The Westchester Guardian Thursday, JUNE 10, 2010 Page 3

Shakedown for Judgeships

Westchester Democratic Chairman Accused
of Extorting Kickbacks in Exchange for Party
Endorsement
By Sam Zherka
Sam Zherka

Public corruption is one of the

FBI’s top priorities after terrorism and
espionage. The FBI understands public
corruption impacts democracy and is
a threat to state and national security.
Political corruption affects everything
from securing our borders to fixing
potholes, from verdicts handed down in
our courts to how schools are run, from
how our mail is delivered to protecting
our neighborhoods. Corruption impacts
Reginald Lafayette
every person in every municipality in
every state in America, and takes a toll
explosive revelation now, she replied: “I Assemblyman for the 43rd district The Guardian asked Ms. Edwards
on the pocketbook of the American
want everyone to know the truth.” which encompasses Crown Heights, why she did not report the incident
taxpayer.
To back up her claim, she chal- Flatbush and Prospect Park. On to authorities immediately after it
Border corruption, economic stim-
lenged Lafayette to take a lie detector September 27, 2005, a Brooklyn jury occurred. She responded, “They are not
ulus fraud, election crimes and bribery
test, and agreed to do the same. convicted Norman of violating elections good people, and Reggie assured me
are among the FBI’s top investigative
Allegations of selling party endorse- laws and falsifying business records. In that nothing would ever come of any
priorities.
ments by the Mt. Vernon Democratic December that same year, Norman was investigation. I don’t have faith in the
On Friday, June 4th, Mt. Vernon
Committee are not new. The Guardian convicted again on charges that he stole system. The system is corrupt.”
activist, Helena Edwards, publisher of
learned that, during last year’s elec- $5,000 from his re-election campaign. Lafayette told The Guardian he
the “Straight Talk in Mount Vernon”
tion, Deveraux Cannic, the current On February 23, 2007, Norman was would welcome any investigation into
blog, and wife of acting Westchester
Mt. Vernon Democratic Committee convicted a third time for illegally solic- Edwards’s allegations. However, he
Family Court Judge, Hon. Bill Edwards,
Chair, also solicited money for endorse- iting contributions in connection with rebuffed her challenge to take mutual
accused the current Westchester County
ments. The menu included $50,000 judicial elections. Each verdict arose lie detector tests. “This is not the Maury
Democratic Chairman, Reginald
to purchase the party’s endorsement from an investigation by Kings County Povich show,” he said. “I don’t want to
Lafayette, of attempting to shake her
for Mt. Vernon City Comptroller District Attorney, Charles Hynes. The be taking any lie detector test and find
down to guarantee the Democratic
-- which the incumbent, Maureen investigation originally focused on sale out I’m the daddy” joked Lafayette. “My
Party endorsement for her husband
Walker, refused to pay, and $10,000 for of judgeships in exchange for campaign lawyer would tell me, ‘you have to be out
seven years ago.
the endorsement for Mt. Vernon City contributions to the Democratic Party. of your mind to be playing these stupid
Ms. Edwards alleges Lafayette,
Judge. Helen Blackwood received the In a telephone interview, Reginald games with lie detector tests,’” he said.
who held the Mt. Vernon Democratic
party’s endorsement and now sits on Lafayette, now the Westchester County It is no secret political power bosses
Committee Chair in 2003 said “your
the bench. According to the New York Democratic Chairman, told The in Westchester County and around the
husband will be getting a ten-year one
State Board of Elections, she paid. Guardian none of Ms. Edward’s allega- nation are being challenged and assailed
million dollar job, and the Democratic
Ms. Edwards compared endorse- tions are true.“It’s the most ridiculous by thousands of political blogs written
Party is entitled to 10 percent of that.”
ment selling in Mt. Vernon to the thing I have ever heard,” said Lafayette. by average citizens fed up with corrup-
Ms Edwards told The Guardian her
corruption perpetrated by Clarence “They should have reported me back tion in politics. Lafayette said, “These
response to Lafayette was “get out of my
Norman, the disgraced former Kings then in 2003.” Lafayette added, “How blogs disrupt peoples’ lives,” empha-
face.”
County Democratic Chairman. would they give me ten percent, that’s sizing that he “has no respect for them.”
“We are good people,” she added.
Norman was also the former Brooklyn $100,000? Give me a God damn break.”
When asked why she was making this