Delaware County Attorney Richard Spinney’s comments made at the Sept. 7 hearing held in the Supreme Court in Norwich (article of Sept. 8 by Tom Grace) are illustrative of the continuing battle for voters’ rights and his personal resentment for who is waging this important legal battle.
When he said that, “these people don’t really live in Bovina,” it was false. All plaintiffs in the voters’ suit live in Bovina in real homes at real addresses. None is a seasonal or “summer” home.
The point of the suit is that they also have other residences outside of Delaware County but want Delaware County as their place for voting. This is not merely wishful thinking but the law in New York state.
Spinney’s other comment that “they have a lot of money and a New York City lawyer” is outrageous and provides a clear window to a prevailing and ugly prejudice. In fact, two plaintiffs have no income other than their Social Security payments that they live on month to month.
The so-called New York City lawyer, Bruce Krause, is from the prestigious firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher and asked to participate in the case due to its importance for voters’ rights in New York.
About the only thing Mr. Spinney said that was correct was that the massive voter challenge was related to Bovina banning wind turbines, something that all eight plaintiffs supported through the Alliance for Bovina.
Larry Karam
Bovina
18 September 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/09/18/attorney-wrong-on-bovina-voters/