Spurned Local Politician Looks to Exact Revenge on Residents In Chester
A preview of articles involving Chester Town Supervisor, Bob Valentine, and State Senator James G. Skoufis. We also take a look at a big environmental bill in Albany you can help pass, right now.
Sunday is always our slowest day here at The Monroe Gazette. That’s when I review all the emails we’ve gathered over the last week; and begin our investigative work for upcoming stories.
It’s also usually my deadline for comments from sources. For example, Mr. Ryne Kitzrow of Blooming Grove, continues to send updates concerning environmental disruptions to the Region 3 office of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). All stemming from the Clovewood development. The Region 3 office has mostly ignored Mr. Kitzrow. So, we’ve asked the DEC to comment. At the time of this writing, we are awaiting a response from their press representative.
It is a verifiable fact that Mr. Ziggy Brach, the developer, and the associated parties behind the Clovewood development, such as un-elected South Blooming Grove mayors, Mr. Joel Stern and Mr. Isaac Ekstein, continue to be fined by the DEC — even after getting their Clovewood permits granted — and continue to ignore those fines. Mr. David Hoovler, asking every Orange County resident to re-elect him to the role of District Attorney, has refused to act on this matter. Something Monroe, Woodbury, Blooming Grove, and Chester residents should remember this November. Mr. Hoovler is up for re-election.
Since Sundays are slow, I have a couple of time-sensitive things to share with local readers.
So, I hope you don’t mind the short-ish post here. Don’t worry, there are at least two really long ones coming this week. Here’s a preview of both of them. Then we’ll get to some call-to-action items involving your congressional representative and, for Southern Orange County residents, your Assembly representative.
The Monroe Gazette Endorses Bob Courtenay and Linda A. Zappala in the Town of Chester Republican Primary
Pictured Above: Early Voting has begun! If you live in Chester, Monroe, or Woodbury, get your ass down to Monroe’s Town Hall, at 1465 Orange Turnpike, between 12 to 8pm on Monday and Tuesday, between 8am and 4pm on Wednesday, between 9am and 5pm on Thursday, between 7am and 3pm on Friday, and between 9am and 5pm on Saturday and Sunday to vote. Do NOT wait for election day. Stuff always comes up. People get busy. No. No excuses. Make a plan, bring a friend, and get your ass to the polls.
Chester is usually quiet enough that The Monroe Gazette doesn’t spend too much time covering it. Ditto with the Village of Monroe. (The Village of Harriman is a different story. We’ve heard your concerns about the lack of transparency involving that Village’s government, and will be working to address that in the not-too-distant future.)
Over in Chester, we’re very aware of former Town Supervisor, Robert Valentine, and his latest round of harmful scams. You’ll recall that, much like Tax Hike Tony in Monroe, Mr. Bob Valentine was borrowing heavily from the Reserve Funds of the Town to paper over his fiscal mismanagement of Chester.
Something that can be directly attributed to any tax hikes experienced by Town residents.
You see, you can only do that for so long before you run out of money to cover your ass. Covering your ass and blaming anyone who tells you the truth is Mr. Bob Valentine’s M.O. (Since we’re sharing our opinion here, we didn’t contact Mr. Valentine for a response; however, we will reach out to him to respond to these and other claims this week for our upcoming story. There, Mr. Valentine will be given an opportunity to do so.)
We encourage our local Republicans, who don’t like to be taken for fools, to support Bob Courtenay and Linda Zappala in their bid for re-election.
We believe that, whatever our political differences may be with Mr. Courtenay, he’s demonstrated a commitment to bipartisanship.
Bob Courtenay also demonstrated a commitment to putting the people first (such as casting the deciding vote to bring all Chester residents high-quality, 24/7 emergency medical service, which is something Monroe does NOT have).
Given that Southern Orange County has an elderly population, there is nothing more important than ensuring all residents receive fast, efficient, and high-quality medical care when they need it most. If people want to use that high-quality medical care to complain about a modest tax increase (less than what you would pay for Netflix each month), then they’re telling you they don’t care about the people. Only themselves.
See: Brandon Calore in Woodbury, complaining about a modest tax increase in the Village, despite the fact that the tax increase was specifically meant to cover the cost of a brand new fire truck. One that was incredibly timely, given the 2024 Jennings Creek Fire, and warnings from the DEC that our region faces an increased threat of forest fires because of Climate Change.
Finally, Mr. Courtenay has demonstrated a commitment to land preservation. (And yes, we asked Mr. Courtenay about where the donkey hangs out on Laore, at 17 Bonnie Brook Road, and whether or not the Town will purchase that property, or other properties like it to preserve. Why? Because doing so increases neighboring property values, increases the supply of airable land available to Town residents in a world where there’s less and less farmland, and improves the air quality for Chester residents by having the undeveloped land serve as a carbon sink.
Preserving land isn’t about keeping people out.
