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There's dumb. And then there's really, really dumb.
Hand-slapping-against-the-forehead, what-was-I-thinking dumb.
The latter flavor of foolishness, Niagara Falls-style, evidenced itself again last week, when 12 would-be Democratic committee members either withdrew their candidacies or had their nominating petitions invalidated by their own elections commissioner.
Most of the disqualified were guilty of the first variety -- not checking to make sure the people signing their petitions actually lived in the district, had bothered to register as Democrats and hadn't signed someone else's petitions.
Then there's Frank Mantell. The city firefighter's petitions to represent Legislative District 5, Election District 5 were among the dozen thrown out by Democratic Commissioner Nancy Sharpe for the aforementioned reasons.
In that, Mantell was no dumber than any of the other disallowed petitioners, though getting at least a few more than the required number of signatures might have been a good idea. But you'd think he might want to keep a low profile, since Niagara Falls Police Department sources named him as a suspect in the October, 2001 attack on Niagara Falls Reporter Editor-in-Chief Mike Hudson.
Mantell holds dual membership in Niagara Falls Uniformed Firefighters Local 714 and Laborers Local 91. When three men approached Hudson at the paper's pre-fight reception for the Oct. 12 boxing promotion at the Niagara Falls Convention and Civic Center, one profanely berated Hudson for an editorial critical of a Local 714 lawsuit against the city, as well as the paper's coverage of Local 91.
The discussion ended when the most vocal of the three threw a drink, glass and all, in Hudson's face. They complied eagerly when told to leave, trotting across Niagara Street toward the Convention Center. Several witnesses later told police that Mantell was one of the trio.
A few hours later, moments before the main event bout between Donovan "Razor" Ruddock and Egerton Marcus, three men followed Hudson into a Convention Center men's room and attacked him from behind, breaking his nose on a urinal. Three men fitting the same description as the trio from the earlier encounter were seen quickly exiting the Convention Center moments later, according to a security guard.
A city detective visited Mantell's Grand Avenue home in April. Mantell conceded that he was at the tavern in question, attended the fight, knew who Hudson was and saw him the night of Oct. 12. But when the detective asked him what happened when he saw Hudson, Mantell made one smart move -- he refused to continue talking without an attorney present.
Mantell's abortive entry into politics reportedly came at the behest of Fire Department lieutenant Rick Horn, an unsuccessful candidate for the Niagara County Legislature last fall. Horn, apparently back in the Democratic fold after running as a Republican against converted GOP incumbent Sam Granieri in November, recruited a number of committee candidates in support of county chairman candidate Frank Soda. During the campaign, Horn accepted $2,000 from the Local 91 Political Action Fund, the largest single contribution doled out by the union during the last election cycle.
No arrests have been made in the attack on Hudson, but city police sources say the investigation continues.
A trial date has been set in the case of three Local 91 members accused of roughing up a New York State Department of Transportation worker at a Williams Road construction site in November.
After a lengthy series of adjournments and motions, Salvatore Bertino, Anthony Bertino and Pat Ciccarelli are scheduled to face trial on second-degree harassment charges on Oct. 3.
Wheatfield Town Justice Robert Cliffe set the trial date Aug. 6 after ruling on defense attorney Angelo Musitano's motion to subpoena the employment records of the victim. Prosecutor Erin DeLabio said she opposed the motion.
"We didn't feel that the defense showed that he wasn't just going on a fishing trip," DeLabio said.
Musitano's attempt to bolster a "he-had-it-coming" defense was only partially successful, as Cliffe asked Assistant Attorney General Michael Siragusa to analyze the employee's file and pass any potentially relevant information on to the court for review.
Maybe it was the bright, hot sun bearing down on Sunday's casino compact-signing press conference at Lackey Plaza. Or maybe it's because the effort to bring casino gambling to Niagara Falls, N.Y. has been going on, well, forever.
Whatever the case, Democratic State Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte thanked Gov. George Pataki for crossing party lines to praise her for her efforts in getting casino legislation through the lower house of the state legislature by calling him "Governor Cuomo."
Ouch.
After apologizing profusely, then apologizing some more, DelMonte did her best to make amends.
"This casino issue has been going on for so many years," DelMonte said, referring to her years working for former Assemblyman Joseph Pillittere. "And there was another governor at that time."
Pataki smiled, but you have to wonder if he might do a little extra campaigning this fall for Tim Demler, DelMonte's Republican opponent in November.
For her part, Mayor Irene Elia credited divine intervention for finally bringing the compact negotiations to fruition.
"God is wonderful and his timing is terrific," Herroner said. "People are looking for words of inspiration of faith."
In a city starving for good news, there's no disputing that last part.
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | August 20 2002 |