ALBANY – Board of Elections Commissioner Matt Clyne didn’t waste any time filling the vacancy created when he fired county Democratic Party Chairman Jack Flynn.
Councilman Judd Krasher, D-11th Ward, will start in Flynn’s old spot within the next two weeks.
“I was and I am grateful to Commissioner Clyne for giving me this opportunity,” Krasher said. “I’ll be starting with about two weeks until a very volatile Election Day and I am ready to get to work.”
Krasher currently works for a marketing company doing research. Krasher’s BOE salary is being finalized. Flynn was making $48,500.
Shortly after the Democratic Party Committee ousted former Chair Carolyn McLaughlin, the Albany Council president, and replaced her with Flynn, there was a motion made to table the recommendation to appoint Clyne to another two-year term.
The motion, made by Flynn ally Andrew Joyce, failed and the Legislature, as per the procedure to appoint BOE commissioners in state Election Law, is expected to officially appoint Clyne early next year.
The following morning, Clyne fired Flynn, who is related by marriage to County Executive Dan McCoy.
Despite the obvious political overtures of the BOE’s newest employee – Krasher was Dan Egan’s campaign manager in his failed bid to take on McCoy in 2015 – the councilman said he is staying above the political fray.
“I supported the commissioner when the motion was made to table his appointment as did the majority of the committee. I think we were all taken by surprise,” Krasher said. “But I wasn’t involved in the fight over the chairmanship.”
Krasher is also one of the most vocal critics of Mayor Kathy Sheehan on the Council, and is already publically supporting a primary challenge by Councilman Frank Commisso Jr., D-15th Ward. Commisso has not announced his intentions, but is eyeballing a city wide run and is aggressively fundraising towards that end.
“Frank has done an outstanding job on the Council. He knows the city finances inside and out and has proposed some sound policy,” Krasher said of his colleague. “He would make an exceptional mayor.”
McCoy said he is supporting Sheehan, should the mayor opt to run for a second term.
