Relin Retires -- 10 April 2003

[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE
BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION]

>>> JUST AHEAD ON "NEED TO
KNOW," HOWARD RELIN HAS BEEN A
FIXTURE.
LAST WEEK, THE TOP PROSECUTOR
ANNOUNCED THIS YEAR WILL BE HIS
LAST.
WE TALK WITH HIM ABOUT HUSBAND
LONG CAREER, AND HOPES FOR
SUCCESSOR AND HIS CLASHES WITH
THE LEADING CONSERVATIVES IN
TOWN.
YOU'LL SEE THAT INTERVIEW
TONIGHT.
WE ALSO LOOK AT WHETHER THE EAST
END CAN TEACH US ANYTHING ABOUT
DEVELOPING ROCHESTER, AND WE
HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE COST OF
THE ICE STORM, 2003.
THAT'S NEXT ON "NEED TO KNOW."

>> MY LEGACY WILL BE CONCERN FOR
VICTIMS OF CRIMES.

>> THIS IS "NEED TO KNOW."
THE ROCHESTER'S ONLY IN-DEPTH
PROGRAM.
IT'S PRODUCTION OF XXI, COVERING
POLITICS, EDUCATION AND CURRENT
EVENTS.

>> "NEED TO KNOW" IS MADE
POSSIBLE BY --

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
OUR CONVERSATION WITH HOWARD
RELIN IS COPPING UP.
BUT FIRST WHAT WILL YOU REMEMBER
FROM THE ICE STORM OF 2003?
DAYS WITHOUT POWER, CLEARING
AWAY FALLEN TREES OR BRANCHES OR
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND UTILITIES
AND TAXPAYERS ARE REALIZING
ANOTHER EFFECT OF THE STORM --
THE PRICE TAG FOR REWIRING THE
THOUSANDS WITHOUT POWER.
WITH US TO TALK ABOUT THE STORM
IS BUD LOWL AND THE GOVERNMENTS
AND UTILITIES IS RATE PAYERS.

>> WELL, SLIMMED DOWN THIS IS
WHAT PAUL KILL WINS, THE
PRESIDENT OF RG & E REFERRED TO
THE BACK OF THE ENVELOPE
PREPPATION BECAUSE THE ACCOUNT
ENS ARE DIGGING INTO THIS STUFF.
BUT HIS BACK OF THE ENVELOPE
CALCULATION FOR THE UTILITY
ABOUT $15 MILLION.
VERY ROUGH ESTIMATE.
AND FOR GOVERNMENTS THE COUNTY
EXECUTIVES, JACK DOYLE, SAYS IT
WILL START AT $10 MILLION AND
THEY'RE TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF
EVERYTHING AS WELL AS THEY CAN.
SO YOU CAN PROBABLY EXPECT THAT
TO GO UP.
THEY'RE KEEPING TRACK OF IT OF
COURSE BECAUSE THEY HOPE TO GET
REIMBURSED BY THE FEDERAL
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ATSY AS TO
THE APPROPRIATE DISASTER
DECLARATIONS ARE FILED.

>> TALK ABOUT THAT.
THE CONSUMER, EVERYBODY TALKED
ABOUT GETTING THAT MONEY TO US
QUICKLY.
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN HEARING ABOUT
WHETHER WE'LL GET THAT QUICKLY
OR NOT?

