Clinton County resident Supreme Court Justice, John A. Lahtinen is running for re-election this year.

Judge Lahtinen was appointed to the Supreme Court, Fourth Judicial District by Governor George E. Pataki in June 1997.  He was elected to a full 14-year term in November 1997.  From June 1997 to March 2000 Judge Lahtinen served on the trial bench where he tried and settled many cases in this district and New York City and always did so with integrity and fairness. 

In March 2000, he was appointed by Governor Pataki to the Appellate Division of Supreme Court for the Third Judicial Department where he has served with distinction for the past 11 years.  His tenure on the Appellate Division is the longest of the four justices from Clinton County who have served on that Court in its 115 year history.  Since Judge Lahtinen's appointment to the Appellate Division as an Associate Justice he has written in excess of 1300 decisions and participated in more than 9000 appeals.  His judicial opinions have helped to shape the law of this State. 

There are presently four announced candidates for three vacancies in the Supreme Court, Fourth Judicial District.  Judge Lahtinen is the only candidate running for re-election.  The Fourth Judicial District is comprised of the Counties of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Schenectady, St. Lawrence, Warren and Washington.  Judge Lahtinen is the only sitting Supreme Court Justice within a radius of 100 miles of Plattsburgh. 

Judge Lahtinen has served us well and I ask you to consider helping his costly re-election effort in this 11 county district by forwarding your contribution to:  Committee to Re-Elect Judge Lahtinen, 95 Ashley Road, Plattsburgh, New York 12901.

New York Republican State Committee Announces Regional Political Training Sessions

We are pleased to announce the spring schedule for The New York Republican State Committee's regional political training sessions. This training is open to committee members, party leaders, volunteers and anyone else you feel may benefit from it. Friday, April 8th - Albany (Colonie Republican Committee headquarter, 187 Wolf Road, Colonie, NY 12205 - Wolf Road Shoppers Park Plaza). RSVP deadline is April 1st. Saturday, April 9th - Ronkonkoma (Courtyard Marriott, 5000 Express Drive South, Ronkonkoma). RSVP deadline is April 1st. Saturday, April 16th - Syracuse (Megan MacMurphy's,7990 Oswego Road, Liverpool, NY 13090 ). RSVP deadline is April 8th. Saturday, April 30 - Ithaca (Clarion University Hotel & Conference Center, 1 Sheraton Drive Ithaca, NY 14850). RSVP deadline is April 22nd. Saturday, June 4th - Buffalo (location TBD). RSVP deadline is May 27th. These will be full day training sessions, starting at 9 AM and ending at 4:15 PM. There is no cost to attend and lunch will be provided by State Committee. These training sessions will focus on: Election District Organization, Utilizing Online Resources, Organizing Petition and Voter Registration Drives, Voter ID and Targeting, and GOTV/Election Day Operations. We are partnering with The Leadership Institute, a premier, respected political training organization to offer these sessions. Only those individuals referred or invited by you may attend. They may attend whichever session is most convenient. As you receive replies from those in your county, please send their contact information to us by emailing Mike Lawler ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). We are pleased to offer this training and hope you will take advantage of it.

Alicia Sirk - Profile Link
CANDIDATE FOR TOWN OF PLATTSBURGH
TOWN CLERK

PLATFORM: I have always believed that public service should be a selfless act, performed for the betterment of society. With that said, I intend to serve the public at THEIR convenience, not at mine! I intend to be respectful of the working public, as well as senior citizens and college students, by having office hours that cater to them. I intend to have early morning hours, evening hours, and hours by appointment! Other things I would like to see are regularly updated Town Board Minutes that are posted on the website, and in a timely manner and contain more than just resolutions and voting records as it currently does. I feel that all town residents should have immediate access to this information and shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get it. The more transparent a government is, the more people will trust their representatives, and the better local government is able to operate. Finally, I will use my Administrative and computer skills to get the office automated so that applications for most things can be completed and submitted online, with the ability to make online payments as well. In this day in age, this component is essential to make the office run more efficiently.

Visit Alicia on our social network section by clicking here.

John St Germain - Profile Link
CANDIDATE FOR TOWN OF PLATTSBURGH
TOWN COUNCILMAN

My wife Mary Ann and I have made our home in Cadyville for 50 years.During that time we have raised two children, Johnnel and Joel. I have retired from my own construction business. In 1971 voters elected me to the Saranac School Board. During 7 years of serving on that board, I developed an understanding of governmnet budgeting and needs. I was instrumental in implementing tax exemptions for the elderly.

Visit John on our social network section by clicking here.

