Submitted by Israel Ruiz, Jr., Nov 18, 2006 13:57

As a former independent democratic State Senator and City Councilman from the Bronx, I have seen first hand the way the judicial and prosecutorial system is used by the regular Democratic and Republican Parties to intimidate and defeat those of us who fight their corrupt control of the electoral process. Judges and prosecutors who are nominated and appointed by the parties are expected to do the dirty work by keeping people off the ballot and indicting the trouble makers who challenge their candidates.

Why are judges who live outside the counties they are elected from not prosecuted? Why are elected officials who are required to live in their districts not prosecuted when they only have sham addresses in the district ? I know of a case where an assemblyman, who is now a county chiarman, who has elevated his unqualified children to key political positions, tetified on his own behalf that he lived out of a suitcase in a rented room, when he came to the district he represented. Evidenceshowed that he lived in Elmont ,NY with his wife, and his mistress in Orange County. The judge,who owed his appointment to the Democratic Party Regular organization ruled that he had a bonifide residence.

Mr. O'Hara should have realized( especially since he is a lawyer), when he decided to run against the Brooklyn Organization, that he was not going to get away with the same chicanery the 'regulars' get away with. Had he hired a knowledgeable campaign operative he would of organized his proof of residence in a way that would have been challenge proof. If there were justice in New York State the governor would pardon O'Hara.

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