>> PROBABLY WE'LL GET -- QUICK
FOR GOVERNMENT MEANS THROUGH
THREE MONTHS.
THAT'S FOR FEDERAL AGENCY,
THAT'S BLINDING SPEED.
AND THE GOVERNOR HAS ALREADY
STARTED THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK
TO GET THE DISASTER
DECLARATION -- IT STARTED
SATURDAY BY PUTTING IT IN PLACE
FOR MONROE AND 12 OTHER COUNTIES
AROUND HERE THAT WE'RE
PARTICULARLY HEAVILY HIT BY
THIS.
ONCE THAT STUFF GETS DOWN TO
WASHINGTON THEY GO OVER IT, AND
ABOUT THE FASTEST THEY CAN MOVE
IS THROUGH THE TWO TO THREE
MONTHS.
WE GET THE FULL FEMA DISASTER
DECLARATION, THEN THIS CAN BE
REIMBURSEMENTS FOR FOR ALL THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, VILLAGES FOR
THE OVERTIME AND ALL THE FUEL
THEY HAD TO SPEND.
IF WE GET ALSO THE FULL DISASTER
DECK ARLATION, -- DECLARATION,
SMALL BUSINESSES CAN GET
LOW-INTEREST FUNDS TO RECOVER.
IF THEY LOST A FREEZER FULL OF
STEAKS OR SOMETHING, THEY CAN
GET THAT.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
YOU KNOW, FOR THE LATEST
DEVELOPMENTS ON THE FALLOUT FROM
THE ICE STORM, OR FOR OTHER
BREAKING NEWS, TUNE IN TO WXXI.
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE DEPARTURE
OF HOWARD RELIN.
LAST WEEK, HE SAID HE WOULD NOT
SEEK A SIXTH TERM AS THE TOP
PROSECUTOR.
HE'S GOING TO LEAVE AS THE
LONGEST-SERVING DISTRICT
ATTORNEY IN COUNTY HISTORY.
HIS DEPARTURE SET OFF A CHAIN
REACTION OF SORTS FOR A
POLITICAL RACE THAT'S WIDE OPEN.
THE MAN RELIN APPOINTED AS
ASSISTANT MIKE GREEN SWITCHED
FROM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND WILL SEEK A
DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR D.A.
HE CAN EXPECT A CHALLENGE FROM
ANOTHER GREEN.
ATTORNEY SCOTT GREENE.
MEANWHILE, REPUBLICANS ARE
LOOKING AT SITTING JUDGES WHO
RUN FOR RELIN'S JOB.
NOW, BEFORE WE GET TO THE
INTERVIEW THAT WE RECORDED
EARLIER WITH HOWARD RELIN HERE
IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF HIS
BACKGROUND.
RELIN CAME FROM A FAMILY OF
LAWYERS INCLUDING HIS FATHER,
CHARLES.
AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE STATE
UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO LAW SCHOOL
HE WORKED IN THE COUNTY'S
DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE UNDER
THEN D.A. LARRY KURLANDER.
RELIN'S SWITCHED PARTIES AND
RAN FOR D.A. AS DEMOCRAT IN
1983.
HE NARROWLY DEFITD REPUBLICAN
BOB KING.
NEVER HAD A DIFFICULT ELECTION
AFTER THAT.
HOWEVER, RELIN HAS HAD HIS
DETRACTORS.
MOST PROMINENTLY TOM COOK.
RELIN NEVER SHIED AWAY FROM THE
MEDIA.
TOOK ON A NUMBER OF CAUSES AS
HIS OWN, PUTTING THE CREATION OF
THE ROCHESTER DRUG CORPS AND THE
PROJECT EXILE PROGRAM.

>> WITH US IN THE STUDIO NOW IS
HOWARD RELIN.
MAKING A DECISION LIKE THIS
AFTER WHAT, 21 YEARS?
IS IT?

>> 21 YEARS AS DISTRICT ATTORNEY
35 YEARS IN THE D.A.'S OFFICE.

>> NOT EASY I GUESS?

>> NO, NO.
IT'S VERY EMOTIONAL.

>> TELL ME ABOUT WHAT -- WHERE
THE FINAL -- HOW DID YOU FINALLY
COME TO THIS DECISION TO LEAVE?

>> WELL, I THINK OBVIOUSLY I HAD
VERY HEAVY DISCUSSIONS WITH MY
WIFE WHO WERE ITED NO FOR HER, I
WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ELECTED AS
DISTRICT ATTORNEY BECAUSE SHE
WAS ASSIGNED TO BE MY CAMPAIGN
MANAGER IN 1993.
I THINK NO ONE HAS EVER
QUESTIONED MY LOVE OF WHAT I DO,
BUT I THINK LOVE OF FAMILY WON
OUT.

>> YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GO BACK
TO BEFORE YOU DECIDED WHAT YOU
WERE GOING TO DO, WHAT YOUR
CAREER PATH WAS GOING TO BE.
I REMEMBER YOU TELLING ME THAT
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN YOU MIGHT
HAVE BEEN A HISTORY TEACHER,
HISTORY PROFESSOR?
WHAT HAPPENED?