It’s about maintaining and growing the property value of your home, which for many Americans is viewed as an investment.
It’s about making sure there’s a safe supply of food to grow and eat in the community, especially for those who need it most.
And it’s about making sure your community has clean air to breathe. Because remember friends, under New York State’s Constitution Article 1, Section 19: “Each person shall have a right to clean air and water, and a healthful environment.” Mr. Courtneay is helping to protect your constitutional rights as a New Yorker during a time when other candidates — such as David Rabbitts in Monroe — works to undermine the Climate Law in the state government.
Preserving land should not be political or controversial, but wealthy real estate developers — like the ones who donated $24,000 to State Senator James G. Skoufis just prior to his re-election in November of 2024 — want to make it out to be. Or they make outrageous claims that improving the air quality and ensuring the community can grow its own food is “Anti-semitic.” (Yes. That is seriously a thing around these parts. Clean air is anti-semitic. You know, the same way that criticizing Israel is “anti-semitic.” Neither is. And we should call out that bullshit whenever we see it on both fronts.
For Mrs. Linda Zappala, the Town Clerk, if you read The Monroe Gazette, you know how critical a good Town Clerk is. In South Blooming Grove, you have a Village Clerk that — in our opinion — committed perjury to help cover up the ongoing White Collar Crime Spree in that Village, perpetrated by Joel Stern and Isaac Ekstein.
And in Monroe, we’ve seen the Town Clerk deploy an illegal 90-day blanket FOIL policy (since rolled back), and otherwise act to obstruct, stall, or delay FOILs that could be damaging to Mr. Tony Cardone’s reputation and political career. We have an example of one of those coming up to share with you real soon, involving the Village of Monroe police department.
Mrs. Linda Zappala doesn’t do that nonsense. She doesn’t put politics ahead of the people. The Monroe Gazette will always support candidates, regardless of party, if they demonstrate a commitment to the people ahead of the wealthy and the well-connected.
Much like Mrs. Desiree Potvin did for the Town of Woodbury — before the weird freaks on that Woodbury Town Board created a veritable ocean of resignations — Mrs. Zappala serves with integrity, and puts the people of Chester first.
While we don’t know much about her opponent, or Mr. Courtneay’s opponents, we do know that they are all linked up with Bob Valentine.
Anyone running with, or on behalf of, Bob Valentine should be considered radioactive for Town of Chester residents. They stole your money before, while they represented the Town, and they’re now back to steal even more of it.
Mr. Valentine is a clear and present danger to the entire Town of Chester community. If you are associated with him, you may be too.
State Senator James G. Skoufis Just Broke The Law
The second preview involves State Senator Skoufis’s sexist, misleading attacks on Monroe Town Councilwoman Maureen Richardson. Something that has epically backfired on him, if the response from Town residents to his Facebook ads is any indication.
Mr. Skoufis didn’t expect anyone to find out that he was behind Protect Monroe-Woodbury.
He didn’t expect that anyone would report on its comically inept operations, like calling itself Protect Orange County, before the real Protect Orange County found out. And now facing the potential wrath of the Monroe-Woodbury School District for the use of the name Monroe-Woodbury, and the heavy use of the school’s Purple and White Color scheme in their mailers.
Finally, Mr. Skoufis didn’t expect anyone would factually and verifiably report that he broke New York State Election Law.
We couldn’t help but notice our friends at Mid-Hudson News did not do this, instead allowing for the State Senator to call any criticism of him and Protect Monroe-Woodbury a “conspiracy theory.”
So, how did State Senator James G. Skoufis break the law? (And yes, we did indeed report this law breaking to the New York State Election Law Enforcement Division.)
We spoke with Kathleen McGrath, who is the Director of Public Information at the New York State Board of Elections. She told us, “For those committees participating in this June Primary, the 2025 32-Day Pre-Primary report was due on 5/23/25. The next required filing is the 2025 11-Day Pre-Primary report, due on 6/13/25.”
Today is June 15th. Guess who hasn’t filed? If you guessed “James G. Skoufis and William J. Alexander’s Protect Monroe-Woodbury” you guessed correctly:
You have to report your campaign expenditures. As Mrs. McGrath told us, “Again, ALL money in and out of the committee is to be disclosed in the required disclosure reports (that cover specific date ranges).”
Especially when you spend over $2,000 on something like Facebook ads. Can you guess what Mr. Skoufis and Mr. William J. Alexander haven’t reported to New York State’s Board of Elections?
Whoops.
But hey. Here’s something else you might not know. According to Mrs. McGrath, Mr. Skoufis could have used any of his $6M to help keep Museum Village open.
She told us, “There are a number of permissible ways for a committee to disburse leftover funds once all loans/liabilities are paid off (and any other repayments are made). Funds can be:
Contributed to a charity recognized by the Internal Revenue Service, but not where the filer or a member of the filer’s family controls the charity or has decision making powers therein; or (emphasis added.)