As New Yorkers look for leadership and direction from their state government, Republicans are working for solutions rather than partisan politics.

Two weeks ago, Senate Republicans and some enlightened Democrats joined together in a bipartisan fashion to enact real tangible reforms.  Sadly, Democrat leaders have ignored the legal and binding votes to change the way government does business.  If the Democrat leaders have legitimate concerns beyond their own shallow quest to hang on to power, they should agree to binding arbitration by an impartial third party.

If they are unwilling to even take that step, they should agree to the fair, comprehensive and detailed power sharing operating proposal-wisely proposed by Senate Republicans– which would enable the Senate to function in an equitable fashion and do the people’s business.

The Senate Republicans continue to offer solution after solution, only to be stonewalled by the Senate Democrat leadership.

We are a nation at war and in the midst of an economic crisis, yet the only thing the Democrat leaders seem to care about are shameless publicity stunts and endless legal maneuvers to cling to power they have rightly lost.

It is past time for the Democrats to listen to the public, respond to the sensible proposals offered by the Republicans and get government back to work.

The Clinton County Republican Party now has a new web site located at http://www.northcountrygop.org

 

WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee (RNC) today launched a new ad: “One of Us.”  The ad highlights the motivation and experience of New York State Republican Leader Jim Tedisco, a candidate for the open Congressional seat in New York’s 20th district.

The ad will run on the major networks in the Albany, NY area.

 

Title: “One of Us”

The son of a foundry worker and loving mom, Jim Tedisco’s life changed forever when he lost his young brother with Down Syndrome.

So, Jim dedicated his life to serving others.

Special Ed teacher, guidance counselor, coach. 

Then to public service to help our families.

Fighting for property tax relief, securing jobs, protecting our children. 

Jim Tedisco for Congress.  He fights for us because he’s one of us.

-Disclaimer-

I’m Jim Tedisco, and I approve this message. 

Yes, contrary to what I seem to read everywhere, we are neither dragging our feet moribund in our loss, searching around for a future, or living in denial of the Herculean work we have to do. To a person, we seem to recognize the challenge of facing up to a popular president willing to do anything to gain, keep and radically expand his power: fund a campaign with anonymous donations, appoint a group charged multiple times with perpetrating voter-fraud to count the Census, send David Axelrod on TV to claim the “Tea Parties” were “dangerous” and, as a parting shot at the idea of a free market, refuse to take repayments –with interest- from banks who neither wanted nor needed our tax money. When I stepped into the headquarters of the Republican National Committee on April 6th, it was fifteen days after I met Chairman Steele and, sixteen days after I last spoke the words, “I could never work in D.C.”

I have never been happier to have been wrong:  I do work in D.C., more importantly, I work with some of the most brilliant, principled and focused people I have met.

These people are also excited. 

Yes, contrary to what I seem to read everywhere, we are neither dragging our feet moribund in our loss, searching around for a future, or living in denial of the Herculean work we have to do. To a person, we seem to recognize the challenge of facing up to a popular President willing to do anything to gain, keep and radically expand his power: fund a campaign with anonymous donations, appoint a group charged multiple times with perpetrating voter-fraud to count the census, send David Axelrod on TV to claim the “Tea Parties” were “unhealthy” and, as a parting shot at the idea of a free market, refuse to take repayments-–with interest--from banks who neither wanted nor needed our tax money. Our elected leaders will continue to offer principled plans which strike a stark contrast to the president’s manifesto of spend, borrow, and pay favors to supporters (then repeat at will). We, meanwhile, will do our part. My particular role is to work with a small bit of the RNC Universe, our newly renamed New Media Division. We are blessed to be buttressed by a much larger group of technomedia experts: our Tech Summit participants; their sage guidance informed the path we have charted for the effort. I hope they will continue to lend their hearts, hands and minds to this effort. With their advice freshly read, last week we held well over sixteen hours of meetings to determine the partners for the new digital presence of the RNC. This week, we decide. Next week, we plan and build. We are anxious to get started. The partners who have made the final cut for review are also jazzed by the challenge and seem to be aware of the difficulty ahead as we face the most power-hungry administration in our lifetimes. That, as much as anything, has been reason for me to celebrate: the talent and commitment of the republican, digital media professionals who came to D.C. to play a part in this effort and the many that have lent advice freely through our social media hubs.
If you find yourself aching to be involved this is your invitation. Of all the things we aspire to create, the one for which we have the most hope is a real connection between us, the small staff here in D.C., with you: the big, collective conservative brain out there in the real world. Tap us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, at events like the Young Republicans Convention.  Put your excitement to work.

More later.