycle, the Conservative Party will aggressively combat the lies and smear campaign being launched against Claudia’s stellar record. It is vitally important to the state and nation that individuals like Claudia Tenney serve in Congress. Her courage, tenacity, knowledge, and dedication to conservative principles and the Constitution are unmatched.

The voters of New York’s 22nd Congressional District are fortunate to have a fighter like Claudia on the ballot this November. This is why we endorse and support Claudia Tenney for Congress and encourage you to vote for her Nov. 8. Shaun Marie Levine, executive

director, New York State Conservative Party, Todd D. Collins, Oneida County chairman, Christopher J. Kendall, Esq., Madison County

chairman, and other board members of the New York State

Conservative Party

Myers a positive choice for NY22

After attending the Oct. 13 Congressional candidates’ forum in Hamilton to see how the candidates stack up, I feel that Kim Myers was the candidate with the best, most robust approach to the issues in our area.

Claudia Tenney focused on “how things are so bad” (including her opponents) without offering many solutions. Martin Babinec had one or two ideas during the evening; they are fine ideas — creating networking opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs, and bringing more digital curriculum into classrooms — but to me he displayed a very narrow, one-dimensional experience of our region. Kim Myers, on the other hand, had a bounty of positive ideas. She talked about not just one solution to a problem, but a whole suite of interlocking solutions. Kim Myers was the only candidate who brought up the issue of education when discussing the economy, and of poverty when discussing education. She said, rightly, that children can’t learn when they’re hungry.

Maybe the reason that Kim Myers is able to envision and articulate so many interlocking solutions is that she has a long record in public service. She spent 18 years on the Vestal School Board, has served on hospital and non-profit boards of directors, and is a Broome County legislator. During this time I guess she has seen similar issues come up and either get solved or not by the actions these groups chose. Or, maybe the reason is even more fundamental to the kind of person she is. While the other two candidates projected an aura of “here is what I think, and I’ll tell you why I’m right,” Kim Myers told us about the people she’s met, what they are worried about, what they want, what they have found works for them, and how it all fits together into a vision of what to do. And isn’t that what we all want — a representative who meets us, listens to us, and brings our thoughts together into a plan she brings to the national table? Margaret Milman-Barris,

Oneida

Trump is a liar

Listening to the final Clinton/Trump debate the other night, I was struck by the number of times Trump interrupted Clinton to accuse her of lying and to assert that she has lied “hundreds of times.”

Some weeks ago, I sent The Dispatch a letter stating the “lying score card” of each candidate as printed by two fact checking organizations “PolitiFact” and “Fact Checker.” Clinton was considered the “norm” when it came to political lying by these two outfits but Trump was considered to be “off the charts” and “pathological in his dishonesty.”

Along with the first President Bush many other wellknown Republicans are going to vote for Hillary.

John Hatcher, Oneida

Clinton too corrupt

What an election season this has been! We can all agree that we can’t wait until it ends.

We can agree that both candidates are flawed. We can say all we want about Donald Trump and what he has said and what he has done or not done. But Hillary Clinton is by far the most corrupt candidate we have had in a long time.

We have listened to all the scandals surrounding her 33,000 emails that have mysteriously disappeared, her decisions surrounding Benghazi where four Americans were murdered by Islamic terrorists including our ambassador, the possible hacking of her email servers as secretary of state by foreign governments, the whole Clinton Foundation controversy which is very suspect at best, her health concerns, etc. What both Clintons have done concerning the Clinton Foundation raises some serious questions about money! How have the Clintons amassed such a huge personal fortune (over 100 million) when they left the White House “broke and in debt”? Not to mention about Bill Clinton’s actions while in the White House and his being only the second sitting president to have impeachment charges brought against him for lying to a federal grand jury!

You must ask yourself – do you want this couple back in the White House?

Melinda Kopp, Chittenango

Bauer unfit for judiciary

Politic, politics, politics. Over the years we have seen political races become more and more vicious with candidates making no holds barred accusations and half-truths against their respective opponents, and this year seems to have reached a new low.