>> I HAD WONDERFUL TEACHERS AT
MONROE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE CITY.
KARL LANGE MY SOCIAL STUDIES
TEACHER GOT ME INTERESTED IN
HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES.
I WENT TO COLOMBIA, I WAS
HALFWAY TO MY, YOU KNOW, MASTERS
DEGREE IN HISTORY AND BECAUSE WE
HAD SO MANY LAWYERS IN OUR
FAMILY, MY FATHER, MY TWO UNCLES
AND TWO COUSINS, I STARTED
THINKING MORE AND MORE ABOUT
LAW.
AND LAW EVENTUALLY WON OUT.
THE GOOD THING IS I HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO GO BACK TO DO SOME
TEACHING, NOT HISTORY, BUT
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AT R.I.T. AND
THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR THERE SAID
IF I'D LIKE TO STAY HE'D LIKE TO
HAVE ME.
SO I PLAN ON STAYING AT R.I.T.
AND TEACHING.

>> SO YOU'RE GOING BACK?
EVERYBODY CIRCLES BACK.

>> IT'S A BIG CIRCLE.
GOING BACK 38 YEARS.

>> WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR
LEGACY.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE FOR FOLKS TO
THINK OF AS THE HOWARD RELIN
LEGACY?

>> WELL, I THINK MY LEGACY WILL
BE CONCERN FOR VICTIMS OF
CRIMES.
WHEN YOU'RE A VICTIM OF A
SERIOUS -- A VIOLENT CRIME OR
REALLY ANY CRIME, IT HAS AN
AMAZING IMPACT ON YOU.
AND I THINK OVER THE YEARS WITH
OUR VICTIM WITNESS BUREAU WITH
PEOPLE THAT CAROL MALHERN HAVE
HIRED TO ASSIST VICTIMS, WE HAVE
DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB IN
REACHING OUT TO VICTIMS.
I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT.
I THINK ANOTHER PART OF IT IS
THE NONPARTISAN ASPECT OF THE
OFFICE.
HIRING PEOPLE OF ALL POLITICAL
PARTIES, WE NEVER CHECKED
ANYONE'S REGISTRATION WHEN WE
INTERVIEWED THEM TO BE AN
ASSISTANT D.A.
HIRING THE BEST, AND WHEN YOU
LOOK AT CHUCK SIRAGUSA, MIKE
GREEN, IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME.
IT NEVER MATTERED TO ME WHAT
THAT PERSON'S POLITICAL
REGISTRATION WAS.
I WANTED TO GET THE BEST AND THE
BRIGHTEST PROSECUTORS AND WE
HAVE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALMOST 600
HOMICIDE CONVICTIONS AT TRIAL,
NOT BY PLEA, AT TRIAL, 36,000
FELONY CONVICTIONS OVER A
20-YEAR PERIOD, IT'S JUST A
REMARKABLE RECORD.
IT'S NOT ME.
IT'S THE STAFF OF THE D.A.'S
OFFICE.

>> WHAT CASE WERE YOU OVER THE
COURSE OF THIS 20 YEARS -- THIS
IS PROBABLY HARD TO PICK OUT ONE
BUT WHICH CASE WERE YOU MOST
PROUD OF?
I DON'T KNOW WHY I THINK TAYLOR
IS ONE OF THEM, BUT LET ME
EXPLAIN WHAT YOU I MEAN BY
TAYLOR.

>> THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE
CASES.
THEY SOLICITED A PERSON FROM
LONG ISLAND TO MURDER A UNION
BOSS --

>> REMNANTS OF THE MOB?

>> OF THE TEAM A/TEAM B WARS.
THAT WAS ONE OF OF MY FAVORITE
CASES AND ESPECIALLY AFTER THEY
WERE CONVICT AND THEY STARTED TO
THREATEN CHUCK SIRAGUSA AND I.
THEY LOOKED LIKE BUFFALO
LINEMEN.
YOU KNOW, SEEING HORRIBLE
KILLERS LIKE THAT, AND I THINK
IN SOME WAYS SHOCKCROSS TO --
EVEN MORE OF AN IMPACT THAN THE
VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES
BECAUSE THERE WERE TEN VICTIMS
IN MONROE COUNTY AND ONE IN
WAYNE COUNTY.
BUT I THINK IT HAD AN IMPACT ON
THE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE IN THE
LYLE AVENUE AREA WERE SCARED TO
DEATH.
THERE WAS A SERIAL KILLER ON THE
LOOSE FOR 18 MONTHS, AND IT
REALLY FRIGHTENED THE COMMUNITY
IN THE MOST HORRIBLE WAY.
SO HAVING HIM PUT AWAY AND
HAVING THAT CASE ON TELEVISION
TOO I THINK BECAME ONE OF THE
GREAT EDUCATIONAL THINGS THAT WE
HAVE EVER HAD IN OUR COMMUNITY.

