The City of Troy, New York, "Where Henry Hudson Turned Around."

Monday, December 28, 2015

SLOW NEWS WEEK

We are back from a delightful Christmas holiday. Sort of.

Like many of you, we are having a hard time getting going after the Christmas break. We sincerely hope you had a good time with your friends and family. Luckily, there's another long weekend just around the corner.

One story that came out last week, on Tuesday, December 22, was the firing of Assistant District Attorney Shane Hug. District Attorney Joel Abelove terminated his assistant on the previous Friday.

It is not known why Hug was fired although unemployment benefits fraud has been ruled out. According to the Times Union article, sources said that the firing is connected to an ongoing investigation involving the police. Abelove's office obtained a search warrant for Hug's cell phone from an Albany Supreme Court Judge.

Obviously, people have connected this event with the warrant to search Gary Gordon's cell phone, part of the ongoing investigation into the illegal release of the Jim Gordon 911 call from July, 2015. The 911 tape, where Mrs. Gordon told a dispatcher that her husband had held her down, was made public on October 20, by Times Union reporter Brendan Lyons. Some believe the release of the tape cost Gordon, a Republican, the election. In fact, it may have cost Wiltshire the election but that's a different story.

The only difference, and it may mean nothing, is that the Gordon warrant came out of Rensselaer County while the Hug warrant came out of Albany County. Hug, unlike Gordon, would have appeared before both of County Court judges in Rensselaer County.

Hug, as an assistant district attorney, can be fired at any time, for any reason or no reason at all, as he serves at the pleasure of the District Attorney.

We held off on the story hoping for some more detail. That detail has not been forthcoming.

While we agree that the cell phone warrant immediately reminds one of the seizure of Gary Gordon's cell phone, there is no information the two are related. Furthermore, it is inconceivable, to us at least, that Hug would risk job and law license, and be involved in something so déclassé.

If we assume, for the moment, that Hug's termination is related to the Gordon 911 tape, it does not mean Hug was involved in anything criminal. It is not illegal to have a copy of the Gordon 911 tape. If it was, Brendan Lyons would be arrested. The First Amendment does not allow reporters to break the law. However, Abelove would be well within his rights to fire Hug if he believed Hug had information about the release of the tape.

Or maybe, it had nothing to do with the Gordon 911 tape.

Franco was first with the story. The comments are of interest.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

A couple of observations/questions:
1) Why was a search warrant signed by an Albany County judge and not
a Rensselaer County judge? Is there something going on in Albany
County that may involve him that has not yet surfaced?
2) Per Franco's column and the comment - what was the interaction
between the ADA and the police just before his termination?
3) There is a lot of speculation that this involves the 911 tapes.
Does it, or is it something else?
4) What was being looked for on a cell phone?
5) Was there an arrest/arraignment, or is this perhaps linked to
some type of grand jury inquiry?
Just some questions that came to mind.

Anonymous said...

Why would a search warrant be signed by an Albany County judge as opposed to a Rensselaer County judge?

Anonymous said...

The Rensco judges probably recused themselves.

Phana24JG said...

People are so willing to interject innuendo into comments. If you are going to accuse someone of something so vile that "we would not believe it," put forth your accusation or withhold it. I don't know this guy from Adam, but at least give him or his supporters a chance. If he is a Bruins or Cowboys fan, just say so, then we can all assassinate his character. Happy New Year Polloilets.

Anonymous said...

Vespasian, here. I suspect the reason the Albany county judge signed the warrant is because his handwriting is better. I also believe that finding connectivity between the cases is kind of like saying that the moon and my wife's ass are related because they are both huge and appear to glow at night.

And let's get serious; "an ongoing investigation involving the police" is a meaningless phrase. Kind of like saying "I'm having breakfast and it involves food." There is no reason to speculate here. The truth will out - probably on a busier news day.

But don't take it from me, I'm a grumpy dead guy from Italy.

Anonymous said...

This will make things extraordinarily difficult for DA office. Hug was the last holdover from before the election, and 1/2 of those originally hired by Abelove have already quit in the last year - leaving NO experienced trial prosecutors and several high profile case due for trial soon. Either this was just a political hit, or Hug was really out of line. Hug's reputation has been destroyed - getting a search warrant requires a claim of criminal activity. The DA must now follow through with prosecution and eventual public disclosure....

Anonymous said...

