By Dan Murphy
Six months ago, a few Westchester democrats took exception to the efforts of New York State Court of Appeals Chief Judge Janet DiFiore and her husband, Denis Glazer, to galvanize support, and twist a few arms, to win over Westchester democrats and hold a County Court endorsement in 2019 for their daughter Alexandra DiFiore Murphy.
The deep state political world of judicial nominations and endorsements is usually an area that we seldom report on, but once again our sources within the Westchester democratic party reached out to tell us that despite our story in April, the efforts of the parents, and specifically Glazer, continue.
“I wrote about this problem earlier this year, but things are heating up again. Dennis Glazer brought his daughter to a barbeque at Judge (Alan) Sheinkman’s house on Sept. 16 and was introducing her to everyone. He’s also making phone calls again to local party chair and is pressuring people. Surely there must be something improper about the chief judge’s husband making phone calls to party chairs, twisting their arms to support his daughter for County Court judge,” said our county democratic source.
“There are other candidates who have been making the rounds, but he thinks he can helicopter her in to the front of the line. The rumors are that she is the only ADA in the Manhattan DA’s office working part-time. The party folks are really upset at his heavy-handed manner. She is unknown and entitled. If she is actually running, then she has to leave her job.”
Next year’s County Court vacancies in Westchester are dependent on what happens in this year’s races for Supreme Court. County Court Judges David Everett and Barry Warhit are both running for Supreme Court. Both are democrats and if both win, as anticipated and expected, then two vacancies would be up for County Court here in Westchester; one of those vacancies, if Glazer and DiFiore have their way, would go to their daughter.
“Glazer has said the daughter doesn’t have to be known, because either the party leaders give her the nomination, or Janet will get the governor to appoint her to a vacancy and then they will have no choice but to support her,” said the same Democrat and party insider.
Rising newspapers has confirmed with more than one local Democratic chair that they have been approached to consider DiFiore-Murphy for County Court judge next year. “Some chairs have felt threatened by him. Folks are mad that Dennis is telling them what to do. The daughter is not active politically and there are folks who have been out making the rounds looking for the party nomination.”
DiFiore -Murphy, a cum laude graduate from Vanderbilt who received her law degree from Fordham University, has worked for the past several years for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. Her father, Dennis Glazer, is a partner at the noted Manhattan law firm Davis Polk and Wardwell.
“He (Glazer) wants one of the spots for her in 2019, and he is pressuring LaFayette (Westchester Democratic Chairman Reggie LaFayette) big time. The chief judge (Janet DiFiore) even went by his office to see him, claiming she stopped in for an absentee ballot. It’s really outrageous,” said the same democratic insider.
Another problem with the efforts of DiFiore and Glazer for their daughter is the new progressive, indivisible movement within the Democratic Party. “The new indivisible voters in the democratic party don’t want anything to do with Dennis Glazer or Chief Judge DiFiore. Remember Janet was a republican for a long time before she switched parties. The progressive-democrats of today don’t believe in nepotism for judges,” said one Indivisible Westchester member.
This year, the one County Court seat up for election is Judge Susan Capeci, who has the democratic nomination for re-election. Other interested democrats that have been making the rounds for County Court judge are Noah Sorkin of Chappaqua; Amy Puerto, Judge Blackwood’s law clerk; Ossining Judge Michael Tawil; ADA Robert Priscol; and several others. These County Court hopefuls dare not say a word about the efforts of Glazer and DiFiore.
