By Dan Murphy
Our recent political coverage in Yonkers Rising has included speculation on possible candidates for mayor in 2019, based on our conversations with party leaders and current and former elected officials. Based on those conversations, we wrote that former Council President Liam McLaughlin was interested in becoming a City Court judge, and “he had always wanted to be a City Court judge.”
That quote drew a rebuke from McLaughlin, who told Yonkers Rising: “I have not ruled out a future run for office. I enjoy serving in public office and while I might want to become a judge someday, I may also run for mayor next year. I have not ruled either option out.”
McLaughlin has been contacted and approached by republicans and Yonkers residents to consider running for mayor in 2019. Right now, he is the only named tossed out as a possible republican candidate. Other possible names, including someone from the leadership of the Yonkers Police Department and GOP party leaders from Yonkers, are long shots.
McLaughlin lost his re-election bid for City Council last year to democrat Mike Khader. McLaughlin said he believes the major reason for his loss was the statewide vote for a Constitutional Convention, which drew a large number of union households out to vote and most of those union households voted democratic.
The negative impact that President Donald Trump had on republicans, who were split on Trump, and democrats, who came out in higher numbers against Trump even though he wasn’t on the ballot, was also a factor. Former County Executive Rob Astorino lost his re-election bid to democrat George Latimer last year, but won the City of Yonkers, giving some republicans hope that all is not lost for the GOP.
McLaughlin reminded us that in his first run for City Council he ran and lost to Councilman Carlo Calvi. Two years later, McLaughlin defeated Calvi in a rematch, which began his 10 years on the council. After leaving the council, McLaughlin returned after a four-year hiatus to run for council president and win. Both of these political events are examples of how McLaughlin has, in the past, made a political comeback.
Any run for mayor by McLaughlin would come only after Mayor Mike Spano has decided not to seek to overturn term limits and run for a third term. McLaughlin and Spano worked in a bipartisan manner for Spano’s first six years.
Our prior speculation about McLaughlin was based on conversations with Yonkers republicans and former council colleagues. We stand corrected – all options are open for Liam McLaughlin, who is the last republican to win citywide office in Yonkers, five years ago.
Yonkers Chief Judge Michael Martinelli announced this week that he has informed the leaders of the Republican, Conservative and Reform parties that he is no longer seeking the nomination of their respective parties for Supreme Court justice in the Ninth Judicial District.
Martinelli said that due to a confluence of personal events, a race for Supreme Court justice at this time is simply outweighed by the needs of his immediate family members.
“As many of you may already know, my youngest brother Ralph continues to be hospitalized as the result of complications that developed after he underwent a procedure to correct A-Fib,” said Martinelli.
He said that although the family thought that by now he would be further along in his recovery, his brother’s prognosis is up in the air.
“It would be unrealistic for us to believe that while he remains in a semi-conscious state, that my wife, Jeanne, and I could devote all the time and attention necessary to the Supreme Court race while still providing the attention that Ralph will need as he is about to be placed in long-term rehab,” he said.
“At the same time, my father, Angelo Martinelli, former mayor of Yonkers, is in a rehab facility recovering from knee replacement surgery with a very serious unanticipated problem involving renal failure,” continued the judge. “(He) will also require our assistance in getting his strength back and resuming his normal routine.
“Naturally, when I first announced my candidacy, I could not foresee either of these medical events unfolding the way they have, and it has become crystal clear that the choice for Jeanne and me is to tend to our family’s affairs first and put my desire to serve as a Supreme Court justice on hold for the time being,” said Martinelli.
“Both Jeanne and I want to express our thanks to those of you who have lent your support to this effort, both in time and financially, and we hope you will understand that sometimes life gets in the way. Be assured that after we get through this trying period there will be other opportunities that present themselves and that we shall pursue them when the time comes.”
Judge Martinelli was seeking to continue his career on the bench. He will face mandatory retirement from the Yonkers Court at the age of xx. A future run for the Supreme Court is certainly a possibility.
This year’s Judicial races in the 9th Judicial District will be difficult for republicans because Governor Andrew Cuomo is on the ballot and has a large lead over his republican opponent Marc Molinaro. Furthermore, with the Blue Wave of progressive and indivisible activism in Westchester and the Hudson Valley, any chance for a duel endorsement for Martinelli or any republican seem impossible.
Political advisors close to Martinelli also quelled another rumor, that Judge Martinelli was interested in running for Mayor. “Nonsense” was the term used to negate that speculation.
Judge Martinelli Withdraws
From Supreme Court Race
Yonkers Chief Judge Michael Martinelli announced last week that he has informed the leaders of the Republican, Conservative and Reform parties that he is no longer seeking the nomination of their respective parties for Supreme Court justice in the ninth judicial district.
Martinelli said that due to a confluence of personal events, a race for Supreme Court justice at this time is simply outweighed by the needs of my immediate family members.
“As many of you may already know, my youngest brother Ralph continues to be hospitalized as the result of complications that developed after he underwent a procedure to correct A-Fib,” said Martinelli.
He said that although the family thought that by now he would be further along in his recovery, his brother’s prognosis is up in the air.
“It would be unrealistic for us to believe that while he remains in a semi-conscious state, that my wife, Jeanne, and I could devote all the time and attention necessary to the Supreme Court race while still providing the attention that Ralph will need as he is about to be placed in long-term rehab,” he said.
“At the same time, my father, Angelo Martinelli, former mayor of Yonkers, is in a rehab facility recovering from knee replacement surgery with a very serious unanticipated problem involving renal failure,” continued the judge. “(He) will also require our assistance in getting his strength back and resuming his normal routine.
“Naturally, when I first announced my candidacy, I could not foresee either of these medical events unfolding the way they have, and it has become crystal clear that the choice for Jeanne and me is to tend to our family’s affairs first and put my desire to serve as a Supreme Court justice on hold for the time being,” said Martinelli.
“Both Jeanne and I want to express our thanks to those of you who have lent your support to this effort, both in time and financially, and we hope you will understand that sometimes life gets in the way. Be assured that after we get through this trying period there will be other opportunities that present themselves and that we shall pursue them when the time comes.”
