Meagan Galligan is one of the best if not the best trial attorney in Sullivan County. She became our Acting District Attorney after former DA Jim Farrell was elected County Court Judge. She now wants to represent us for the next four years as our Chief Prosecutor.
Galligan who has been endorsed by the Democratic, Conservative, Independence, and leadership of the Republican Party is facing a Republican challenge in Tuesday’s Republican Primary from of all people retired County Court Judge Frank LaBuda.
You cannot even make this stuff up.
LaBuda, who along with his wife Kathleen have been poster children for the Democratic Party in Sullivan County – That’s until Frank LaBuda had an epiphany. He claims he can no longer identify as a Democrat and its liberal wing and therefore changed his registration to the Republican Party. What Hypocrisy! Pure Bull!
The truth is that LaBuda and his surrogates back in December were working hard trying to get liberal Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo to appoint him District Attorney. Some even ran to Harriman to speak with Cuomo when he was there for the opening of the new traffic pattern near Woodbury Commons – It didn’t work!
They arm twisted their high-level Democratic connections throughout New York State to persuade Cuomo to appoint LaBuda – That Didn’t Work!
LaBuda and his surrogates tried even harder to get the Sullivan County Democratic Committee to support him. That didn’t work either!
So then, and only then, did LaBuda change his Party enrollment. Don’t be fooled. Switching parties is a political stunt to mislead Republican voters.
One must wonder – Why after such a long career as our County Court Judge would LaBuda, a man in his senior years, even want to be our District Attorney? Is it because of pure greed? Does he need more money from the taxpayers? He already gets a huge pension.
In fact, after his last reelection bid for County Court Judge – He retired so he could collect a pension and his full salary. When he took office, he could no longer be an Acting Supreme Court Justice due to his double dipping.
One must ask – Does Frank LaBuda really have the fire in him to be our District Attorney? Does he really have the drive to prosecute our most important criminal cases?
Ask any lawyer how long they had to wait for him to arrive daily in the courthouse and about his total disregard and respect for our Judicial system.
Others say LaBuda, who made headlines with the ATV incident involving his brother Peter, is running for District Attorney because of a political agenda and personal vendettas.
Labuda is hoping his issuing pistol permits while on the bench is the road towards victory in Tuesday’s Republican Primary. Simply put – LaBuda is looking for payback from these people. Like Labuda, Galligan is a strong advocate of our second amendment. So, the issuing of pistol permits is a non-issue.
Bail reform is another tactic he is using in his campaign. The truth is – even before the law was enacted, LaBuda was abiding to it prior to leaving the bench back in December.
He is suddenly the voice of illegal drug abuse and selling and vows that as District Attorney he will cleanup Sullivan County. The fact is – Meagan Galligan is the one with the extensive list of successful prosecutions involving illegal drugs and related crimes. She has worked long and hard with law enforcement, our schools, and our community on this very subject, and LaBuda knows it.
What is most disturbing in this campaign for DA is that LaBuda is using photos of himself as a Judge on the bench. Do we need to remind him that he is not running for a judicial position?
Putting all the rhetoric aside, electing a District Attorney should be nonpolitical. That is why I am glad that all our political parties agree that Meagan Galligan is the right and best choice for District Attorney.
We deserve the most qualified person to be our Chief Prosecutor. There is a reason why so many people have embraced the candidacy of Meagan Galligan – Not only is she the most qualified person for the job – But she is a real Sullivan County success story.
A product of New York University and Georgetown University Law Center, Meagan landed a job in the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office when she returned home – leaving a high salaried prestigious New York City Law Firm.
Steve Lungen saw Meagan’s talent when he hired her back in 2009. As did Jim Farrell. Galligan was promoted to Chief Assistant District Attorney in 2016 not because of politics, but because of her outstanding and much praised ability to successfully prosecute our most important criminal cases.
She even won on appeal many of LaBuda’s rulings.
There is good reason why law enforcement including Sheriff Michael Schiff and all our PBA’s including the New York State Police and Police Chiefs within Sullivan County have embraced the candidacy of Meagan Galligan.
Simply put, Meagan Galligan has successfully prosecuted some of our most serious felony offenses, including homicide, sexual offenses against children, violent robbery, narcotics conspiracies and trafficking, weapons possession, and use.
She is on hand 24 hours a day for pre-arrest investigations of serious offenses, including oversight of all applications for search warrants and eavesdropping authority. Will Frank LaBuda really be available 24/7 for us? Does he even care?
Sadly, there are those who are attempting to politicize certain headline cases such as that of former Judge Isaac Kantrowitz. Meagan Galligan has a heart. She knows the pain the family is going through. She has been in contact with them and pledged to convene a Grand Jury as soon as the current Covid19 conditions permit.
Labuda who claims to have experience prosecuting homicides fails to mention his flawed homicide prosecution of Bobby Nolan when he was an ADA. After Nolan was acquitted, he killed again by murdering his new wife. So much for his bragging of his record.
The voters of Sullivan County needs new leadership. Meagan Galligan represents our future. She has worked hard, excelled on the job, and not only deserves to be our next District Attorney, but has earned it. She has a proven record. We can be certain that Meagan Galligan will always do the right thing as our Chief Prosecutor. Can we say the same for Frank LaBuda?
Thank you – Frank LaBuda for your years of public service in Sullivan County. It is time to move on. Enjoy your retirement from the bench, excel in the private sector at the law firm Sobo and Sobo, enjoy your retreats in foreign countries. But, becoming District Attorney is Just Plain Wrong.
Republicans voters – Please do the right thing and vote for Meagan Galligan on Tuesday June 23, 2020.
Megan Galligan will make us all proud!
Early voting is ongoing at the Sullivan County Board of Elections in Monticello.
Bill Liblick has made a name for himself on National TV Talk Shows where he spouted his outspoken views from the front row. Now he offers you his opinion in the “MOUTH THAT ROARS” Column in THE SULLIVAN COUNTY POST.