Buffalo Criterion

Crystal Peoples wins 141st NYS Assembly Seat

The 141st NYS assembly district is the only assembly district exclusively within Buffalo’’s borders. Arthur Eve held this seat for nearly 36 years and is retiring. The winner of the Dem primary is likely to be the winner of the general election because of the large plurality of Democrats in this urban district. In a three way contest, County Legislator Crystal Peoples thoroughly defeated her opponents, Buffalo Council at large member Charley Fisher, and the man "Art Voice" dubbed the "Phoenix," ex -County legislator, Gregory B. Olma.

Now we would never wish to question the sagacity of our esteemed Art Voice editors. We’’ve grown quite fond of them over the years, but we had to, quite frankly, laugh when we first heard Mr. Olma being referred in that way. The Phoenix, as you know, is a mythical bird, of great beauty, the only one of its kind and fabled to live some 500 or 600 years in the Arabian wilderness. At the end of its span, the beauteous bird burns itself on a funeral pile, only to rise again from its ashes. And, in the freshness of youth, it then lives throughout another great cycle. A Phoenix can also mean someone who rises from the ashes of his predecessor.

In any event, with a Phoenix-like plan, Olma, running in a district of about 28% white and 70% black sought to rise from the ashes of racism, and split the black vote and perhaps beauteously steal a seat from the African-American community. But, alas, "Phoenix" Olma got only 8% of the vote. He did not even get a majority of the white vote which he sought in his race-based campaign.

Our heartiest congratulations go to the outstanding Crystal Peoples, of course. And indeed there were celebrations at her headquarters on primary night as befits such a splendid woman, as chanters, led by Clarence Lott, president of Grassroots, her campaign manager, chanted, referring to her, Byron Brown, and their political organization, "You say Brown, I say Peoples, you say Grass, I say Roots, you say Byron, I say Crystal," with the crowd echoing in cycles.

One somber moment cropped up when a TV reporter covering the event contacted "Phoenix" Olma by phone from Peoples’’s headquarters. Against a backdrop of chanting, the reporter mentioned to Olma, that Peoples had more than 10,000 votes to his mere 1200, and how did he fell about that? Was he ready to congratulate the winner? Olma was not. By the time she got to Phoenix, so to speak, Olma was overheard telling her he demanded a recount, that there was a vast conspiracy against him at the board of elections, and that he had been cheated by Peoples.

He was shouting on the phone and onlookers overheard his words.

Still, by the time we get to Phoenix, he’’ll be (hopefully) sleeping. But for now the name Gregory "Phoenix" Olma is to be filed under "h" for "has been."

Crystal Peoples 10,362 68% Charley Fisher III 3,668 24% "Phoenix" Olma 1,294 8%

Peoples will face Republican Cliff Scott, onwer fo the Kensington Place in the general election.

IN FAMILY COURT, AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WINS BIG

CARTER WINS FAMILY COURT ON BOTH MAJOR LINES

In another surprise, and this, more good news for African-Americans, Kevin Carter will be returned as Family Court Judge Carter won both the Dem and Rep primaries for family court assuring him of election in November. Curiously, John J. Aman had a (rarely) united Dem party behind him, but this could not propel him to victory. The Democrats, used to warring with each other, and thus preventing Democrats’’ elections, have a reverse curse for those who win their united support. When that rare candidate like a, for instance, Jeff Swiatek or John Aman, can remain friendly with all members of the party, there is, from the absence of war, apathy. There is no need to work for or against such a candidate. As he is nobody’’s enemy, there is no need to fight or help him. Absent warring factions, Aman got lackluster support from his party and the big win went to the Republicans. Carter took 66% to Aman’’s 34% in the Repub primary and Carter won 40% in a three way Dem contest.

Carter was a former Democrat, by the way, who switched party affiliations to replace Mike Battle who was named US Attorney.

IN NYS SENATE, ANOTHER BIG WIN FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS

BRYON BROWN GOES BACK TO (ALBANY) TOWN

In the Dem Primary for the 60th Senate, a district which covers large portions of the urban areas of Niagara Falls and Buffalo, one of the smallest districts, geographically, outside of NYC, Byron Brown easily defeated Alfred Coppola.

Brown is in NYS history books as the first African-American in the state Senate to win election outside of NYC, and the first to win in a district with a white majority. Brown has tremendous crossover appeal and will face Coppola in the general election, since Coppola, although a Democrat, won the Republican endorsement with his promise to organize with them if elected.

ERIE COUNTY COURT JUDGE RACE FEATURES TWO WOMEN, ONE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN

The race for Erie county court Judge will be between two women: Attorney Ann Adams for the Republicans, and City Court Judge Shirley Troutman for the Democrats

Adams, a high-energy, and brilliant criminal defense attorney, whose comely face may be viewed daily, among the gallery of billboards of PoliticsWNY.com, handily defeated Tim Franczyk and Wallace Piotrowski in the Republican Primary. There was no surprise here.

