kathy hochul

Press Release:

Here is a statement from Kathy Hochul for Congress Communications Director Fabien Levy regarding Jane Corwin's newest television advertisement:

“Two days and two negative attacks – yesterday the NRCC released an ad slammed as “misleading” by an independent source and today an Albany politician has done the same.  Kathy Hochul is proud of her record of cutting waste, saving taxpayers millions of dollars, and helping Western New York businesses create jobs for hard working families.

“Kathy Hochul is no one’s handpicked candidate and has never shied away from standing up to her own party.  She saved motorists $129 million when she stood up to Governor Paterson’s plan to mandate new license plates.  And she stood up to Governor Spitzer’s ill-advised plan to give drivers’ licenses to illegal immigrants.

“Voters of the 26th Congressional District are concerned about turning our economy around and will not be distracted by typical Washington and Albany smear tactics.”

Jane Corwin's campaign announced the release of this new commercial today attacking Kathy Hochul.

Regarding Hochul's record in Town of Hamburg, the clerk there tells me that there are board minutes going back to 2002, but they're not easy to find. I created this Google search link that at least pulls up some of the minutes. If the clerk there provides me with a better link, I'll post that.

Also, YNN has posted a video interview with Hochul:

Full press release from Corwin's campaign after the jump:

This ad was released today by the National Republican Congressional Committee.

It makes several undocumented claims:

Kathy Hochul voted to raise fees on all kinds of things, such as:

• Going to the beach…
• Getting in shape at the gym…
• Playing a round of golf…
• Ice skating...
• And owning that lovable four-legged friend.

As a matter of fact checking, I did a number of internet searches and searched the Buffalo News archives going back three years. I could find no documentation for any of these claims (if anybody can find documentation, please post in the comments).

On the flip side, when the Buffalo News endorsed Hochul for Erie County Clerk, they did so, they said, based on Hochul's record of saving taxpayers money.

It's unclear when the GOP claims Hochul voted on these things. As a clerk, and not a legislator, she doesn't vote on legislative matters. I've seen reference to her having served on a town board at one time, but can find no confirmation of that. Such service is not mentioned on her LinkedIn profile nor her Web site. So if she "voted" on these matters, it's hard to tell where.

As for being a Washington lobbyist at one time, that much is true. According to her LinkedIn profile: "Kathy also established her own practice in Washington, representing the computer industry on legislative issues."

She was a legislative aide prior to starting her own practice.

Again, further fact-checking or fact confirmation is welcome in the comments.

Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul is the Democrats' pick to run in the NY-26 special election.

Hochul was the unanimous pick of seven county Democratic chairs after interviews in Geneseo this afternoon, according to Lorie Longhany, Genesee County chair.

Longhany said Hochul was impressive in the interviews.

"I can’t wait for Genesee County voters and the rest of the district to get a chance to know Kathy," Longhany said. "I think people will be very pleased with Kathy's record."

Longhany praised Hochul for streamlining Department of Motor Vehicle  processes in Erie County during her term as clerk, "saving taxpayers time and money."

"We all decided that she is the candidate who can get things done in Washington," Longhany said.

The Republican candidate is Jane Corwin. Both David Bellevia and Jack Davis are attempting to secure enough signatures to get their names on the ballot.

UPDATE: In the initial post, we included a press release from Corwin's campaign but didn't jump this post. We now have a press release from Hochul's campaign.  Both press releases appear verbatim after the jump.

Press Release:

WILLIAMSVILLE - Erie County Republican Committee Chairman Nick Langworthy issued the following statement after learning that Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul is running for Congress in New York’s 26th Congressional District: 

“Statewide Democrats aren’t the only ones concerned about Kathy Hochul running for Congress; Western New York taxpayers are too because she has spent her long political career raising taxes and fees. While Jane Corwin has spent 36 years in the private sector helping to create jobs, career politician Kathy Hochul has spent her life doing everything she can to advance her own political career.

“We welcome Kathy Hochul to the race and look forward to hearing her explain why she’s repeatedly voted to grow government and raise taxes and fees on hard working Western New Yorkers.”

Hochul has yet to declare her candidacy for the special election to replace Chris Lee, the married, former Republican representative who quit his seat after apparently being caught trolling Craigslist for dates.

