NY Observer > David Soares

Soares, Dopp and the Blame Game

Azi Paybarah — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:08:08 -0400

Some of the most significant collateral damage from Eliot Spitzer's implosion involves the reputations of two of his one-time allies: former communications director Darren Dopp (the original scapegoat for Troopergate) and David Soares, the Albany County District Attorney (who is the current scapegoat).

Dopp has been on the offensive trying to clear his name, speaking at length with the New York Times, and -- just this this morning -- providing the New York Post with his version of the testimony he gave to the state’s Public Integrity Commission.

The transcript Dopp provided undermines Soares’ initial report into the Troopergate incident, which alleged Dopp acted as a rogue agent and inappropriately ordered the state police to re-create travel records for state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, who received protection from the police (as is customary for legislative leaders). read more »

Tape in Assemblyman's D.U.I. Case Not Preserved

Azi Paybarah — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:13:37 -0400

Here’s some clarification on what exactly happened to the tape that Assemblyman Karim Camara told me was destroyed. read more »

Assemblyman Says Evidence in His D.U.I. Case Was Destroyed

Azi Paybarah — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:30:33 -0400

Assemblyman Karim Camara of Brooklyn, who was arrested for D.U.I. last year, says a police videotape related to the case has been destroyed, leaving officials without what he called “the one objective piece of evidence.” read more »

Troopergate Investigations Will Be Investigated

Azi Paybarah — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:33:32 -0400

The Troopergate investigators are being investigated, according to a statement released just now from the Chairman of the New York State Commission on Investigations, Alfred Lerner.

He said the commission “has renewed its investigation into this whole matter," but added this:

"Let me be clear. The Commission is not investigating the events concerning Troopergate; more than enough investigations of the issues surrounding those events have taken or are taking place. Rather, the Commission is investigating the investigations. We are seeking to determine the efficacy of the various investigatory efforts, including those of the Albany County District Attorney, the State Inspector General and the State Commission on Public Integrity. read more »

Paterson Seeks Cuomo's Opinion on Troopergate Documents

Azi Paybarah — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:22:26 -0400

Andrew Cuomo’s office just released two letters related to the Troopergate investigation.

The first, dated yesterday, is from Albany County District Attorney David Soares to David Paterson's office, asking that the governor waive privileges to documents related to Troopergate. (Soares is expected to issue his second report on the effort to smear Joe Bruno later this week.) read more »

Soares Talks About His Opposition to Drug Laws at Fundraiser

Azi Paybarah — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:44:32 -0500

Liz and I both showed up for Albany County District Attorney David Soares’ small fund-raiser in Manhattan last night.

Two things stood out:

First, Soares talked about his family’s experience, which put him on the path to opposing mandatory drug sentencing laws, also know as the Rockefeller Drug Laws, an issue he campaigned on when he swept into office, beating a Democratic incumbent.

After explaining how his older brother would go the corner to catch a bus to work as part of a summer job program when they were kids, Soares explained, “The Reagan administration came in and those programs disappeared. But my brother and his friends would still show up on those corners, because economic opportunities still existed there. Except, those were not the kind of economic opportunities that were part of, you know, the legitimate economy.”

More after the jump. read more »

Lone Candidate Soares Raising Funds for Albany D.A. Race

Azi Paybarah — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:46:49 -0500

Here’s an invitation to a November 27 fund-raiser in Manhattan for Albany County District Attorney David Soares.

So far, Soares--who is still investigating the Spitzer administration--is the only person with a registered committee running for the position, and he has $35,343.05 in his campaign account.

Should be interesting to see who shows up.

Democrats Do Business in Brooklyn

Azi Paybarah — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:58:05 -0500

All the Assembly Democrats will be together in Brooklyn next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when Sheldon Silver holds his conference meet at the Brooklyn Marriott. (Book your rooms now!)

As one person who's planning to attend explained to me, it'll be the strategy session where the Assembly Democrats actually start crafting their legislative priorities in earnest. (With an expected $4 billion budget gap in a local election year, that list should be really interesting.)

About the meeting, this attendee said, "The first time we did it was right after 9/11, and we were staying in the Embassy Suites downtown. Since then, it became an annual thing. This year is the first time we're doing it in Brooklyn. It's almost like a pre-game show to the session."

A spokesman for Silver, Dan Weiler, declined to discuss the meeting.

Schneiderman's Fund-Raiser, With Guest David Soares

Azi Paybarah — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 11:57:21 -0400

Democratic state Senator Eric Schneiderman put a hand on the shoulder of the 14-year-old boy dating his daughter, and, in the mocking tone
of a concerned father with plenty of connections, told law enforcement officials at his fund-raiser to "take notice."

Among the people in the audience to witness the performance, delivered at Schneiderman's fund-raiser on Monday at Ron Feldman's Art Gallery on Mercer Street
, was David Soares.

Recently, Soares issued a report clearing Eliot Spitzer of any wrongdoing over the issue of his aides using state police to track Joe Bruno's
use of state aircraft. Republicans dismissed the report, saying it was one Democrat looking out for another. So wouldn't Soares' attendance at Schneiderman's fund-raiser provide them with more fodder for that argument?

Schneiderman told me last night that partisan considerations had little to do with it. "I was one of the few people who supported him as an insurgent," Schneiderman told me, referring to the fact that Soares ran against the Democratic Party to unseat an incumbent.

. Soares, he said, had stopped by briefly because he
was in town meeting with people to discuss reform of the Rockefeller Drug Laws, the major issue during Soares' campaign. read more »

Stern: Soares is a Bit Torquemada, a Bit Three Monkeys

Azi Paybarah — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:51:13 -0400

Henry Stern is in with another column about Albany politics, in which he finds fault with Albany District Attorney David Soares for saying that the governor did nothing criminal.

From Stern’s column:

We do not know which is worse: the inquisitor before whom everyone is guilty, like Savonarola or Torquemada, or the Three Monkeys, see, hear and speak no evil, before whom everyone is innocent. Probably Soares, who was the Working Families Party candidate for DA against the Democratic organization, represents both worlds.

Soares received substantial campaign contributions from George Soros, the billionaire sponsor of moveon.com. He received the money on the basis of a commitment not to prosecute minor drug offenders, although sometimes state law required it. Soares has lost credibility because of the double standard he takes with different state-wide public officials. His conduct in these cases makes his political ambition another casualty of Troopergate, nee Choppergate.