Castro seeks GOP?nod for judicial run, would leave DA race
Jon Bandler reports:
A week ago, Tony Castro was touting himself as the real Democrat
in the race for Westchester District Attorney.
Tonight, he hopes for a nomination to run for state Supreme Court on the Republican ticket.
If he gets the nod, it will end his third bid for District Attorney. He would have to give up the Independence and Working Family lines that he held in the DA race.
After he lost to incumbent Janet DiFiore in last week’s Democratic primary, Castro suggested he would bow out of the race if he was convinced he couldn’t win and if it would help Republican Dan Schorr beat DiFiore in November.
Castro could not be reached for comment today. But Doug Colety, chairman of the Westchester Republican party
, said he expected Castro would be nominated tonight at the party’s judicial convention in Poughkeepsie.
Colety said he wasn’t dissuaded by the fact that Castro was a Democrat.
“He reached out to us to be interviewed. We found him qualified and it wasn’t like we were bumping anyone else,” Colety said.
Four state Supreme Court judgeships are up this year in New York’s 9th Judicial District, which covers Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange and Dutchess counties. In addition to Castro, the Republicans are expected to nominate incumbent Orazio Bellantoni, a Supreme Court justice since 1996; Yonkers City Judge Charles Wood; and Terry Stewart, a lawyer from Pawling in Dutchess County.
The head of the Westchester Democratic party, Reginald Lafayette, said Castro was a hypocrite for running with the GOP for judge after complaining about DiFiore’s 2007 switch from Republican to Democrat.
“It shows the intent to put him in the DAs race was to beat up on Janet DiFiore,” Lafayette said. “He spent the whole time complaining that she switched parties, that he was the true Democrat. Doesn’t it show the height of hypocrisy? At least Janet stood by her convictions. She said she switched for ideological reasons.”
The Democrats will hold their judicial convention tomorrow night in White Plains.
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What a surprise. (not). Back me for the Supreme Court and I’ll switch parties and bow out from siphoning votes from Schorr.’ Next trick, become a Tibetan Buddhist and run for Dalai Lama. His only American competition will be Nick Spano.
this move makes no sense at all…lets think about it..
schorr now presumably gets the IND line from cavalo
and zherka…schorr can’t accept it or he suffers the
same fate as castro..guilt by association…zherka is
cavalo and cavalo is zherka..so you take their support
you have to live with their baggage…its why difiore
and spano didn’t want it…next..schorr can’t win with
only two lines…if difiore won as a republican four
years ago beating castro who had a 100,000 vote edge
what makes anyone think that after drubbing castro
in the democratic primary and having a 125.000 democrat
edge now as a democrat and conservative party support
that the race will be any closer than 65-35..
finally lets talk about castro and the judicial nomination
four judges are running…democrats have a huge edge in
westchester and now have edges in rockland, orange
and dutchess…in the old days the way to win was for
republicans with conservative and ind party support
to hold westchester to 30,000 loss and pick up that many
votes in putnam, (still republican) orange and dutchess
which both used to be solid republican..since that is
no longer the case how does castro expect to win…
his name is sullied in westchester…democrats will not
support him after the disclosure that his kids got 200,000
from his clients will…and my understanding is that
there is someone lurking out there who will be spending
his own money to tell voters in the out counties that
castro is connected to strip club owner and grand jury
target sam zherka..that won;t play in dutchess
orange and rockland very well..game over lose lose
for the cabal
on other thing…castro will be found unqualified by
the bar association…just as allesandro was…another
great gift to the republicans by giulio cavalo who
has been told to leave the bench…
As long as Tony “I AM CASTRATED” Castro L E A V E S the DA race, I am happy. He will lose again and again and like the guy who keeps slamming his head against the wall, he will evenually get bloody enough and stop. GO AWAY TONY!
castro failed again..he did not get conservative support
for the judicial nomination…that means he cannot win
Backroom dealings are an interesting thing. You have Tony Castro who ranted about how he was the only true or real democrat in the race for DA. Now he is willing to sell himself to the republicans so he can be removed from the independent and working family lines. Needless to say Tony Castro has proven himself to be a phony.
Now to the inexperienced Dan Schorr who has no chance in hell. Dan Schorr will become part of the backroom deal making once he accepts the independent party line. Dan Schorr will kill any credibility he has for future races if he decides to get in bed with Sam Zherka and Doc Cavallo. Zherka and Cavallo have lost much in the primary and both have made themselves insignificant. Dan Schorr has two choices, 1) lose with dignity or 2) lose like a mutt and forever be tied to Sam Zherka and Doc Cavallo.
