Willis Stephens

Last updated

Re: Comments on Stephens Campaign Website

more interesting crap.

I'm "on" 10509 to monitor what is going on in Brewster. I do not post anymore. Just watching the idiots pontificate. Keeping informed is important and it also gives me a window to what GB and some of his supporters are thinking.

Let me know how you think we should proceed with the website. I'd like to get it up and running before too long and don't want to hurt Michele and Jay ... I like them and they are talented. Maybe a collaboration of some sort? I'll let you be my guide.

What's the scuttlebutt on the election ... is Hauser circulating a Conservative petition ... are you going to do an opportunity to ballot on the "D" line? How about an independent line ... like the Save Pawling Party or "Chicks with Balls Party" or some such thing?

If it is really hot tomorrow you are welcome to come for a swim (a suit would be appropriate :0 ) ... I don't think I'm around this weekend for Guinans ... sounds like a blast though.

Got pozzi's announcement in the AM and then its back to the Law Office ... I feel like I've been away for a month!

Later,

Will

Assemblyman Stephens apologized publicly to the members of the group as well as the entire district. [13]

Putnam victory fund

Stephens, who also serves as the legal counsel to the town of Southeast, New York, drew heavy criticism after accepting $9,355 from trash magnate, convicted felon and reputed mob boss James Galante, who was in turn awarded a $1.5 million no-bid garbage contract by the town board on Stephens' recommendation. [14]

Assemblyman Stephens refused to make public a copy of the secret memo recommending that Galante's contract be renewed for a record $1.5 million without allowing public bids even as Galante had been recently arrested under the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), stating that "[t]hat's a legal opinion that is a matter of attorney–client privilege. It's not subject to the New York Freedom of Information Law ... it would be up to the town, not [me], whether to release the memo." [15]

According to the Danbury News-Times , "Willis H. Stephens, Jr. has received millions of tax dollars in aggregate payments as Southeast's municipal counsel for more than ten years. In 2005 alone, Southeast taxpayers paid Stephens, Jr. an estimated $190,000 for legal work, which included legal work involving a no-bid municipal contract worth an estimated $1.5 million tax dollars to an admitted felon at that time under investigation by Federal law enforcement authorities for alleged racketeering. Although Southeast taxpayers paid Stephens, Jr. for legal work, although pertinent Southeast garbage contract negotiations ceased nearly a year ago, although Southeast taxpayers are bound today under contract terms negotiated by Stephens, Jr. and the Southeast Town Board with a major campaign contributor presently under Federal indictment for alleged racketeering, Stephens, Jr. asserts that taxpayers have no right to see his legal work." [16]

Galante, who was previously convicted of tax evasion and arrested in June for allegedly conspiring with organized crime to prevent competition in the garbage business in Connecticut, was accused of donating to a Political Action Committee which laundered money to several politicians who may have used their influence to award contracts to Galante's trash hauling business. [17]

Personal life

Stephens, his wife, Ginny, and their three children reside in Brewster, New York. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brewster, New York</span> Village in New York, United States

Brewster is a village and the principal settlement within the town of Southeast in Putnam County, New York. Brewster's population was 2,508 at the 2020 census. The village, which is the most densely populated portion of the county, was named for two early farmer landowners, Walter and James Brewster, who donated land for the Brewster railroad station in 1848.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danbury Trashers</span> Professional minor-league ice hockey team

The Danbury Trashers were a United Hockey League (UHL) professional ice hockey team located in Danbury, Connecticut, first established in 2004 as an expansion team. The team was named for its owner's business in waste management; James Galante purchased the franchising rights for $500,000 and named his 17-year-old son, A. J., president and general manager. As part of the franchising agreement, Galante invested an additional $1.5 million to upgrade the team's home arena, Danbury Ice Arena, from a 750-seat facility to a 3,000-seat venue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danbury Ice Arena</span> Multi-purpose arena in Danbury, Connecticut

The Danbury Ice Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Danbury, Connecticut. It was built in 1999 with renovation and expansion in 2004, and has a seating capacity of about 3,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Wisniewski</span> American politician (born 1962)

John Scott Wisniewski is an American attorney and politician. A Democratic, he served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1996 to 2018, representing the 19th Legislative District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Faso</span> American politician (born 1952)

John James Faso Jr. is an American attorney and politician who served as the U.S. representative for New York's 19th congressional district from 2017 to 2019. Faso was first elected to the post in 2016. A Republican, Faso previously represented the 102nd district in the New York State Assembly from 1987 to 2002 and served as Assembly Minority Leader from 1998 to 2002. Faso ran for New York State Comptroller in 2002 and for Governor of New York in 2006, but did not prevail in either race. He was defeated for re-election to Congress in November 2018 by Democrat Antonio Delgado.

New York State Assembly, District 99 is located in the southern part of the State of New York in the United States. District 99 is north of New York City and is composed of parts of Orange and Rockland Counties. It is encompassed by New York's 40th State Senate district and New York's 42nd State Senate district, as well as New York's 17th congressional district and New York's 18th congressional district since redistricting in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rubén Díaz Jr.</span> American politician (born 1973)

Rubén Díaz Jr. is an American politician who served as the 13th borough president of The Bronx in New York City from 2009 to 2021. He was elected in April 2009 and reelected in 2013 and 2017. He previously served in the New York State Assembly.

