Tedisco Tries To Make Roadkill Of Sam Seder's Ballot
We can now add another illustrious name to the list of absentee voters whose ballots in the NY-20 special election have been challenged by the campaign of GOP candidate Jim Tedisco: Sam Seder, the liberal talk-radio host with Air America!
Sam posted a message on Twitter yesterday: "NY20th race Tedisco challenged my absentee ballot. 4 days before the election I was jury foreman for a trial in NY20th. Challenge Fail."
The Tedisco camp had previously challenged U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's ballot -- the person that Tedisco is seeking to replace in Congress -- and now Sam is on the list, too.
The jury had served on March 26 and March 27, and Election Day was March 31. Since this past October, Sam has maintained a second place in New York City for his radio job, and voted absentee because he would be at work on Election Day. Other than the need to be in New York City for work, he has been living full-time in Columbia County.
In fact, I was able to confirm with Columbia County Democratic election commissioner Virginia Martin that Sam's ballot has indeed been challenged by the Tedisco campaign -- on the grounds that he does not legitimately live in the district. Martin overruled the challenge, while the Republican deputy commissioner sustained it, keeping the vote out of the count until further notice.
Sam told me that he found out through a friend of his who had contacted the county for the list of challenged ballots. "He was sending out e-mails to people saying, check on this list to see if your name was on it," Sam said. And he was quite surprised to find his name on the list: "I thought there was no way that my ballot was gonna be challenged."
Sam was none too impressed when I told him that the Tedisco campaign alleged that he wasn't a resident of the district. "Jerks," he said. "I mean, I could tell you I've attended far more Livingston town meetings than Jim Tedisco has."
He added: "I just think it's ironic that this guy doesn't live in the 20th, and he's challenging my residency."
And Sam's service on a jury should be proof enough that he's a resident. Columbia County commissioner of jurors Loretta Salvesvold could not confirm for me the circumstances of any individual juror, but she could explain to me the general law that eligibility for jury service is dependent on a person's primary residence being in that area -- that this is where the person spends most of their time.
An e-mail for comment to the Tedisco campaign has not been returned.
(Also, it is indeed true that Tedisco doesn't live in the district. However, the federal Constitution does not have a district-residency requirement, only a state-residency requirement. There are in fact House members on both sides of the aisle right now, who either don't live in their districts or didn't at the time when they were first elected -- and this number goes up significantly if we count the ones who really live in Washington.)


















Do Republicans ever stop being massive jerks?
April 23, 2009 6:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
No.
April 23, 2009 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
The members of the GOP, as it exists today, are what I call "genetic Republicans". By this I mean that their genetic signatures compel them to identify with GOP philosophies, rather than let native intelligence and common sense be their guide. They have no more control of this compulsion than they do over eye color or handedness.
Those GOPers who have left the fold, on the other hand, do not have this genetic aberration, and are free to at least sample other ideologies.
An interesting parallel to this phenomenon is that of bankers: does the man make the banker, or the banker make the man?
Thoughts?
April 23, 2009 6:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Republicans don't deserve democracy. They have no respect for it. Since 2000, they have been trying systematically, and many times succeeding, to disable it.
April 23, 2009 6:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
How shameful Jim Tedisco, how shameful.
April 23, 2009 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
i either didn't know this or i had forgotten it, but it makes sense.
it might help you get elected to be from the district but there is no reason why a non resident couldnt represent the district better than or as well as a resident.
April 23, 2009 6:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Aside from the whole, "I live here and am I member of your community and therefore am likely to have some understanding of your perspectives" part?
The law's the law, but it's pretty hard to talk about local issues if you aren't involved in them, or if they don't affect you (e.g. property taxes, failing school districts, etc.).
