Chuck Kelly is not happy
Chuck Kelly, the editor emeritus of newspapers in St. Lawrence County who still writes Kelly's Comments, is not happy with Gavin Regan.
This is not good news for Mr. Regan, the St. Lawrence County clerk who is running for the position against Republican Mary Lou Rupp.
A bit of background: Mary Lou Rupp was Patty Ritchie's longtime second-in-command when Mrs. Ritchie was St. Lawrence County clerk.
When Mrs. Ritchie took over as the senator for the 48th district, Mrs. Rupp became acting clerk.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo then appointed Mr. Regan, a Democrat, to the position, bumping Mrs. Rupp back to deputy.
That set up the rather awkward setting of Mr. Regan, clerk, and Mrs. Rupp, deputy, in the same department, running for the position in November, against each other.
Mr. Regan canned Mrs. Rupp soon after he started, saying it was for "budgetary reasons."
The Watertown Daily Times has opined on this and said it was a bad move.
Mrs. Ritchie has told me she's not happy about it, either.
And, worst yet for Mr. Regan, Chuck Kelly slammed him in today's Sunday column.
It's worst yet because Mr. Kelly is a staunch Democrat, and though he's retired still holds a good deal of cache in the county.
Here's what he said in the Sunday column:
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo must be embarrassed because of a decision made by Gavin M. Regan, Potsdam, who the County Democrats asked him to appoint county clerk when Senator Patricia Ritchie moved to Albany.
In less than three hours on the job, Mr. Regan fired acting County Clerk Mary Lou Rupp, Mrs. Ritchie's first deputy. He had the arrogance to say "It's strictly a budgetary thing." That would be funny if it wasn't so sad. Apparently Mr. Regan was not aware that the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) had taken the initiative over the past four years to do DMV work for car and truck dealerships around New York.
Mrs. Ritchie and her staff took this on their shoulders and really did some serious work. St. Lawrence County is now receiving about $1.5 million as a result. Mr. Regan should explain to the county's voters what budget "crisis" he found in three hours that would warrant firing Mrs. Rupp.
I am a Democrat. I have been since I have been old enough to vote, and I will be a Democrat until I die. But you can bet that I won't be electing Gavin Regan in November. What a way to treat an outstanding county employee.
Youch.