The Democrats' county chairs from the NY-26 meet tomorrow in Geneseo to interview several potential candidates. The Democrats are expected to name their candidate within the following week.

Hochul, county clerk in Erie County, took out papers this week in order to legally accept campaign donations.

Recently, Hochul made headlines leading opposition to a proposed statewide license fee on bicycles. Eventually, Queens Assemblyman Michael DenDekker withdrew the proposal.

UPDATE: WGRZ is reporting that it's a done deal, that the seven Democratic County chairs will announce on Sunday their endorsement of Hochul and that Hochul will officially announce her candidacy on Monday.

Erie County Republican Chairman Nick Langworthy says the Democratic party has been playing a game with its nomination process, knowing all along that Hochul was going to be its candidate if she wanted to run for the seat.

Nick Langworthy: "This is a charade, it's a machination, they've known from the beginning that she's their candidate if she wants to run, but they're using this quirk in the law allowing her to take double the amount of special interest money that she normally would."

According to WGRZ, that by waiting until 12 days after the governor called the election, she will be able to accept as much as $5,000 (two separate maximum $2,500 donations) from the same individual.

A program to benefit Genesee County's military veterans is in the works. It will computerize discharge papers filed with the Clerk's Office. It will also provide money-saving opportunities for veterans at participating businesses when they show their photo ID card.

Dubbed "Return the FAVOR" (Find & Assist Vets of Record), it began about two years ago in Putnam County and since then has been implemented in about a dozen counties statewide.

Currently, Genesee County stores the record of discharge papers, called Form DD-214, on paper only. Veterans voluntarily submit their DD-214 to the clerk of record in their community as a safeguard procedure so it can be replaced if need be or replicated.

In a few months, the paper trail comes to a virtual end and the data goes online.

"Paper is fragile," said Clerk Don Read.

Not mention inefficient and cumbersome to keep up to date. The county probably has about 30,000 gun permits archived since 1934 when permits were first issued. But how many are active, valid permits is unknown.

Those who have implemented "Return the FAVOR" rave about what a good idea it is, Read said.

David Bellavia -- a highly decorated combat veteran petitioning to run as an independent for Congress in New York's 26th District -- issued a press release today thanking Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul for bringing "Return the FAVOR" to that county.

He praised her leadership in the program, which he termed "an appreciated salute to veterans," adding that it should be a statewide standard.

(His kind words are perhaps notable because Hochul is widely regarded as the likely Democrat canidate in the 26th District and will be a Bellavia opponent if he makes the ballot. Bellavia recently launched a petition drive to get on the ballot.)

Read said his office looked into providing "Return the FAVOR" here last year but the cost was prohibitive. The computer software and plastic ID cards, etc., was estimated to cost $30,000 and that money was not in the budget.

But last fall, the county negotiated with a computer company which was contracted to begin computerizing records of pistol permits on Jan. 1. They found out the company could also do the veterans record/ID card program using the same tools employed for pistol permits at, according to Read, no additional cost.

"The first thing is to perfect the pistol-permit program," Read said, adding that his office is looking at a launch date of May 1 and the veterans program would begin sometime afterward.

"We are contacting officials and asking how they would like the (new) pistol permit to be formatted," Read said.

County Judge Robert C. Noonan heads up the Handgun and Pistol Permit Program. District Attorney Lawrence Friedman is also being consulted along with law enforcement.

"This will benefit the Sheriff's Office because deputies will be able to access the database on our Web site," Read said. "When they are going to an address, they can find out who has a pistol permit and what kind of weapons they have before they get there."

Regarding "Return the FAVOR," Read said they are communicating with other counties to possibly extend the discount benefits across county lines. For example, a veteran with an ID card from Genesee County could get a dinner deal at a participating restaurant in Erie or Wyoming County.

The estimated cost to the veteran applicant at the Clerk's Office would be a one-time fee in the $5 to $10 range.

Read said his office plans to work closely with the Chamber of Commerce and the Veterans Service Agency to get businesses to support the discounts-for-veterans program.

But since the Veterans Service Agency lost a full-time worker due to budget cuts,  Read said he expects his office will have to do more of the "ground work."