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Written on Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 at 4:12pm by Alan Bedenko | 14 Comments

Konst vs. Volker

This is the most convoluted fricking article I’ve ever read. Either Kathy Konst voted twice in 1998 – once in Florida and once in Erie County, or she didn’t.

What it reminds me of is the War Kids story/ies McCarthy did, where he transcribed an opponent’s smear, and it was up to the accused party to do frantic pushback. The hard part here is that Florida’s signature cards, which would have shown whether Konst signed in to vote there in 1998, have been destroyed, so she’s wholly unable adequately to rebut the charges.

Volker has been waging political war on his opponents – first an intimidation campaign to dissuade Republicans from voting for David DiPietro, and now a frontal assault on Kathy Konst’s integrity by bringing up a charge that cannot be rebutted.

Konst released this yesterday:

Mr. Volker, when I first announced my run for the State Senate, your campaign manager told friends that he was going to, “destroy Kathy Konst this year and then we’re going to come back next year and destroy her again in the legislature.” Well, I’m learning just how low you will go, Mr. Volker.

The Buffalo News told me that Mr. Volker has reportedly produced some mistaken or falsified document that claims that I voted BOTH in Florida AND in New York on the same day in 1998.

Let’s consider how preposterous that is.

If you were to DRIVE from Buffalo to Florida, it will take you a minimum of 24 hours (if you don’t stop to eat or sleep). So, that leaves flying.

I’ve go [sic] through my records from 10 years ago. In 1998, I was president of the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and I had TWO events in New York around that time – one event on Nov 2nd and another on Nov 4th. The election was on November 3rd.
So, to accomplish this feat, I’d have to first vote in New York and then hop a plane to FLORIDA to vote there, and then immediately returned to New York for my event the next day. I have documents and many witnesses who can attest to these facts.

I lived in Florida from 1989 to 1992, but I haven’t lived or owned property in Florida since 1992, when I moved to Buffalo with my family.

But, for the past 2 days, I’ve been forced to dig through my records from 10 years ago in order to respond to wild accusations and misrepresentations designed to keep us off guard and away from focusing on the real issues. When will this stop?

As you know, for the past three weeks, we’ve been distracted in court. Mr. Volker stole the election line from me in court on a technicality. But now, he’s stooping to even lower tactics.

Mr. Volker, you’ve been in office for 36 years. Stop the mudslinging!

Let’s talk about the REAL issues affecting the people.

Three weeks ago, Mr. Volker accused me of petition wrongdoing. But yesterday at Court, the judge threw out the signatures 80 because they didn’t raise their hand and swear.

Well, Mr. Volker, I’m raising my right hand today to swear to you and to all the citizens of the 59th District, that if I’m successful in this November’s campaign, I promise I’ll work to reform government and to clean up the dirty politics that are making you famous.

Volker is petrified of losing, and will stoop to anything to win. He is among the more shameful and worn-out politicians we have in this area, and I’d be happy to welcome the dismissal from the legislature of a guy who was first elected almost 40 years ago. Dale Volker is a walking, talking advertisement for Albany term limits, and so far he’s conducted most of his campaign through threats and smear campaigns.

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14 Comments

  1. Joanne L. Capone says:
    October 2, 2008 at 4:50 pm

    I do not know if anyone anywhere would go to the trouble to vote in a non-presidential election two times in states as far apart as NY and Florida. It strikes me as absurd…

    However, I do not know the facts except what are aleged by Volker and printed in the News.

    What lengths has Dale Volker gone to to protect his career? How much money was paid out by his campaign to look into voting records in 1998?

    This is bizarre to the extreme.

    I would have to agree with Kathy that this demonstrates desparation tactics. Dale had a close call with his primary and he knows that many people in Lancaster like Kathy.

    If voting records with signature cannot be produced…this smacks of foul political dirty tricks in my opinion.

