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St. Lawrence sentencing for corruption conviction rescheduled for Nov. 27

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“Christopher St. Lawrence will learn how many years he will spend in federal prison when he’s scheduled for sentencing Nov. 27 in the White Plains federal courthouse.

U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel adjourned St. Lawrence’s sentencing, which had been set for Sept. 28, at his lawyer’s request.

A federal jury convicted St. Lawrence on May 29 on 20 corruption-related charges accusing him of manipulating the town’s books and fabricating revenues to get better rates on bonds to finance the town’s baseball stadium and other projects. The conviction ended the Democrat’s 16-year reign as supervisor. [Read more…]

Eruvs didn’t create Ramapo’s problems, bad zoning decisions did: JN Editorial

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The following editorial appeared in The Journal News on August 11, 2017

“Many have been worried about a recent expansion into New Jersey of a Ramapo-area eruv — a near-invisible boundary that allows Orthodox Jews more freedom of movement during the Sabbath.
Some say the boundary would extend eastern Ramapo’s chaos and crowded conditions into their backyard.

But Ramapo’s mess can be blamed on policy, not PVC piping; ill-planned zoning and lax building code enforcement caused the issues in Ramapo, not eruvs attached to utility poles. [Read more…]

Millions still flowing to St. Lawrence’s RLDC

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Money vacuumYou would think that as fast as St. Lawrence and his attorney were pedaling in the courtroom in White Plains, trying to outrun the 22 felony charges from the Dept of Justice, that he wouldn’t have time to continue to siphon public money to his bankrupt RLDC. So much for common sense. While St. Lawrence and his attorney, Michael Burke, were looking over perspective jurors, his corrupt machine was still still cranking up the giant sucking sound at Town Hall on Route 59, vacuuming millions in public assets. At the other end of the pipe, almost six million was blowing in at the RLDC office over at the ballpark.  [Read more…]

Preserve Ramapo celebrates an overdue conviction

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Last night, many of the Preserve Ramapo faithful showed up at the Water Wheel restaurant in Tallman to celebrate the conviction of one of the most disastrous politicians in Ramapo’s long 226-year history. The former supervisor, Christopher St. Lawrence, was found guilty of 20 federal charges of bond fraud and will be sentenced in September. The damage caused by St. Lawrence’s abuses go well beyond those spelled out in the criminal charges that will remove him from the community. [Read more…]

St. Lawrence Conviction Party Today–Tuesday

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Sweep Ramapo Clean posterPlease join our celebration of the successful prosecution of Christopher St. Lawrence on Tuesday, June 27th. And help us continue the legal fight for an honest referendum for single member districts in Ramapo.
Our party will be at the Water Wheel in Tallman starting at 7 PM. The entertainment will be free, but the drinks and food will be on you.
If you have been following our fight for single member districts in Ramapo you will remember that we first circulated our petitions and then had to spend years in court to force Ramapo to hold our referendum vote for single member districts. [Read more…]

Erasing Christopher St. Lawrence

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St. Lawrence’s name removed from the front of the office. (Photo: Ricky Flores/The Journal News)

“The glass window welcoming people to the Ramapo supervisor’s office in Town Hall is nameless.

Christopher St. Lawrence’s name had been scratched off the glass Friday after his 16 years of running the county’s largest town with flair and controversy came to an abrupt end. [Read more…]

Christopher St. Lawrence’s corruption trial will likely impact Ramapo

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Photo of St. Lawrence listening to public remarks

The criminal trial will begin Wednesday, April 9, with jury selection. After that, St. Lawrence faces the 22 civil charges brought by the SEC in a second trial. Then after that, he is being personally sued by Melissa Reimer, and that trial is on hold until after the first two federal trials.

“After nearly 17 years of running Ramapo and decisively winning elections, Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence will stand alone when his federal trial is scheduled to open Wednesday, April 19, in White Plains with jury selection on an array of corruption charges that’s left the town gasping for financial breath.

The outcome could likely change the face of Rockland’s most divisive and diverse town, especially if the 66-year-old St. Lawrence of Wesley Hills is convicted and forced to resign. [Read more…]

Ramapo dirt pile fallout: FBI probe, $2M lawsuit

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“Fallout from the discovery that contaminated soil was left unattended in public locations for years has now expanded to include interviews by federal agents and a $2 million lawsuit against the town of Ramapo.

Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann, chairman of Rockland Sewer District No. 1, confirmed Wednesday the FBI spoke with Dianne Philipps, the executive director of the district, regarding an inter-municipal agreement the district entered into with Ramapo in 2012 to remove contaminated soil stockpiled in Sloatsburg and Hillburn. [Read more…]

Ramapo Gang of Four is billing the public for its legal fees

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Klein, Oberman, St. Lawrence, Troodler

Imagine this. Four guys break into your house, and lug out as much as they can carry. But not too long after, they are caught, and you’re feeling a little better because they’re all charged with multiple crimes.

Then, a short time after, you get a registered letter from the gang’s law firm informing you that the attorneys for these losers will be forwarding to you all the billable hours incurred in the effort to defend the four derelicts that robbed you. The tone of the letter is professional and polite, and the lawyers even offer the reassurance that you shouldn’t worry, this won’t cost you more than $150,000, that is, for the first year’s work. [Read more…]