Politics on the Hudson

Rockland Democrat Thomas Zugibe is trying to reach voters and communicate with them through a campaign letter he’s sending out on the Internet.

He opens his first newsletter with, “Countdown to Election: 77 days…. Tues. November 6” – the day Rockland voters will choose between him and Republican DA Michael Bongiorno, who won election in November 1993. Zugibe has been a prosecutor in Rockland and a West Haverstraw justice.

In this newsletter, Zugibe introduces himself, explains some of his positions and answers questions. He also encourages voters to email him questions about their concerns and community issues. He also writes he’s will speak at any local community gathering. He writes he will provide an answer to questions asked of him on campaign trail in each newsletter.

In this letter, there are political endorsements from Legislature Chairwoman Harriet Cornell, a Democrat, and retired Ramapo Police Officer George Wamsley, a founder of the Ramapo PBA.

“Zugibe’s website”:http://zugibe4da.com/

Rockland Sheriff James Kralik has begun piling up re-election endorsements.

Kralik has been endorsed by 12 law enforcement agencies as he runs for a fifth, four-year-term as Rockland’s top cop.

Kralik, a Republican from Sloatsburg, is being challenged by Clarkstown Detective Sgt. Tim O’Neill, who also is a Stony Point councilman. O’Neill has picked up the Rockland Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association endorsement, a key backing in Rockland County

Kralik has been backed by the following:
• New York State Supreme Court Officers Association.
• New York City Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association.
• New York City Detectives’ Endowment Association, Inc.
• New York State Troopers PBA.
• New York State Police Investigators Association.
• New York State Federation of Police, Inc.
• New York State Deputies Association, Inc.
• Rockland County Sheriff’s Deputies Association, Inc.
• Rockland County Correction Officers Benevolent Association.
• Rockland County Sheriff’s Transport and Relief Deputies Association.
• Rockland County District Attorneys Criminal Investigators Association, Inc.
• Superior Officers Council of the Sheriff’s Correctional Association of Rockland County.

And, of course, Kralik is pleased for the support.

“I am honored to have the support of some of the most respected law enforcement organizations in the New York State,� Kralik said in a prepared statement from his campaign. “These endorsements are significant achievements in my re-election campaign. These organizations recognize that we’ve reduced overall crime in Rockland by 45 percent and have been highly effective in making Rockland a very safe place to live and raise a family.�

Rockland’s largest police union today announced its endorsement of Democrat Thomas Zugibe for county district attorney in the November election.

The Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, representing eight of 11 police departments in Rockland, chose Zugibe over reigning District Attorney Michael Bongiorno, a Republican who took office in 1995.

Zugibe’s camp made immediate hay out of the endorsement by boasting it was the first time the PBA hasn’t backed an incumbent and claiming the endorsement was a vote of no-confidence in Bongiorno.

“We are thrilled and honored to have the PBA’s endorsement; an endorsement that I consider to be the most important in Rockland County,� Zugibe said. “The DA has to work hand in hand with local enforcement every day and to not have the police wanting to continue with the current DA clearly signals a vote of no confidence in Mr. Bongiorno and says it is time for a change.�

PBA President Cyril Kerr, a Piermont police officer, was less flamboyant in his comments, but praised Zugibe. (more…)

The New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association has endorsed Rockland County Sheriff James Kralik’s re-election in November.

In an announcement, the union’s president, Daniel De Federicis, cited Kralik’s more than 40 years of experience in law enforcement, his work on counter-terrorism for Rockland and New York State and his ability to work with state and federal law enforcement agencies. Kralik is the county’s anti-terrorism planning czar and a major figure in the statewide and regional planning.

The union represents 6,000 active and retired state police officers.

Kralik, a registered Republican from Sloatsburg, is seeking his fifth, four-year term as sheriff. He is being challenged by Clarkstown Detective Sgt. Tim O’Neill, who is giving up his seat as a Stony Point councilman to run for sheriff as a Democrat. O’Neill oversees the Clarkstown Police Department’s DARE and school resource officers and related programs. He once ran the county’s intelligence gathering unit.

O’Neill will officially be nominated by the Democrats at their convention on May 31 at the Holidome in Montebello. O’Neill took the troopers’ PBA endorsement of Kralik in stride, noting he was shooting for support from the local police. O’Neill is the most formidable candidate Kralik has faced in years.

“I am seeking the endorsement of the Rockland PBA,” O’Neill said. “They are the officers who serve and protect the people of Rockland County. I feel that’s the most important endorsement.”

Kralik also is aiming to win the Rockland PBA endorsement, as well as the backing from the unions representing Rockland sheriff’s and correction officers.

As a former Rockland PBA president, O’Neill remains in good standing with the union, whose members are dominated by Clarkstown officers, along with those from Orangetown, Spring Valley, Suffern, Piermont and South Nyack-Grand View.