Anagnostakis: 'Be leery of someone so desperate to attain power'

Our latter-day Boss Tweeds will get a huge election surprise. The next 39th district senator will be someone with big name recognition - due to accomplishments within Orange County - not their handpicked operative, Tom Basile, from Rockland County.
Dozens of articles about this political operative's slippery dealings exist, but no stories of accomplishments for Orange County citizens - there are none.
Politico reported on May 25, 2010, in what they called his "latest stranger-than-fiction installment," Basile was actively maneuvering for terminally ill Rockland Senator Thomas Morahan's seat, and was told to stand down.
He then moved a few miles within Rockland County to be in the Larkin district.
In November 2010, Liz Benjamin reported in State of Politics, staffers delivered an ultimatum to GOP Chairman Ed Cox urging he fire his right hand man, Tom Basile. One source said: "Nobody can work with Tom. Everybody knows he's only out for himself."
Basile was forced to resign months later.
After becoming councilman on a Rockland board - with 1,473 votes cast through April 2018 - Basile has a perfect yes-man voting record for party bosses, never voting against party wishes. He did manage to vote himself five - yes, five - pay raises during those five years. Amazing.
As reported by the Torah Jewry daily newspaper, Hamodia, the first call Basile made when Larkin retired was to Kiryas Joel officials securing the block vote.
It seems Basile hates all Democrats - past or present - attacking me for once being registered as one. He viciously attacked the other opponent for getting the Democrat-leaning Working Families Party line. Yet, Basile, sought, received, and used that same Party line to get himself first elected as councilman. Hypocrite.
When challenged to denounce and apologize for his years of active participation with, racist and sexist extremists - Steve Bannon, Breitbart and the Mercer family - Basile refused.
Plastering neighborhoods with signs proclaiming himself "Our State Senator" - deceiving voters about his status - his record is clear: backed by extremists looking to defund public schools; having consulted for "New York For Independent Action," a group advocating Albany shifts money from public schools to private religious and charter schools; and staying silent when a religious sect destroyed a Rockland County school district.
Contrary to his rhetoric, if Basile and his masters had their way, we'd all pay higher school taxes as they pulled state money away from funding our public schools - and that's a fact.
Being brutally honest, in my opinion, Tom Basile is an extremist, self-promoting, dishonest individual; a status-seeking important politician wannabe with no political accomplishments for Orange County citizens; someone who did nothing while a religious sect destroyed a school district in his Rockland County - and wants to come to our county and do the same to our schools - and thus, must be defeated at all cost for the good of Orange County citizens!
Now for political reality. Though Basile has full insider and block vote backing, I've never seen a candidate so disfavored by the voting public. So weak is the insiders choice, the Reform Party refused giving him their line - customarily always given to the Republican candidate.
Sensing inevitability, insiders are taking cover and assigning fault: Seems my Republican primary win would split GOP votes - since their puppet absolutely won't relinquish the Conservative line they handed him - causing Republicans a November defeat.
Sorry, Boss Tweeds, you can't have an easy scapegoat - you will go down in a huge stunning November loss, totally of your making.
Accordingly, I exit this race, happily staying in Orange County, always fighting for what's best for the people - not the political insiders.
Mike Anagnostakis
Orange County Legislator
Former Candidate for State Senate