James Galante is an American convicted felon and associate of the Genovese crime family, owner of the defunct Danbury Trashers minor-league hockey team and a defunct racecar team fielding cars for Ted Christopher, and ex-CEO of Automated Waste Disposal (AWD), a company that holds waste disposal contracts for most of western Connecticut and Westchester and Putnam counties in New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Ball (politician)</span> American politician (born 1977)

Gregory R. Ball is a former American politician from 2006 to 2014, former active duty U.S. Air Force officer and member of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly. He is a resident of Fredericksburg, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Thiele</span> American politician

Frederick W. Thiele Jr. is an American politician who serves in the New York State Assembly from the 1st district since 2013 and the 2nd district from 1995 to 2012, as a member of multiple political parties. Thiele was originally elected as a member of the Republican Party, but switched to the Independence Party of New York in 2009. He joined the Democratic Party after the Independence Party lost its ballot position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gloria Negrete McLeod</span> American politician (born 1941)

Gloria Negrete McLeod is an American politician who was the United States representative for California's 35th congressional district from 2013 to 2015. The district included portions of eastern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County. She was a California state senator, representing the 32nd district, from December 2006 until her election to Congress. Prior to that, she served in the California State Assembly from 2000 to 2006, after having lost in a 1998 bid for the Assembly. A resident of Chino, she defeated Joe Baca Jr., in the Democratic primary for the Senate seat. She defeated Joe Baca Sr. in her 2012 election to Congress. In February 2014, she announced her intention not to run for reelection, and instead to run for the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. Negrete McLeod lost the November election to Republican state Assemblyman Curt Hagman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Kaplowitz</span> American lawyer

Michael B. Kaplowitz is an American lawyer, financial planner and Democratic politician from Somers, New York. He was a member of the Westchester County Board of Legislators and represented portions of New Castle, Somers and Yorktown. He served as Chair of the Board from 2014 to 2017.

Willis H. Stephens was an American politician who was a member of the New York State Assembly from Brewster, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority</span>

The Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority, formerly the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority (1973-2014), is a quasi-public agency that provides single-stream recycling and trash disposal for Connecticut cities and towns. It owns a trash-to-energy plant in Hartford, oversees another in Preston, and financed the development of others in Bridgeport and Wallingford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Katz (politician)</span> American politician

Stephen M. Katz is an American veterinarian, business owner and politician from Mohegan Lake, New York. He formerly served as a member of the New York State Assembly, representing the 94th Assembly District, including parts of Westchester and Putnam counties. Described by the Putnam Examiner as "bombastic" and known "for his fiery rhetoric," he announced his retirement from the state legislature in January 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 New York state elections</span>

The 2012 New York state elections took place on November 6, 2012. These elections included the 2012 presidential election, an election to one U.S. Senate seat, and elections to all 27 New York congressional seats, all 63 seats in the New York State Senate, and all 150 seats in the New York State Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winters Brothers</span> American waste disposal company

Winters Bros. is a privately held waste disposal business in the Northeast United States. Its headquarters are in West Babylon, New York; it currently serves the market of New York, but previously also served Connecticut, Florida and Vermont. It sells its recovered products worldwide. It is the largest waste management firm in Long Island. The firm has six recycling centers and twelve transfer stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Schmitt</span> American politician

Colin J. Schmitt is an American businessman and politician who served two terms as a member of the New York State Assembly from the 99th district, which covers parts of Orange and Rockland Counties. He is a member of the Republican Party.

John Thomas Holmes is a Canadian diplomat who served as ambassador to the Philippines, Turkey, Indonesia, and Jordan. Born in Ormstown, Quebec, and raised in Hemmingford, a village on the southern border, he was educated at Champlain Regional College in St. Lambert, Quebec and earned degrees in history and political science (1978) and law (1982) from McGill University in Montreal. Holmes is married to Carol Bujeau, a communications specialist and the author of Triple Sex and Other Tales of an Ambassador's Wife, a book about their life abroad. They have two children, Jordan and Kayla.

Christopher W. Eachus is an American politician serving as a member of the New York State Assembly from the 99th district, which covers parts of Orange and Rockland Counties. Eachus is a member of the Democratic Party.

References

  1. ↑ "Planned Parenthood Endorsements". ppany.com. October 3, 2005.
  2. 1 2 "Willis Stephens, Jr.'s Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
  3. ↑ "Ball's Military Record Assailed". Newscopy.org. June 2006.
  4. ↑ "Watchdogs say elections include questionable spending sprees". The Journal News. April 2005.
  5. ↑ "Primary 2006". NY1 News. September 2006.
  6. ↑ "Ball Defeats incumbent Stephens for GOP Line in Assembly Race". The Journal News. September 2006.
  7. ↑ "99th Assembly District Race - Now the Fun". Newscopy.org. September 14, 2006.
  8. ↑ "Politician Tells Voters They're Idiots". Associated Press. June 30, 2005.
  9. ↑ "POL RIPS VOTERS IN MASS E-MAIL SLIP" (PDF). New York Post. June 30, 2005.
  10. ↑ "'Hey Morons, I'm sorry ... '" (PDF). Washington Post. June 30, 2005.
  11. ↑ "Politician tells voters they're idiots" (PDF). Fox News. June 30, 2005.
  12. ↑ "Errant e-mail post from assemblyman calls Brewster villagers 'idiots'". The Journal News. June 29, 2005.
  13. ↑ "E-mail gaffe leaves lawmaker red-faced". Poughkeepsie Journal. June 29, 2005.
  14. ↑ "Ball Fires at Will". North County News. August 23, 2006.
  15. ↑ "Ball assails Stephens over Southeast trash contract". The Journal News. August 23, 2006.
  16. ↑ "Secrecy is not best reaction to Federal Investigation". Danbury News Times. August 24, 2006.
  17. ↑ "Galante an issue in NY election". Danbury News Times. August 23, 2006.
Willis Stephens
STEPHENS3.jpg
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 99th district
In office
1995–2006
New York State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 91st district
1995–2002		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 99th district
2003–2006		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.