Changes at the top for Mount Vernon Democrats?
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- April
- 25
The Journal News’ Jonathan Bandler today sent along word that the Mount Vernon Democratic party has a new vice chairman and there’s speculation that he could soon replace the embattled Serapher Conn-Halevi as head of the party.
Deveraux Cannick, a criminal defense lawyer who was legal counsel to the Mount Vernon Board of Education for several years, was elected second vice chairman by district leaders.
Conn-Halevi said earlier in the week that she had no plans to step down. But she declined to answer questions about her long term plans and could not be reached for comment after Thursday night’s meeting.
Reginald Lafayette, the former city chairman who heads the county Democratic Party, remains the first vice chairman. He said he would not take over the city party again if Conn-Halevi was to step down.
LaFayette said he has not urged Conn-Halevi to step down but understood she was considering it because of what he considered unfair criticism leveled at her.
The Journal News has published several articles about her in recent months. One revealed that she paid herself and her daughter several thousand dollars from a political committee she runs. Another disclosed that the city building commissioner gave her a permit for renovation work to her home after it was damaged by fire without making her get the necessary approval from the Architectural Review Board.
Lafayette said the negative articles were the product of a smear campaign by
people who don’t like Conn-Halevi. “It becomes a hit job, which damages people and they don’t want to fight anymore,†he said.
Cannick, 55, could not be reached for comment. He is a principal partner in the Queens law firm Aiello & Cannick. The city’s new inspector general, Harry Stokes, was also a lawyer at that firm in recent years.
This entry was posted
on Friday, April 25th, 2008 at 6:25 pm by Glenn Blain.
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“A hit job” Lafayette calls it.
Con-Halevi could br found guilty of robbing a bank and Reggie Lafayette would defend her and tell everyone what a wonderful person she was. So, it’s no surprise that Reggie is defending his protege is only practicing what he himself taught her. Their greed and selfishness is an embarrassment to the party and both of them should be booted out on their asses.
Con-Halevi is among the nastiest and most dishonest of a truly corrupt group of Ernie Davis supporters and Mount Vernon won’t be able to move forward until we get rid of her as well as the crooks from Ernie’s administration that remain in their cushy city hall jobs. Come on already Mayor Young, you need to fire these crooks.
Young, as with Lafayette, is a player. They’re enjoying their laze in the middle of the pool, sipping daiquiris. Nothing will be put in the sun that the Party can keep under the shade of the umbrella. Whatever info on this ongoing scandal that comes out, we have all noticed, comes from elsewhere, nothing from them. They try to stay under the radar and pretend that they had no idea of the dysfunction and larcenies. Were the ex- mayor and his cohorts Republicans, they would have been long ago skewered and disgraced by the county government.
I agree, I cant believe Mr. Lafayette will still defend corruption but I have to remind myself that he is just as corrupt as Ms.Serapher is. Lafayette needs to step down along with his protege and move to a new city and destroy that together and on their way they can pick Davis up for morale support. lol