Wednesday, May 1, 2013

History Repeats Itself

In 2010, the Supervisor of the Town of Ulster, Jim Quigley woke up to see a story in the Daily Freeman.  It seems that after working with a young man named Jeremy Blaber and trying to help him out, the two men had a falling out.  Jim ended up leaving him a voice mail wherein he used profanity and expressed a great deal of anger and frustration toward Blaber.

Blaber leaked the voice mail to the Daily Freeman and thus there was a story.  Click HERE to read that story.

Fast forward to 2013.  Mayor Shayne Gallo, Corporation Counsel Zweben, and Jeremy Blaber had a conversation in the Mayor's Office.  The conversation turned heated and both men swore at each other.  Unbeknownst to the other two men, Blaber taped the conversation and again leaked it to the Freeman.

Now, yet another story appears in the Freeman.  Click HERE to read that story.

First, there is an interesting additional part of the story with Mayor Gallo.  Mayor Gallo says that the tape given to the Freeman has been edited and does not contain the comments from Blaber that really got things heated.  The Freeman reports:

“During the course of the tape, he conveniently left out that he told me to go f--- myself,” Gallo said. “He conveniently edited out that he denied using drugs and admitted his drug use. He conveniently edited out that he has been driving a car without a license upon his return to duty,” Gallo said.

Second, I must ask a question.  Considering the current story involving Gallo and Blaber and the story a few years ago with Quigley and Blaber, does anyone begin to see a pattern developing?

16 comments:

Andrew Champ-Doran said...

Mr Cahill,

I am not a lawyer, but it doesn't appear that Mr. Blaber's tape will be admissable due to authentication issues. Here's a link to the NewYorkDailyRecord post on the issue.
http://nydailyrecord.com/blog/2011/11/30/trials-tribulations-surreptitious-recording-and-its-implications/

Aside from that, this action by Mr. Blaber will do nothing more than bury his own political "career", and maybe temporarily embarrass a man who has done nothing but tried to help him.

Sure, Jeremy Blaber worked to get Mayor Gallo elected. Yes, Mayor Gallo ignored the advice of others to give Mr. Blaber a job, and a job he thought he could handle.

Nothing is wrong with either. What is wrong is, instead of doing the best job you can, using the job as an opportunity to slack off, let your friends get away with violations, and carry on as an embarrassment to everyone who gave you a second, third, and fourth chance.

Mayor Gallo might have lost his temper, but who wouldn't under these circumstances?

I stand fully in support of Mayor Gallo. I welcome the coming two years of this administration.

Andrew Champ-Doran
KingstonBarn.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

Blaber, is not only a drug addict but he also has some mental health issues too. Bad News!!! Bites the hand that feeds him. You are right about a definite pattern. Sounds like he latches on to anyone who can offer help as a father figure to him. Didn't he also turn on Hoffay too? I seem to recall on his blog a bashing of Hoffay.

Anonymous said...

Here is the pattern:with Blabs, the Mayor threatened to use the police without proximate cause. With me, the former Mayor threatened to use the police, once again, without proximate cause or probable cause whatsoever.
Yes, I see a pattern, counselor!

Richard T. Cahill Jr. said...

11:51,

Respectfully, you do not know what you are talking about.

He did have a basis. The Mayor had a conversation with a local merchant who told him that Blaber had stolen from his store on several occasions and that the security cameras recorded it.

The merchant does not want to press charges. Nevertheless, the tapes could be subpoenaed and the matter investigated and prosecuted even without his cooperation.

Thus, with Blaber, there was "probable" or "reasonable" cause. Your use of "proximate" cause is incorrect. That term refers to civil matters, not criminal matters.

As for your matter, you offer no facts, just blank accusations. If you want to make an accusation like that, provide your name and your details.

Anonymous said...

In the comment section the story, the freeman reported the tape was not edited.

All of City Hall heard this lunatic screaming. But, no one heard Blaber?

No employee should ever have to endure treatment like that.

The rumors of Gallo's temper are true and this proves it.

Disagree with him and you will feel his wrath also.

Anonymous said...

Blaber never had a political career. He was just a wanabee,who enjoyed his brief fame. I believe he is possibly now finished in this town. sooner or later the "real" Blaber makes an appearance. Realistically, how many out there have flung a few cuss words in a moment of frustration? You had the luxury of not being recorded. I actually like seeing a true passion rather than a "fake" concern. No namby -pamby BS.

