If the meeting had been called for Saturday morning (the Jewish Sabbath) there would have been hell to pay–cries of illicit political exclusion and craven anti-Semitism—but since this was called for a mid-Sunday morning (the Christian Sabbath) all that was required was a disingenuous apology from Chair/operative Mona Montal to excuse the scheduling. For those who think that’s kind of overstating a simple mistake, recall the infamous Oz’s Curtain that appeared at a previous Ramapo Democratic Committee meeting—Oct. 29, 2008. Ramapo town attorneys were brought in and hid behind a curtain as they threw out countless proxy votes that could have established Preserve Ramapo’s control over the Committee (read “Throw ‘Em Out” Trying to Steal an Election—Part 3).
NOTE: For those who have despaired of any political Karma in Ramapo, consider that the architect of that October debacle, Oz St. Lawrence, and two of his ranking town attorneys, have been indicted on 22 or 44 criminal and/or civil charges. The fate of the almighty and powerful Oz now rests shakily in the hands of defense attorneys, and the court meetings will be held on weekdays, will be open to the public, and there won’t be any curtains around the jury box.
Screen set up at Ramapo Democratic Committee in 2008. Town lawyers threw out Preserve Ramapo proxy ballots–out of sight, with no public review. Man at left was security to keep anyone away from the curtained area.
Ramapo Democratic Committee Meeting Sunday Morning, Sept. 8 at 6 Dr. Berg Rd., Spring Valley
(Narrative provided by Steve White—Power of Ten)
The meeting took place this morning in one of the rooms below the Ramapo Cultural Arts Center. There were about 60 people present. The agenda for the meeting did not mention nominating anyone for the Democratic line for town council, but it seems to have been the reason the meeting was called. Town reorganization meetings usually happen on the same day in the same place as the county meeting. That won’t be until 9/29.
The chair apologized profusely for having the meeting on a Sunday and promised it would never happen again. The few Sunday churchgoers present did not seem to think her apology was sincere. Reappointment of the executive committee was not opposed.
The proposal was made to retroactively approve the appointment of a Mr. Rossman by the executive committee, which the chair said happened on September 6. I made a motion to appoint Rodrigue Lustin, who had previously run for the seat in 2011. I made the point that there are several people who have run, and received the support of thousands of Democratic Rank and File in past primaries, and that we should consider one of them first. I stated that these include Daniel Friedman, Patsy Wooters, Bruce Levine, Robert Rhodes, Veronica Boesch, and Rodrigue Lustin. I made reference to a similar situation in East Ramapo, where the board appointed someone who had run for the position, and she (Sabrina Charles-Pierre) had worked out fine.
There followed a series of votes, some of which were interrupted by the Town Clerk or by Mr. Levine (a lawyer) for procedural issues. It soon became clear that most of the room favored the choice of the executive committee. However, it is equally clear that the majority in the Ramapo Democratic committee are unwilling to seriously consider suggestions from the minority.
Steve White
www.poweroften.us