Judge not lest ye be judged

Politics are already at a simmer for the city’s soon-to-be vacant judge position. The long-awaited Republican schism has formed in the push for the bench seat now occupied by longtime city court Judge Douglas Mills. Yep, they’re scrambling to become the next proselytizing pontiff to slip on the black robe a belittle the Monday morning parade of beer-addled wall pissers and insubordinate Broadway skate rats. What a job.

In fact, it’s so good a job the city Republicans are now split and bearing their incisors at one another, in a fashion some overzealously believe to be reminiscent of the cataclysmic implosion that befell the city Democrats over the past two years. But while any rift between the live-by-the-sword GOP’ers is relatively uncommon, it’s a bit far of a reach to compare any such political transgression as being on par with what happened to the mules.

The Republican flap involves part-time city court Judge James Doern and former city Matt Doresy. City Republicans narrowly advanced Dorsey’s candidacy, despite Doern serving nine years on the bench as Mills’ understudy. But Doresy is witty. Doresy is charismatic. Doresy is the guy that playfully roasted city Mayor Scott Johnson before the State of the City address earlier this month. Well, kiss my grits.

Naturally, the newspapers jumped on the divergence of viewpoints. The Saratogian claims a dozen GOP’ers stormed out of the vote in protest and suggest the party may be in “disarray.” The Times Union reports “Democrats may not be the only divided party in the city.” Yes, it’s the first visible crack to show in the Republican machine, which has historically done a superb job at keeping its rank-and-file members in line.

Though it’s reasonable to deduce both candidates are well qualified for the job, Doern certainly has the inside edge when it comes to experience. But this edge seldom makes a difference when one has the inside edge with the GOP machine; something that Dorsey certainly has. He served as the city’s attorney under former Republican mayor Michael Michael Lenz and was at one point mentioned as a candidate for Bobby D’Andrea’s state Assembly seat.

Don’t think the Republicans are alone in their haggling over Mills’ successor. In an apparent spin off from the nuclear-strength implosion that ripped through the city Democrats last fall, a minor eddy is forming in party again over the judgeship. Though party insiders have all but handed the nomination to state Supreme Court attorney James Montagnino, there’s one dark horse who thinks he’d do a better job.

Peter Tulin’s name has again surfaced in context with an election, a concept that is every bit as mind-boggling as the notion that more than 60,000 voters pulled the lever for him during the state Supreme Court election last fall. Tulin fired off a rather brash missive to city Democratic chairman Lou Schneider last month, basically faulting him for the collapse of the party and all but calling for his resignation during a committee meeting slated for this weekend. He also laid into the party chair for not giving his Supreme Court candidacy more support.

“You presided over, and some say unwittingly engineered an absolute disaster for our the Democratic Party in Saratoga Springs this past November,” Tulin wrote. “Sorry to be so personal Lou, but you and I both know about the shenanigans you have been pulling behind my back for several years.”

Of course, there are many reasons why Tulin didn’t get support from city Democrats and few of them have to do with Schneider’s lack of support. When one has more skeletons than the Saratoga National Cemetery, it’s usually a good idea to remain outside of politics. Such is the case with Tulin, who had a few public and many other less-than-public intercessions.

Most voters avoid candidates who fall more than $25,000 behind in child support, have their $132,000 painting sold at auction by the state to cover such payments, and then still manage to muster up enough cash to run a cross-county election. Others find themselves a bit leery to pull the lever for a guy that recently told the press of his treatment for bi-polar disorder. From a chairman’s perspective, these are candidates to avoid like the plague. And that’s before one even scratches the surface of Tulin’s alleged indiscretions while digging some of the Spa City’s fine area drinking establishments. Hint: we’re not talking tiddlywinks here.

So those of you who had hopped to push party back-biting on the back burner might need to buck up for another nine months or so, as we wind into a contentious city court election. For those who feed off this fodder, grab some popcorn and hold tight. There’s more to come.