My advice to Dan Schorr is: “If you have any desire to be considered for any political office after your defeat to Janet DiFiore you should distance yourself from the likes of Zherka and Cavallo.”
Tony Castro will never be a judge. I think he has been hanging around too long with too many people who wear aluminum foil hats.
Wheeling and dealing that’s what politics is all about, the best wheeler and dealer usually wins, and that the truth.
VJ Machiavelli
No More Schumer
No More Pelosi
No More Rangel
No More Engel and his Million Dollar Home in Maryland, and
No More Arthur Finkelstein & Co
Tony Castro is a really nice guy and he would make an excellent Judge, and I don’t have a problem with him sitting on the bench because I know he will weigh the balance of Justice for everyone who stands before him. I think you should get to know the guy before you mock him.
Sam Zherka has his issues but he’s not a bad guy either, he’s just very wasteful when it comes to money. I am strongly opinionated about my views and I am extremely assertive with Sammy about my political views. He’s a little stubborn and sneaky but he’s not as bad as you people make him out to be, he owns a strip club, he has a dirty mouth, but all in all, he’s not a bad guy. Everybody curses, so what!
I don’t agree with him on a lot of levels, but, I just tell the guy straight-up I don’t agree with you, but I don’t hate the guy, I just don’t agree with him.
i have got news for you..sam is not a good person..there
is no excuse for starting a frivolous lawsuit just to
punish a political opponent,...and thats exactly what
sam did…he set forth a pack of lies and he did it
in federal court..he made up stories about conspiracies
that don’t exist..he sullied the good name of an iraqi
war vet who is an assistant da in manhattan…he misrepresented a post on lohud by leaving out the
first sentence and the last sentence to give the court
the impression that it was a statement when in fact
it was a question..he was warned by the federal judge
that his allegations were at the very least a misrepresentation..now he will have to pay the freight
why don’t you tell your friend sam that if he wants
recognition he should take some of his money and
contribute it to the maria ferrari childrens’ hospital
instead of trying to salve his own ego
What is it with you that you think that you are so self righteous, you’re just another man with money, you’re no better than Sam Zherka, don’t you see that? I think you do, but you’ve been in the spot light for such a longtime it’s hard to stop sitting in front of the camera judging and convicting people before they even step foot into the courtroom, week after week, you do this on News 12 Westchester. Let me remind you that in this country people are innocent until proven guilty in the court of law. Shame on you! I’m sure if all the people you mocked on this blog and on News 12 Westchester with your friend Ken Jenkins on Point Counter Point had the money Sam Zherka has they would be suing you and the District Attorney’s Office for discrediting their names on News 12 Westchester so they could play it over and over again to brainwash the public. Why don’t you think about all the innocent people and families you destroyed their lives on News 12 Westchester? Why don’t you think about how your part of the Corruption that exists in Westchester County Politics? Why don’t you admit you we’re best friends with Al and Jeanine Pirro, and you worked hand in hand with them for years destroying innocent lives? Al Pirro a Convicted Felon, and his wife the most notorious corrupt Westchester County District Attorney of all time! I know what you are, and you know what you are too, go take a long hard look at yourself. Just because your rich, doesn’t make you right! Sam Zherka is not perfect, and neither are you.
why don’t you wake up and smell the coffee.and stop
making accusations about which you have no idea…what
makes you think I worked with anyone to destroy lives
or is it your mo to simply say that i happen to be a friend
of someoneones and they did something you don’t like
so i must be responsible to…sam zherka already started
his bogus law suit..spewing lies in his legal papers..
a federal judge had to warn both him and his attorney
not to continue doing it..or is that not good enough
for you..why don’t you be honest with yourself and
with your readers..when someone abuses the justice system
from either side they shouldn’t be defended..its not about
being perfect its about being fair..and sam zherka isn’t
the voters made that judgment the other day resoundingly
when difiore kicked castro’s butt in the primary..but
even on election night castro kept repeating the nonsense
that difiore was investigating zherka …its simply not
true..but there is a criminal probe in manhattan conducted
by one of the finest da’s offices in the nation, bob
morganthau…and that office will do its job whether
you like it or not
Say what you want about all the above, at the conclusion of the District Attorney race in Westchester County, Janet DiFiore wins by a landslide. Then we can all say bye bye to Schorr and Zherka for at least another four years.
To those condeming Dan Schorr for taking the Independence line – do you condemn every single other candidate in Westchester who is running on the Independence line? If not, why? There is no evidence to suggest that Dan was involved in this deal. There is no evidence to suggest that Dan is involved with Zherka. In fact, he has said on numerous occasions he will NOT accept the support, financial or otherwise from Sam Zherka. This is Janet’s people trying to deflect from the issues because Dan IS a viable candidate, whereas Tony Castro was not. Stop trying to disenfranchise the thousands of registered Independence Party members in Westchester because of two or three people who are involved with the party. Or start knocking every single other candidate in Westchester who accepted the Party’s nomination.