Ever since I can remember as a voter, judicial races have been clean contests with each candidate speaking of their experience, compassion, endorsements and bar association credentials, respecting the position and the people they are running against. All parties taking a higher road and actually showing dignity in hopes they gain the vote on merit and position, not mudslinging.

This week I witnessed a television commercial for Rob Bauer, a candidate running for the open county judge position that was by all intents a very disturbing message from a candidate politicizing the race by running a negative add against his opponent. I find this disturbing on two levels, one as a voter seeing another negative campaign advertisement that we really don’t need, and two seeing a new precedent being set by a candidate in how little respect and maturity he has for the position of a magistrate in our courts.

Is this the type of person we want making life decisions in our courtrooms? Someone that finds it very easy to just throw out barbs and insults from a position such as this? I hope not, and I hope that the general public sees this as disturbing as I do, along with the bar association and judicial committees that oversee the courts and the people that we put our trust in.

We simply cannot have campaigns run like this. It’s a disgrace and insulting to the general public.

Brian Snow, Utica

Bauer great choice for judge

Independence — a word that denotes courage, self-reliance and fortitude. As citizens we should value the fact that we can support a candidate who stands for these concepts.

Prosecutor Rob Bauer fits into this mold. With his down-toearth attitude, he has dedicated his life to serving others. As a public servant, he has been a volunteer in the community in many areas, such as being a firefighter and a coach. Most importantly he knows the value of interacting with children. They are our greatest asset and the future of our country.

Vote for Rob for County Court, not a career politician but a candidate with two decades of experience in his field. He knows the importance of honesty and fairness and believes in our constitutional rights. Isn’t this what we need and want? Independence — let’s value its meaning during this election.

Jackie A. Baynes, Rome

Don’t toss out Magee this election

What is NEW is NOT always BETTER.

Undoubtedly, change is needed in ALBANY...BUT...at the risk of the visual image, when it comes to your vote for STATE ASSEMBLY, please do not throw the baby (Magee) out with the bath water (ALBANY).

This year, incumbent Bill Magee will run against Brookfield Town Supervisor John Salka for the NYS Assembly seat.

As a resident of Brookfield, we’ve heard a lot of “talk” from challenger Salka, however has he “walked the walk?”

When casting your vote, please consider who talks versus who delivers:

•There are several schools and communities in the district that can point to improvements thanks to Bill Magee. Take a drive through the challenger’s Town of Brookfield.

•Magee is a representative who listens to his constituents. Salka instituted limits on public comment during town meetings.

•Magee represents positive leadership in Albany, versus the negative campaign tactics and misleading “facts” presented by his opponent, Salka.

Most important, Magee has made helping the district his life - not a political stepping stone.

Sincerely, Honna Whelley-Bowen,

Brookfield, N.Y.

Salka, Magee strongest where they are

There’s an interesting local race shaping up for residents of Madison and Oneida counties, where John Salka is attempting to replace Bill Magee for the 121st Assembly District seat.

Both men have served in elected office for years and both are qualified, honest, hard-working public officials.

The political landscape in Albany and Wampsville suggests to me that both should stay right where they are. If John Salka wins he would take a seat in the NYS Assembly where he would become part of a super-minority Republican conference.

The reality is, whether we like it or not, he would have less influence to serve the residents of the 121st Assembly district than he does now as a Republican member of the Madison County Board of Supervisors. Bill Magee is currently chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee, and serves on Local Government and Volunteer Emergency Services committees, where he has been able to bring resources to the district, especially in the area of emergency services, which have helped to stabilize our property taxes.

I’m not a Democrat or Republican, I’m a pragmatic voter who has served in local government and I believe that John Salka can serve us best in Wampsville and Bill Magee can serve us best in Albany, and that’s the way I plan to vote.

Mike Kaiser, Oneida

About election letters

The Oneida Daily Dispatch welcomes letters pertaining to the Nov. 8 general election. All the letter-to-the editor guidelines apply, with the additional proviso that letters making accusations against a rival candidate will not be printed in the final week (Nov. 1-6). Critical letters must be received and verified by Friday, Oct. 28. The last day of publication of any letters is Sunday, Nov. 6. Those letters must be received and verified by Thursday, Nov. 3. No election letters will be published on Nov. 8.

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