Contributed to a candidate or a political committee, subject to the recipient candidate’s or committee’s receipt limit; or
Transferred between two authorized committees solely supporting the same candidate; or to a Party or Constituted Committee where the filer making the transfer is a candidate or candidate’s authorized committee; or
Refunded on a pro-rated basis to all contributors; or
Turned over to the NYS General Fund.
The Campaign Finance Handbook outlines these options.
While I cannot speak to the specifics of this museum, if it is an IRS-recognized charity/501(c)(3), then donating funds to it could fall under the first bullet above.”
When Museum Village announced that it faced closure without an increase in financial support, Mr. Skoufis did not act to utilize his $6 million in campaign funds. Despite being legally allowed to do so. You know what he did instead? He spent $100,000 on a quixotic bid to be head of the Democratic National Committee.
One final thing, As Mrs. McGrath told us, concerning coordination between candidates and Independent Expenditure Committees, “IE committees must operate with NO coordination with any of the candidates/committees participating in the election in which the IE committee is participating in.”
The voicemails that can be heard in Mr. Skoufis’s Protect Monroe-Woodbury Facebook ads? Those were provided directly by Mr. Skoufis to Mr. Rabbitts. There’s no other way for Mr. Rabbitts to have come into possession of them without the State Senator explicitly having done so. (You’ll note that Mr. Skoufis tries to cover this up on the Mad Maureen mailers, by claiming the voicemails were left for “a democrat” and not, in reality, himself.)
We know this because the voicemails Mr. Skoufis is sharing with people came immediately following his refusal to ignore Monroe Town Councilwoman Maureen Richardson’s insistence that he stop sexually harassing her.
Here’s hoping the Democratic National Committee takes Mr. Skoufis’s law-breaking under advisement the next time he tries to run for DNC Chair, or attempts to run for Congress.
We promise our readers that if Mr. Skoufis ever tries to run for Congress, we will be there to stop him. The world can no longer abide Schumer Democrats like Mr. Skoufis, who put their needs, and the needs of their corporate donors, ahead of the people.
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Pat Ryan Doesn’t Know If He Supports Impeaching President Trump
This is our first call to action. On Friday, we called Congressman Pat Ryan’s office and asked him two questions:
-Do you support Representative Al Green’s Articles of Impeachment (House Resolution 415, which can be read here.) The representative of Congressman Ryan that we spoke with did not know the Congressman’s position on this issue.
We then asked …
-Do you support Representative Jayapal’s proposed Constitutional Amendment overturning Citizens United?
The representative for Congressman Pat Ryan said he did not know the Congressman’s position on this issue.
Given that nearly eleven million people have been estimated to attend this week’s No Kings Protest, we feel it’s about time Congressman Pat Ryan made his positions clear on impeachment of President Trump, and overturning the Citizens United decision. The decision that has warped our political process and allowed unlimited money to flow into our politics. Like what you’re seeing right now in New York City:
We urge our readers to call Congressman Pat Ryan — or your respective Congressional representative if you don’t live in our district — and demand he clarify his position on these important issues. The number to call is (202) 225-5614
Pass the Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act NOW
Finally, the New York State Assembly is wrapping up its session. Chris Eachus’s Chief of Staff — and flailing Monroe Town Supervisor candidate, David Rabbitts — has a documented pattern of wanting to roll back New York State’s Climate Laws. So, despite him running and claiming he’s going to fix the potholes on Route 17M — despite not doing a damn thing in his current position as Mr. Eachus’s Chief of Staff to actually fix the potholes — We must force Mr. Rabbitts and Mr. Eachus to act.
The New York State Senate passed the Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act. Now it’s up to Mr. Eachus (and Mr. Rabbitts) in the Assembly to do the same.
The Assembly will adjourn either Tuesday or Wednesday of this week.
Please call Mr. Eachus and urge him to vote “YES” on the Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act (A1749) before they leave Albany. Click here to be connected directly to your NY State Assemblymember now. >>
Then please call Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie at 518-455-3791 to urge him to bring A1749, The Packaging Reduction Act to the Assembly Floor for a vote this week, before time runs out!
If you recall, this is the bill that Straus News has allowed deceptive advertising to run in their newspapers, courtesy of the American Chemistry Council.
Given that Mr. Rabbitts has demonstrated already that he’s in the bag for big polluters, Monroe and Woodbury residents represented by Mr. Eachus must call and ensure that Mr. Eachus (and Rabbitts) do everything they can to pass this bill. Although unlikely to do so, you should also call Mr. Brabenec and Mr. Maher, both Republicans, and ask them to do the same. Even if they say no, the fact that you are calling them matters. Both men should get used to hearing from their constituents more often.
We’ll be back on Tuesday, most likely, with our big Chester podcast.
-BJ
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