Richard T. Cahill Jr. said...

4:16,

If you think Blaber was not yelling and screaming too, you are delusional.

Anonymous said...

You were not there Rich. I was. Blaber never uttered a word. All you heard was Hizzoner Screams echoing through City Hall. The Mayor is a Bully

Richard T. Cahill Jr. said...

5:53,

Who are you? City Hall employee? If you are going to make an assertion like that, identify yourself.

TruthHurts said...

Blaber is notorious for using people, owing money, scamming, borrowing and defaulting, gossiping with half-truths, drugging and manipulation. Gallo should have expected a recorder, but he was obviously too taken with his own hurt feelings. Life on earth is short and sooner-than-later we stand in front of One Judge with all exposed, with the sum total of our selves and actions with which to dwell for an Eternity.

Andrew Champ-Doran said...

To Anonymous 4:16 pm,

The Freeman did not report that the tape was not edited. They could not, because they have no first-hand knowledge of that as fact. They said Mr. Blaber represented the recording as "110 percent the entire" meeting. Considering the veracity of Mr. Blaber's statements on everything else from this story, and even on the recording, I'd think you would question that statement, too.

In point of fact, there is no tape. It is a digital recording, made in secret, and easily manipulated with free software that can be downloaded over the internet. Even at that, listen to the recording with decent headphones or speakers. I think you will hear at least three or four clear "jumps", where the editing is sloppy. You will also hear repeats that are edited in, at least once.

Have you ever heard of a five minute, thirty seven second meeting with Mayor Gallo, especially when he's worked up over an issue?

Finally, you claim to have been there. The Freeman, Jeremy Blaber, and Mayor Gallo all report only three people in the meeting. But, let's say you were in the hall, two offices away, or wherever you claim to have been. Why should we believe the claims of Anonymous? Are you really Mr. Blaber, just pushing your case? Are you a City Hall employee, afraid for your job? Or, are you one of the countless internet denizens who hide behind their anonymity and keyboards, taking potshots at people they don't like? Without some context, we can not consider the source, and your comments are weightless and your accusations are just that.

Andrew Champ-Doran

Anonymous said...

Mr. Cahill and Champ. How do you feel about Gallo concealing the fact that Blaber was committing crimes and did NOTHING. He was putting the citizens of Kingston and Ulster County in danger by driving unlicensed and on drugs. The Mayor knew of this and did nothing.

Yes Blaber is a dumb little kid that uses people. Drug addict, yes thief, yes.

That doesn't excuse the way our chief executive conducted himelf. Nor does it excuse Dweeben for not stopping this escapade.

You two guys keep standing behind him until he does something you don't like and you will feel his wrath.

Maybe you are the ones that are afraid and hiding your true feeling over this issue. As for me I have 15 years left until I can retire so I will remain anonymous and wait for the next explosion.

Anonymous said...

Rich your comment back to 4:16 is assinine. Blaber is a drug addict. You, expect him to act like a lunatic.

Gallo is the Mayor and should be held to a higher standard. His actions embaressed Kingston. He owes us all an apology.

Anonymous said...

Yes there were other people in the building, the meeting lasted about thirty minutes and the yelling was clearly two sided. As Champ-Doran stated, anyone who knows Shayne knows that he is incapable of having a five minute conversation.

There were three people in the room, and about four or five others in offices across and/or down the hall, but the building was mostly empty and only one or two others were close enough to to attest to what was going on in the room. The person who previously posted as anonymous is not one of those people.

The five minute tape is edited and overdubbed by a drug addict who will use and ultimately betray anyone who tries to help him.

The sad thing is how many people have and will continue to help Jeremy. Addicts do not learn until they run out of people to use. Those who want to help him have to let him hit bottom alone. Only after he hits bottom will he be able to climb out and it will not be through the help of political "friends".

Richard T. Cahill Jr. said...

8:26,

He did apologize.

Richard T. Cahill Jr. said...

4:56,

Gallo concealed nothing.

He was told by someone that Jeremy was stealing from a local store. Gallo spoke to the store owner who confirmed it, but did not want to press charges. He had the police investigate anyway.

As for Jeremy doing drugs, just his alleged statement is not enough to prosecute. You need additional evidence.

The bottom line is that Gallo broke no law. D.A. Carnright confirmed this. Gallo simply used inappropriate language.

We're you so outspoken when Sottile threw a drink in a woman's face? I consider that far worse.