  2. Facts Plz says:
    October 2, 2008 at 5:25 pm

    Volker is a toxic, vile old man who yields power and influence by virtue of the fruits of his auctioned soul. The combination is exactly the dangerous and corrupt mix that continues to lock our community in its death grip.

    Konst may not be in a position to “bring home the bacon” as VileVolker does, but my belief is that we will still be better for his demise.

    GO KONST.

  3. John Swanson says:
    October 2, 2008 at 6:16 pm

    “Many people in Lancaster like Konst”? I guess Joanne Capone thinks 2 equal many because the only people who like Kathy Konst in Lancaster are her Daughter and husband!

  4. The Wizard says:
    October 2, 2008 at 6:48 pm

    I am in shock and awe that Kathy voted in two states. COMPLETE SHOCK AND AWE!!!!

  5. Dan says:
    October 2, 2008 at 7:11 pm

    The whole thing is bizarre. Not sure what elections were going on then (off year)so don’t know what her motivation would be.

    Do we think that Dale Volker had the foresight to forge her name 10 years ago on the off chance that she would some day run against him? Unlikely.

    Could it be identity theft? Maybe.

    What troubles me about Konst’s response is twofold – 1)her response is a little shrill – mthinks she doth protest too much. 2) Her comment that she moved seems to be contradicted by her application for a driver’s license two years later.

    Something smells, and I don’t think it is Volker.

  6. TheRover says:
    October 2, 2008 at 7:15 pm

    I voted for DiPietro, now I’ll vote for Konst. Volker has been an ebarasment to Republicans for generations. His political career must die.

  7. Chris from OP says:
    October 2, 2008 at 7:37 pm

    Ummm… aren’t we missing the more sinister implication of this. The only logically possible way Konst could have voted in both of these elections is if she is a WITCH! I for one say, BURN HER! BURN HER!

  8. Dan says:
    October 2, 2008 at 7:38 pm

    BTW – th earticle didn’t get to it, but could one of those votes been absentee?

  9. Chris from OP says:
    October 2, 2008 at 7:42 pm

    Bob McCarthy is a vapid caricature of a High School Cheerleader. The vast body of his work is generated by cut and paste and the rest is empty gossip.

    “Like, oh my God, you totally won’t believe who I saw eating with Chris Collins at Chef’s last night. It was, like, totally weird!”

  10. Facts Plz says:
    October 2, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    One tidbit that could be the string to follow is the Fla Election official who said that prior to the 1998 election Konst had been categorized as an “inactive voter”. May be too simplistic but just maybe other “inactive voters” voted in that election also via election fraud. Konst could be a victim. Just a thought.

  11. Ward says:
    October 2, 2008 at 10:33 pm

    Yes, folks, but what if she did?
    It’s a fairly significant charge, if true, and worthy of being looked into, don’t you think?

  12. Part 2 says:
    October 3, 2008 at 1:24 am

    As a former Erie County Elections worker, I can tell you that it is really really REALLY easy to screw up the inputting of voting records. You go through literally 1000 of those poll books that you have to sign, and scan every single bar code with a signature next to it. If you screw up, its a huge PITA to undo it, assuming you even notice, which a lot of times you won’t.

    I know for a fact that Palm Beach County uses the same software.

    so yeah. I’m not a Kathy Konst fan, but I’d put up a lot of bling that this is an operator error at the PBCBOE or the Erie BOE, and not malicious.

  13. OPNY says:
    October 3, 2008 at 8:55 am

    And she didn’t know that her husband declared bankruptcy in 2003 in Florida? She is exactly what we need in Albany – NOT.

  14. Bijou says:
    October 3, 2008 at 10:25 am

    they declared bankruptsy as a result of a lawsuit with the railroad after the railroad lost and found destroyed all of their belongings when they moved to florida. look into it.

    i wish people would actually research history before commenting on it. konst is a victim. she was innactive in florida because she had been an active voter in NY from 1992 on. we all know of palm beach county voter fraud…come on!