Political parties announce county endorsements

HUDSON — Columbia County’s two major parties made endorsements last week for top county positions, and, so far, district attorney is the only race with opposition.

It’s an odd-numbered election year, meaning there are no national or state offices to appear on the ballot in November, so the biggest races to watch this year are at the county level.

The Columbia County Republican Committee endorsed incumbent Paul Czajka who will face Democrat Eugene Keeler in the contest for Columbia County District Attorney.

Keeler, of Greenport, is running for his second, non-consecutive term. He was first elected to serve from 1984 to 1987.

If elected, Keeler wants to do away with what he calls “arbitrary and capricious decision-making” by the DA’s office.

“I am the reform candidate for the 21st Century,” Keeler said. “We’re still in the 1950s in Columbia County. I would like to think one of my emphases as DA would be that the search for justice is imperative over the search for convictions.”

Keeler said he wants to develop an interdisciplinary team of experts, that in conjunction with a civilian advisory board, the DA’s office and the defense, will make evidence-based decisions on how to move forward with prosecutions. Many of the criminal cases in Columbia County “are pushed through” without consideration of community prosecution or restorative justice solutions, Keeler said.

He wants to “change the culture” among police agencies throughout the county, and establish a pre-booking diversion program, similar to the Chatham Cares 4U program created by Village Police Chief Peter Volkmann, that allows officers to redirect low-level offenders engaged in drugs to treatment through social services instead of serving jail time.

Czajka, of Livingston, is running for his fifth, non-consecutive term. He successfully ran for DA 1987, 1991, 2011 and 2015. Czajka served as county judge from 1995 to 2011, resigning to run for district attorney. Keeler lost to Czajka in the 2011 DA race.

Czajka was nominated by six Republicans, including former Columbia County sheriffs James Bertram and David Harrison, former Hudson Police Department officers Gary Wallace and John Thomas, retired State Police Investigator Rich Nesbit and County Clerk Holly Tanner.

Bertram praised Czajka and his office for prosecuting three Columbia County men who were ordered to pay one of the heftiest poaching fines in the state’s history in December 2017.

“He’s probably the greatest district attorney we’ve ever had in Columbia County,” Bertram said. “Regardless of what the case is, it could be big or small, Paul is always there.”

Czajka’s supporters praised his 90 percent conviction rate.

“Working around the state as I did, never have I worked for a district attorney that is as well-prepared for cases,” said Nesbit, a state police investigator for 32 years. “Nor someone as personable, as responsible and as thoughtful towards not only the people that came before him as a defendant, but also the people whose family might have been victims. He’s an outstanding district attorney. I take my hat off to him.”

County Republican leaders came out swinging when news reached them about the Democrats endorsement of Keeler on Friday. Columbia County Republican Party Chairman Greg Fingar and Conservative Party Chairman Brian Gardner released a joint statement saying Keeler has not practiced law in the last 10 years, while noting his unsuccessful bids for DA in 2015, 2011, 2007.

“Columbia County residents also remember how then-DA Keeler botched the infamous case of Wiley Gates in a 1987 trial for the murders of four people, including three family members,” according to the statement.

Keeler brought the Gates case “out of the cold,” said Lee Jamison, town chairman of the Democratic Committee in Stuyvesant, in defense of her long-time friend.

Gates went on to serve 25 years, and was not let off scot-free, Jamison said.

Columbia County Democratic Committee Chairman Keith Kanaga went to bat for Keeler on Friday, saying the party is proud to have him as its nominee.

“Gene has spent his entire life helping other people, as a district attorney, a lawyer and as a social worker with the incarcerated. Gene never gives up on helping others or serving the people of Columbia County,” Kanaga said. “When he is elected district attorney he will strike the right balance — putting criminals in jail and making sure everyone gets a fair shake.”

Columbia County Democrats also nominated Cheryl Roberts for Supreme Court Justice in the Third Judicial District.

Democrats did not nominate candidates for the other two county seats up for election, coroner and treasurer, as of last Thursday, but county Democratic Committee First Vice Chairwoman Erin Stamper said potential candidates have time to put their name forward. Candidate petitioning is open until April 4.

The Columbia County Republican Party endorsed two incumbents in two county races: PJ Keeler for treasurer and Bertram for coroner.

The Republican nominations were made at a caucus at the Churchtown Fire House last Tuesday.

Bertram is running for his third term as county coroner.

“We really appreciate his service to the community,” Fingar said. “Everybody that has had the unfortunate experience of having contact with the coroner speaks very highly of Jim. He is very compassionate. He is the kind of person you want in those type of situations. Not everyone can do that.”

PJ Keeler, running for his third term as treasurer, was nominated by Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell and County Clerk Holly Tanner.

“It is my honor to nominate a person I consider a very good friend,” Murell said. “He has done an excellent job as treasurer for Columbia County. He’s gotten our finances in order since 2012, since he became treasurer. He brings a business sense to the office, common sense, and he is doing a great job.”