Mike Edelman.

The Advocate
Richard Blassberg

Mike Edelman Wants It Both Ways
Republican Chair Says He Doesn’t Speak For Republicans

Mike Edelman, a former law partner and good friend of Al Pirro; an individual who calls himself “The Consultant”, playing games with facts both
on News12 and on numerous internet blogs, to which he appears addicted, is now confronted with a dilemma. As a self-proclaimed Republican election consultant, he has enjoyed substantial income from directing the campaigns of such Westchester Republican candidates as Phil Amicone, Mayor of Yonkers, and Janet DiFiore, District Attorney of Westchester.

Of course, when he is engaged as a campaign director, particularly in the race for DA, Edelman really has no legitimate business acting as the News12 Republican commentator at the same time. It’s a glaring conflict of interest, downright unethical. But, then again, truthfulness and ethical conduct haven’t always governed Mike’s behavior, particularly when a couple of hundred thousand dollars can be made directing a dirty political
campaign, a campaign such as Janet DiFiore’s for district attorney in 2005.

That campaign was complete with attempted bribery of the Right-To-Life candidate, ethnic slurs and outright lies against her Democratic opponent, Tony Castro, not to mention voting machine and voter irregularities, as well as goon squads to intimidate voters, poll-watchers and reporters, and, the destruction of her opponent’s signs.

Truth be told, Edelman would do it all again, precisely as he recently threatened to on one of the many blogs he frequents. In fact, he is back at his lying routine now that Tony Castro has announced his candidacy for DA. Mike is trying once again, by hook, and mostly by crook, to return Janet DiFiore, the worst District Attorney Westchester has known in more than 50 years, to that Office. Trouble is, she is no longer a Republican, having renounced that party and everyone associated with it by way of showing her gratitude for the fact that they supported her in four election bids. She is running, or so she says, as a Democrat, or, more accurately, as a Spanocrat.

Why, then, is Mike Edelman out tooting her horn? Why, indeed, when there is a perfectly capable young man, former ADA Dan Schorr, running for Westchester DA as a Republican?

Why is Edelman defending someone who has offended good police officers and departments up and down Westchester while covering up rogue cops and prosecuting victims of police brutality?

We must ask, “Whose interests is Edelman guarding?” Certainly not those of innocent law-abiding citizens, or honest, hard-working police officers; and, certainly not Republican interests; and therein lies his dilemma.

Even the likes of Janine Rose, who attempted to keep the results of the News12 DA poll from viewers, because Janet DiFiore received only 18
percent as compared with Tony Castro’s 55 percent, cannot permit Edelman to continue touting a “Democratic” candidate while sitting as their
Republican consultant.

The fact is Mike Edelman’s support of Janet DiFiore for DA has nothing to do with anything so much as his own self-preservation. Like Andy Spano, Nick Spano, and numerous others engaged in politics, real estate development, and business with County government, Mike Edelman,
former partner of Al Pirro, “Mr. Fixit” has his share of wheelings and dealings, sales of property, manipulations of terms, loans and forfeitures, to keep quiet; transactions in many Westchester communities such as North Castle, for openers, as evidenced by unmolested land records.

For Mike Edelman, and numerous other players, it was necessary to get Janet into the DA’s Office, and to keep her there, to keep years of unlawful activity, election fraud, deed fraud, questionable land and mortgage transactions, under wraps. Mike liked things just fine when Jeanine Pirro, spouse of Westchester’s most outrageous white-collar criminal, convicted felon Albert J. Pirro, was District Attorney of Westchester. For 12 years that arrangement suited Mike Edelman, who had been Al’s partner in law, and in numerous real estate dealings.

Edelman is a dinosaur, a political talking head who, for all of his smarts, with respect to federal and state politics and socio-economic realities, nevertheless still believes that if he proffers a lie enough times, the viewing public will be foolish enough to buy it. And, News12, with their own despicable agenda and dealings over the years with the likes of Andy Spano, Janet DiFiore, and Nick Spano, their lobbyist, will not even challenge Edelman’s lies nor his outrageous predictions about DiFiore’s political fortunes.

Despite the outcome of their own “Question of the Day” polling that showed Tony Castro is the overwhelming favorite for District Attorney by
more than three-to-one over Janet DiFiore, and two-to-one over Republican Dan Schorr, Janine Rose and Brian Conybeare permitted Edelman to make his false representations and slanderous remarks without challenging him.

Edelman knows that Janet DiFiore has made a mess of the DA’s Office with more than 70 lawyers and investigators having resigned in little more
than three years and with many of those hanging on, doing so merely to collect their pensions. He knows she is a tough sell to families and police officers, alike; and that is why he once again resorts to lies and distortions against the one candidate he fears most, Tony Castro.

However, the People of Westchester will not be fooled into accepting four more years of DiFiore’s incompetence, vindictiveness, and unlawfulness.They’re only too well aware of the fact that she is a menace to public safety, a destructive, demoralizing force bent on punishing good cops while protecting those who have engaged in brutality.

Finally, when questioned by this reporter regarding Edelman’s relationship to the Westchester Republican Committee, Party Chairman Doug Colety said, “Mike Edelman does not represent the Republican Party, nor our point of view.”