Hug is an officer of the court. Can you imagine how the t's must be crossed to get the phone from an officer of the court? He's fucked. Time to start talking boys. Should any of you 4 being squeezed by the AG's office need some good solid advice on what to do call Kevin McGrath he has plenty of experience in cooperation agreement. He can even teach you all how to justify it to yourselves for ratting out your buddy's. If you all pay attention to what he teaches you then you will all be involved in a lawsuit several years after you throw your friends under the bus. Vindicated 12/21/12.

Phana24JG said...

I hate to rag on guys I think are on my side, but could we at least wait for a real accusation before we declare Hug DOA and his reputation "destroyed?" If this turns out to be political and Hug just made a stupid remark, he will emerge with a better reputation.

I love all the people who have found voter fraud religion. Anyone who carried petitions for any amount of time pre-2009 pulled some stunts. I recall phoning people to see if they were home saying "just sign my name." On another occasion, I was at the fire dept with a Dem committeeman discussing our various petition games, and there were some good ones.

Anonymous said...

So Phana are you admitting to being in on various voter fraud schemes?

Anonymous said...

We don't know what Hug said. It's all rumors. Look at McAsshole? He knows everything but doesn't know Ian is Catholic? Just assumes he's jewish because of the last name?

Anonymous said...

Hug was not the last holdover in the DA's office.
Abelove can't even find Republicans who want to work for him.
Doubt Hug would do anything to risk getting his ticket punched.

Anonymous said...

This is the problem with things like facebook and twitter. Rumors are not news they are just rumors. Reporters get sources and confirmation before they print things. All these rumors about Hug are just that. Who knows what happened and why. With some patience, we might find out. I doubt Hug was involved in anything dirty.

Phana24JG said...

No, I was out of the game when the whole Independent Party and related scams went on. I was just commenting that people have been playing games for a long time.

Anonymous said...

Obviously. Thanks Phana for pointing out the Republicans are just as dirty as Democrats and probably dirtier. The self righteous indignation coming from the GOP is the biggest joke going. Take a peek at how many absentee ballots were "released" to a particular Republican operative in the last few elections if you want to know where to get started. Hypocrisy at its very finest.

Anonymous said...

Leave 'lil Kev alone. he's got a lot of built up tension over Bill Dunne. Maybe he's in love?

Anonymous said...

We know that both sided play games. The GOP is better at it. North Greenbush a few years back was terrible with GOP bullshit. It was even referred to Soares who, like always, sat on it and did nothing. That guy never moves on these referrals. Tonya Gate was referred to him and nothing and we know a crime was committed there.

Phana24JG said...

The entire minor party cross-endorsement game is ridiculous. How does one simultaneously run on the Green and Conservative Parties? How does one reconcile a WFP and Conservative endorsement? Eliminate cross-endorsement and most of the fraud goes away.

U have to testify now Ed said...

Maybe it was in connection with the drugging claim police report Primo made at a local bar. Vindicated my ass. Can't wait to see Primo up against the defense dream team.

Anonymous said...

Its sad to realize that troy politics is so toxic. And true, the GOP are better at it. If I let myself imagine, I could envision the same cast of jerk offs we were dealing with 5 years ago grinding away at feeding their tweet bully- the best guy for the job certainly, because he has such a shitty life. #drunktweeter

Anonymous said...

Put the bottle down buddy your starting to sound like Coxs

Phana24JG said...

I find it truly ironic that after four years of misadministration, culminating with the fiasco of Lou's PBA health care debacle, a poster would refer to shortcoming in the previous Administration. Seriously, did you fall asleep back in early 2013 and just wake up before Christmas? Even anonymously, you are either so partisan as to lose all objectivity or you simply lack the capacity to read a newspaper or follow a blog. The GOP is better at toxic politics? I suppose the antics of Lou and his supermajority council of the past two are your definition of healthy politics?

Anonymous said...

What do you mean "was" in regard to North Greenbush? If anything, it's only gotten worse of late.....Augustus Bedford Forrest

Anonymous said...

Maybe a dingo took the 911 tape.

Anonymous said...

Makes sense. A ding dong made it.

Anonymous said...

K McGrath could get caught selling crack to pre schoolers, beat up and old lady and run his car into a group of 8th graders while smoking a joint and STILL whoop the other McGrath (jerkoff) or any other criminal the republicans would run against him. What does that say about what Troy thinks of its shitty republicans