………Why the hell did the party establishment continue to support this guy, particularly after he shot himself?
In the state's Republican-leaning state district, which covers parts of suburban Rochester and the Finger Lakes region, crooked State Assemblyman Republican Bill Nojay1 beat his primary rival Richard Milne on Tuesday - four days after his death. The 59-year old Nojay took his life Friday at family's cemetery plot in Rochester, shooting himself near his brother's grave as a police offer was arriving.
Only in New York, folks, only in New York.
"I really believe we would have fared better with Mr. Nojay still alive," said Richard Milne, his party rival. "They really did some things in the past few days that were in poor taste in my opinion to sway the vote."
Milne was referring to the onslaught of GOP "robocalls" and other efforts to boost the Nojay vote after his death.
"Despite the unexpected and tragic loss of our Assemblyman, the endorsement still stands," Republicans from the town of Hornell wrote, encouraging voters to back the dead candidate.
………
Milne posted a statement on his Facebook page3 that read: "I appreciate all the incredible support we've received," adding that he was "proud that we have run this election campaign fairly and professionally even when others that oppose us have not and are not."
Nojay, who was embroiled in legal troubles, was facing trial in Cambodia on fraud charges and was reportedly under FBI scrutiny.In July it was announced that Nojay and three other American businessmen including Sichan Siv, a George W. Bush-appointed envoy to the United Nations, would be tried in absentia for an alleged fraud scheme in Cambodia, accused of running a rice-importing grift, allegedly swindling a prominent Cambodian dentist for $1 million.Nojay denied fraud was committed.
"All the people I've worked with have been honorable people, but again, some of them have done well, and some of them have stumbled. That's just the nature of small business work," Nojay told Rochester's WHAM radio the day before he died.Nojay's legal woes were growing stateside, as well. One of his New York-based companies was the subject of a federal investigation for a questionable contract with Rochester schools. Then, two weeks ago, FBI officials told Nojay's business partner that the assemblyman was under investigation for allegedly embezzling from a fund that held $1.8 million, the Democrat and Chronicle reported.A strong NRA supporter, Nojay was a foe of Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who had pushed stricter gun control laws through the legislature after the Sandy Hook massacre. He was also a big fan of Republican nominee Donald Trump.
This buggers the mind.
2 week dead candidate...MAYBE, just maybe I can see a conservative voter not "getting it"! But 2 weeks? Do I sense a similar sense of desperation with republican voters this time around too?
ReplyDeleteFrom wiki;
"In the general election, Ashcroft faced a challenge from then-Governor Mel Carnahan. In the midst of a tight race, Carnahan died in an plane crash only two weeks before the November general election. However, Carnahan's name remained on the ballot due to Missouri state election laws. Lieutenant Governor Roger B. Wilson became Governor upon Carnahan's death. He announced that, if Carnahan should be elected, he would appoint his widow Jean Carnahan to serve in his place, to which she agreed to this arrangement. Ashcroft suspended all campaigning after the plane crash in light of the tragedy."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Carnahan