Oh please they’re still investigating Jeanine Pirro, it’s a joke! Jeanine Pirro is the most notorious corrupt Westchester County District Attorney of all time! And, what did she get for being corrupt? She got her own show on FOX 5 Network! Investigation means nothing.
Bullsh-t will get you to the top, but it’s not gonna keep you there.
And, yes Dan Schorr is very involved with Sam Zherka. Sammy seems to think he’s gonna win. I don’t agree with Sammy! Janet Difiore is taken home the gold!
Dan Schorr wouldn’t know a pimple on a chickens Asz about being a Law Enforcement District Attoney, he’s a step up from David Spano.
Like I said, Sammy wastes a lot of money. I know he’s trying to do good but he doesn’t look good in a lot of eyes, and the eyes of public opinion for the way he does business and the company he keeps.
sounds fair to me..sammy is tone deaf when it comes to
politics..and schorr has said he will take no help from
zherka and that includes zherka’s friends and business
associates, otherwise the pledge is meaningless..
ask sam why he doesn’t take the money he was going
to spend on politics and give it to the maria
ferreri childrens; hospital where it will do some good
by the way how do you know dan shchorr is very
involved with zherka..dan swears he isn’t
How involved are you in the Maria Ferreri Children’s Hospital? Do you sit on the board or are you a lobbyist like your friend Nick Spano? Dan Schorr is a puppet on a string with a brown nose to go with his act!
I am not involved at all ..but its a great cause don’t
you think…and any money i get from the court in
the zherka case I will give to that charity as
I originally stated
Again – show evidence that Dan is involved with Zherka. Show evidence that he has taken a dime from Zherka or anyone associated with him. Show evidence that he has taken a dime from the Indy Party or any one associated with Cavallo. Show evidence that Dan is a puppet as you say. THERE IS NONE because NONE of it is true. Don’t DiFiore volunteers have anything better to do with their time?
It sounds like a good cause… It seems like your heart is starting to soften a little bit as your getting older, that’s a good thing. You can’t be all bad, you have a Bishon Frise and you donate to Children’s Hospitals. You should give to organizations that help children who have been affected by false arrest! Then you’re giving back to your community and being responsible for your actions for your past mistakes.
Dan Schorr should become the District Attorney on Sesame Street, he’s a puppet on a string, he’s Pinocchio.
Dear Nobody Cares (who I believe is Barbra Ricci)
You said in your own words;
“Let me remind you that in this country people are innocent until proven guilty in the court of law”
Yet you then state as a fact that (once again in your own words);
“Jeanine Pirro is the most notorious corrupt Westchester County District Attorney of all time”
Jeanine has never even been charged with a crime, much less convicted. So of course those two statements are in conflict with each other.
You say that Mike E. is getting softer (a good thing) yet your personal hatred has never ebbed in my opinion.
Hatred is not healthy. I think it is not good for you. Pirro moved on years ago. I think you might be better served if you let go of the hatred. Of course that is up to you.
I considered speaking to your personal story but elected not to, save this, I would like to remind you of the phrase from Shakespeare “the lady doth protest too much, methinks”.
and by the way non..jeanine isn’t at fox..she;s at
warner brothers thats channel 11. making a good deal of money
I’m sure we’re all glad to hear that she’s making a good deal of money. What’s your point?
no point..one of the previous posters said she
was at fox..just correcting the record
Oh, I see. Please accept my sincere apologies. (Bet that’s the first time you’ve ever seen something like THAT written on one of these blogs.) :)
no problem..thanks
i think you all are missing the point. on what planet does castro receive a republican nomination for anything? there is something seriously wrong with the republican party in our county today.
Ask Nick Spano and the other little guy from New Rochelle and, while you’re at it, the leadership of the county Conservative Party. If they could prosper, they’d all line up to nominate Joe Stalin if they could figure a way to get him out of the tomb.
the problem with the republican party is that the leader
is more interested in making money from printing than
in re-building the party. what leader in their right
mind would allow another party leader in this case
giulio cavalo to control who they nominate…what
leader would cede control of his party to cavalo
and zherka..and what leader would be so interested
in revenge against a former republican candidate that
he looses sight of the real prize, ie the county
executive race..no its time for the republican leader
to tell cavalo to take a walk..and take zherka and
castro with him
Let be clear why people are concerned with Dan Schorr accepting the Independent Line and not really concerned with others. A candidate or District Attorney is held to a much higher standard when it comes to upholding the law and who they associate with. If you are a District Attorney and your are beholden to the likes of Sam Zherka who is the silent partner of Doc Cavallo (Independent Party Chair) then your integrity must be questioned.