The surprise however is in the Democratic primary and we must pause to mention that Democratic County Chairman Steve Pigeon may have had a hand in denying the popular Franczyk an opportunity to be on the ballot.

According to sources, Pigeon offered to endorse Franczyk but he refused. Pigeon then sponsored Piotrowski. It might be said that Piotrowski and Franczyk split the Polish votes, and consequently Troutman squeaked in. Troutman, as all who know her know, is a distinguished City Court judge and an outstanding African-American. Yet, undoubtedly, she was helped by the candidacy of two Polish-Americans, and, perhaps, somewhat by the recent spate of publicity that the Franczyk name has generated in the council downsizing debate, led by Tim’’s brother, Fillmore Council member Dave Franczyk.

SWARTS WINS COUNTY CLERK DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS ... is it the end of the reign of Steve Pigeon

If G. Steven Pigeon had a shot at retaining his position as Democratic County Chair, it was with a decisive win here. But the crushing loss of Fran Pordum to incumbent Dave Swarts, (Swarts 61%, Pordum 39%) has ended that. This was a race that Pigeon put much of his famed energy, political capital, and, sources say, about $300,000 (much of it Tom Golisano’’s money) into.

Pordum’’s loss spells the end of the controversial Chairman’’s hopes at reelection later this month.

At the end of the primary day, an altogether sunny and warm day, that ended oddly just as the polls closed with a thunder shower, Swarts’’s had secured more than a 10,000 vote plurality.

Sources say Pigeon, who lost some important committee seats, is now "very likely" to drop out of the running for County Chair.

Swarts like Pordum spent a considerable sum to win Tuesday’’s primary. Much of it was spent on last minute TV and Radio ads, the focus being almost exclusively on Swarts. In fact, the last anti-Swarts commercial, a $60,000 buy, was one where Swarts is described as living in a glass house - which in the end explodes. Curiously, it failed to mention Pordum’’s name.

An interesting observation was made on primary eve by one observer who proclaimed he was voting for Swarts. When asked why, he said, "why, Swarts appears to be running against himself." More than $400,000 in total was spent on this primary, which indeed served in the end to make Swarts a household name.

CITY COURT WILL SEES NEW FACES

JUDGE MARGARET MURPHY IS DEFEATED

In yet another judicial surprise, in a night of surprises, incumbent City Court Judge, Margaret Murphy was narrowly defeated by two strong, money-spending judicial candidates - both with big names in this city . There were two seats open, and the highest two vote getters, out of a field of seven, appear on the November ballot. Sharon Lovollo, a Erie county DA and arson investigator, and wife of long time mayoral aide, Vinnie Lovollo, and Hank Nowak edged in front of Murphy, retiring the incumbent after her first ten year term ends,. Tearrah Mullins an Afruican American candidate finished 4th.

GOLISANO WINS INDEPENDENCE PRIMARY

And increases his net worth

Rochester billionaire B. Thomas Golisano won the Independence primary over Governor George Pataki, 52- 48%. adding a startling element of concern to the campaign of Pataki, who was until recently riding sky high in the polls.

Both Pataki and Golisano spent a mint in mailings to IP voters to woo them. The tone of these was decidedly negative. The slight edge in nastiness had to go to Pataki however. While both were equally good at attacking each other viciously and on a wide array of charges from fraud to, effectually, feeble-mindedness, the Pataki camp added a new twist: Among their numerous attack pieces against Golisano, they had the audacity to criticize Golisano for negative campaigning. One line from a Pataki mailing reads... "Tom Golisano is spending unprecedented millions (on) negative campaign ads!!!"

The Pataki campaign claimed outrage at the "unprecedented" amount of money Golisano spent, yet Pataki also spent a bundle. One Albany source told us Pataki spent $23 million on the primary and raised money in all 50 states.

another Tale from the legend of Tom Golisano

Everyone knows billionaire Tom Golisano wrote himself a check for 50 million to fund his primary campaign. Some have literally dropped their jaws at this astonishing sum. But to put it in perspective, let us suppose that an average Erie County resident has a net worth of $100,000. Proportionately speaking, $50 million is to $2 billion (Golisano’’s reported net worth) what $1,600 is to $100,000. Golisano’’s investment in himself is akin to someone of average means investing $1600 of their own money into running for office. It’’s been done before.

But there’’s more to the story, or, as Franklin said, "money makes money, and the money that money makes, makes more money." Much of what Golisano has, of course, is not cash in the bank, but assets like stock etc. He is, according to reliable sources, said to have in reality a nearly $3 billion net worth. Consider, when a man like Golisano runs a campaign and gets statewide and national exposure, he meets and intermingles with numerous well-heeled and intelligent power and money brokers. Would you believe his overall assets and opportunities go up, and not down? If truth be told, this race is not costing Golisano a penny. He’’s meeting new people, getting investment opportunities daily. He may buy the Sabres. He may (win or lose) make a national or even a world-wide name for himself. Before this is over, his three billion may well be four.

Frank Parlato Jr., who writes for several local and national publications, may be reached at par 730@adelphia.net