Surrogate Showdown
October 5th, 2005
The Post reports this morning that the Brooklyn Democratic machine, reeling from the conviction of its leader Clarence Norman — to say nothing of its loss of clout (it backed fourth place finisher Gifford Miller in the mayoral primary) — is scrambling to preserve its grip on Brooklyn Surrogate’s Court. “No allegation is too outrageous in the machine’s mounting legal effort to invalidate the election and force the city to hold another one,” writes Jim Hinch. When reformer Margarita Lopez Torres eked out a 121-vote margin of victory over party candidate Diana Johnson, he continues, “Johnson sued. And a virtual who’s who of Brooklyn’s Democratic establishment turned up at the Board of Elections to help Johnson comb through ballots for technical violations.”
Now Lopez Torres backers are vowing to fight back. A posting on Daily Gotham and on congresional candidate Chris Owens’ Web site announced, “The successful reform campaign of Margarita Lopez Torres for Surrogate Court Judge of Kings County is under attack. The legal challenge to her slim 121-vote lead is serious! Volunteers are needed immediately — at least eight people or more at a time. Meticulous work is required.”
Our gal in Brooklyn, responded, “I am totally inept at numerical detail work. I get dyslexic. but I’ll be there, doing whatever I have to (including proceeding at a really slow pace) in order to get MLT in…. Just having us in there will scare the pants out of the machine’s paid workers.”
By Gail Robinson on October 5, 2005, 1:06 pmIn category: Electoral Politics, Governing, Law | 3 Comments »


October 5th, 2005 at 4:39 pm
How one sided! Who wouldn’t challenge a 100 vote difference in a county-wide election. How about reaching out to Supreme Court Justice Johnson’s camp to find out why they are challenging. Really, this post is shameless in its lack of objectivity. You basically compiled what has been on the Daily Gotham website and Chris Owens campaign site since mid last week and added today’s Post article. Shame on you!
October 7th, 2005 at 9:50 am
Its not that there is a challenge– its how they are doing it. bullying. Judge Elect- Richard Velasquez has no business breaking code and counting votes there. The fact that its only the guys in office right now, the ones with Clarence Norman ties that are all worked up trying to keep MLT out prove that Diana J is the machine candidate. It proves the machines desperation.
So Brooklyn Dem, how do you explain Richard V’s actions? How will things be different under Vito Lopez than they were under Norman. How do we stop the bullies?
October 7th, 2005 at 1:28 pm
Who is bullying? The press is reporting that there are over ONE THOUSAND paper ballots that are not being counted. Why would anyone not want to review those ballots to ensure that every legitimate vote is counted, for whomever they may have voted for? It seems that voter enfranchisement is not in the interest of any single campaign, but in all of our interests. Anyone who was as disappointed as I was by the Supreme Court’s decision in Bush v. Gore (2000) should feel the same way.