Considering the bubble in which most of our beltway politicians operate in Washington, it's pretty strange to hear people make the argument that it's OK for a representative to be disconnected from their constituency, not to mention a conflict of interest: if given the choice of fighting for funding for the district one represents, or for allowing that funding to go to the district in which one lives and would improve your property or lifestyle, I find it hard to believe our little political weeble-wobbles would always choose the district they represent.
April 23, 2009 7:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I never knew this, either. Frankly, I think it stinks.
April 24, 2009 2:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is doubly annoying since Sam voices the wonderful Fenton Mewly on Home Movies. The thought of the complaining Fenton would do in this situation would've given Tedisco pause, if he was hip enough to know about the greatest grown-up cartoon ever.
April 23, 2009 6:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
First it was Sen. Gillibrand's ballot that they challenged; now with Sam Seder's, the Republicans have destroyed their reputation even for the only skill they ever mastered, stealth voter disenfranchisement.
April 23, 2009 7:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, their reputation as a bunch of dishonest, sore losers who have no shame is completely in tact.
April 23, 2009 7:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good thing there are no sanctions for bad-faith challenges. Oh, wait.
April 23, 2009 7:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
This election and attempts of disenfranchisement by the GOP is not weird, it's business as usual for a party desperately out of touch and out of favor - even in CD's that have majority GOP registration.
This is not weird, it's about Republican bullies trying undermine democracy.
James Tedisco is small town loser, and now it's official.
April 23, 2009 7:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Republicans shit on Democracy and the will of the people. Elections mean nothing to them. And they've gotten nothing as a result. Gerrymandering districts. Refusing to concede in obvious defeat. The Party of torture and hubris. Here's to hoping they ALL wind up in jail for their crimes.
April 23, 2009 7:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
They were challenging any absentee ballot in Columbia County with a NYC postmark. Desperation!
Good for Sam. He'll win this easily (he's definitely a resident. I live here too and see him around all the time) and gets some free publicity to boot.
April 23, 2009 9:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was mistaken in calling a Murphy victory by 4-6%. He will win though.
This victory is important in a number of respects, and I'll only mention one, with a view to activism.
I think that Democratic field workers that got out and knocked on doors, etc. as did I, are vindicated in their idealism that they can make a difference. I'm sure everyone who worked for Murphy feels like they probably made a critical difference. This will, in turn, generate more enthusiasm for working for Democrats.
Tedisco's workers I think have a very different: they lost a race that by registration statistics they should have won walking away. They didn't. I think it will discourage Republican opponents from running, and (R) workers from volunteering. This district (I'm a resident), may be in the odd position of turning blue without that blueness being reflected in party registrations.
April 23, 2009 9:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Perhaps they didn't return the email because they are busy working on tomorrow afternoon's concession speech.
April 23, 2009 9:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
The TimesUnion reports that by Monday, there will only be about 700 challenged ballots left to count.
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=793252&category=STATE&TextPage=1
With Murphy up by over 400 already, if even a small fraction of those 700 left are Murphy votes (which you can count on) its over.
April 24, 2009 6:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is an example of the people having spoken. A predominantly republican district elects a democrat. The media was all over Jefferson's loss in La. as a precursor even while he was under indictment. I'll bet we hear very little about this nationally
April 24, 2009 7:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
I respectfully disagree. I think you're going to find out it will be all over that day's news cycle, as soon as Murphy declares victory.
Maybe not trumpeted over and over like you see with some things. But the pundits will be short stroking this thing to high heaven for at least a day. "What does this mean for the Republicans? Will Steele resign? If they can't win this district, where CAN they win?" etc. etc.
Should be a blast.
April 24, 2009 9:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Which of course is why they're thinking of burying their concession by timing it for Friday afternoon. Classy to the end!
April 24, 2009 9:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sam calls the board of elections to find out why his ballot is being challenged by Jim Tedisco, the Republican nominee in the special election for the 20th US Congressional District.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiCH9-fmRdA
April 24, 2009 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
They have done this and more in my district and I am sick and tired of this shit. What about representation don't they understand?
April 24, 2009 7:42 PM | Reply | Permalink