If Dan Schorr accepts the Independent Party Line in a slimy backroom deal that he made with Cavallo and Zherka then we must all be concerned with Dan Schorr’s character and ability to lead. Dan Schorr is a novice and has no idea what it take to be a strong District Attorney. His weakness will be shown the day he stands with Doc Cavallo and accepts the Indenpendt Party Line.
Someone should call Arnold Diaz and have Dan Schorr put on “Shame on you” for allowing himself to be sucked in and used by Tony Castro, Sam Zherka and Doc Cavallo.
You are correct..in life and in politics sometimes you have
to see past the immediate short term gratification into
the ramifications on your future…Dan Schorr could have
a promising career in westchester county politics but not
if he turns a blind eye to what he has to know has been
going on between cavalo zherka blassberg and castro..
the four horseman of political chicanry and ruse..the fact
of the matter is that dan cannot claim to be acting at arms
length..he has been a willing participant in the nasty
proceedings leading up to primary day..from first indicating
to phil reisman that he would accept support from zherka
to later rescinding it and changin his position, dan has
never stood up and condemned castro, who after all he would
be facing if castro had won the democratic primary on the
seminal issue of castro’s association and acceptance of
support from sam zherka…is dan not aware of the manhattan
county da’s investigation…does dan agree with the castro
zherka theory that difiore started the investigation rather
than it originating in bob morganthau’s office..Is that
the kind of DA dan would be passive and not pro active
on the issue of accusing a sitting da of conspiring
with an Iraqi war veteran who was in fact stationed abroad
at the time and therefore could not have possibly been
involved..why has dan never taken umbrage at the fact
that castro, his future opponent was parroting the
garbage contained in the guardian..and that maybe because
dan was advertising in the guardian even while it was
spewing forth the lies and untruths over the past few years
there comes a point in every professional’s life when they
have to make choices…choices between ethics and greed
between right and wrong, between the expedient and being
a mensch..dan has yet to make the right choice
Let us not forget Nick Spano running expensive dinners for Democrats, including St. Mario’s son, Andrew. – And hooking up with Andy et all, pretzeling a Conservative endorsement to a liberal Democrat. Let’s be inclusive when we talk about questionable ethics, odd choices, and self-aggrandizement. You guys afford him a wide-berth and a free ride while you eviscerate people like Schorr. What’s that all about?
very simple..nick is in the private sector now..dan
wants to be chief law enforcment officer with awesome
powers…its a whole different ballgame
And what “powers” does Spano seek? You sometimes sound like an attorney defending Charles Manson by saying that although he did something wrong, he’s not so culpable as he seems since he does not seek the DA job.
All these people who are emerging after all these years have serious reason to wanna change Westchester County Government, their conviction is to change the machines oil and tune it up. They are relentless and full of passion! How can you compete with that? You can’t! Leonard Spano, Nick Spano, Francis Nicolai, Jeanine Pirro, Al Pirro, Andy Spano and George Pataki, they’re all responsible for this huge mess.
Here an obstruction of Justice… Politicians are buying their Elected Seats from Political Party Chairmans.
99% of the likely voters this year have no inclination who Sam Zherka, Guilio Cavallo, or the other obscure insider names bandied about by the same five or six people on this dying blog site.
That said, incumbents will ride the was to reelection, as was obvious from the beginning, so let’s drop it and move on to something more interesting like 2010.
It’s an obstruction of Justice all these things that are going on in Westchester County Politics, and who suffers, the hardworking people who go to work everyday to make a legit living, and they are living off peas and pasta. What is wrong with you people, don’t you realize all the people who suffer because of all this corruption? All these politicians are shameful, and in the end they will have nothing, all for nothing. One thing is for sure, we came into this world with nothing, and we will go out of this world with nothing. Promoting Corruption is all for nothing, and by the time people realize it’s over, it’s too late. What good is it if a man gains the whole world, but he loses his own soul.
ENOUGH. Appoint judges from a list recommended by a committee of the Bar Assns (all of them) plus a couple of citizen members. I hate judges raising money, kissing political leaders’ butts, and then campaigning on their partisan affiliation and their ethnicity – since you can’t talk about any issues!!!
All these shennanigans – which have been going on for YEARS in both parties – aren’t about “justice” or “Qualifications”. The Alessandro Debacle is the height of this disaster.