>> YOU HAD BEEN A PROPONENT OF
THE DEATH -- I DO WANT TO ASK
YOU ABOUT THAT.
IN THE LIGHT OF ILLINOIS.
THEY'RE RETHINKING THE DEATH
PENALTY OUT THERE.
ARE YOU STILL WHERE YOU WERE
WHEN IT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BACK
IN 1995?

>> I AM, MIKE.
I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
SINCE 1995, WE'VE HAD THOUSANDS
OF HOMICIDES IN NEW YORK STATE.
AND WHEN THE LAW WENT INTO
EFFECT, PEOPLE LIKE CLAIRE REGAN
JUST TO MENTION ONE PERSON SAID,
MY GOD, THE D.A.s ARE GOING TO
GO AFTER EVERYONE.
WE HAVE TO BUILD TWO NEW PRISONS
FOR THAT PENALTY CASE -- THE
DEATH PENALTY CASES.
TO DATE, SEVEN PEOPLE ARE ON
DEATH ROW IN NEW YORK STATE OF
ALL OF THE THOUSANDS OF CASES.
ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE IS ANGEL
MATEO FROM MONROE COUNTY.
HE HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF KILLING
FOUR PEOPLE IN SEPARATE
INCIDENTS, AND ALSO ATTEMPTING
TO KILL A FIFTH.
SO IF YOU AS DISTRICT ATTORNEY
SAY WE'RE RESERVING THIS
PUNISHMENT FOR THE WORST OF ALL
OFFENDERS, FOR THE MOST HEINOUS
OF ALL OFFENDERS, AND IF YOU
MAKE SURE YOU'RE PICKING THE
RIGHT PERSON AND YOU'RE
PROSECUTING A PERSON WHO IS 188%
GUILTY WAY BEYOND A REASONABLE
DOUBT, THEN I THINK IT'S A VALID
STATUTE.
THE PROBLEM THAT ILLINOIS HAD
WAS PROSECUTORS DID A VERY POOR
JOB OF FINDING WHO THEY WERE
PROSECUTING.
THEY DIDN'T USE D.N.A.
TECHNOLOGY EVEN THOUGH IT WAS
AVAILABLE.
AT ONE POINT, THE GOVERNOR FOUND
THAT HALF OF THE PEOPLE ON DEATH
ROW WERE NOT JUST NOT GUILTY,
THEY WERE INNOCENT OF THE
CHARGES.
NO PROSECUTOR I KNOW IN NEW YORK
STATE WOULD EVER DO ANYTHING
LIKE THAT.
AND I THINK IT'S VALID.
I DON'T THINK THAT IN NEW YORK
STATE WE'RE EVER GOING TO SEE
ANYTHING LIKE WE'VE SEEN IN
TEXAS AND FLORIDA AND OTHER
STATES THAT USE IT VERY
FREQUENTLY.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE
RESERVED FOR THE WORST OFFENDERS
AND MR. SHOCKCROSS IS FORTUNATE
THAT HE WAS TRIED BEFORE THE
DEATH PENALTY CAME IN BECAUSE HE
WOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE TOP OF
THE CHARTS.
FOR ANYONE.

>> HOW DO YOU VIEW THE ROLE OF
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY?
IN AN INTERVIEW WE HAD A FEW
YEARS BACK, YOU SAID THAT THE
ROLE NEEDS TO BE ONE OF AN
ADMINISTRATER IN MONROE COUNTY,
IN AN OFFICE -- AGAIN S THIS
WHAT YOU STILL BELIEVE?

>> SURE.

>> EXPLAIN WHY.

>> CERTAINLY.
YOU HAVE 75 TO 80 ASSISTANT
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS DEPENDING ON
THE COUNTY BUDGET SITUATION, AND
TO SUPERVISE ALL OF THOSE
ATTORNEYS AND TO BE ABLE TO
ADMINISTER THE OFFICE PROPERLY,
YOU HAVE TO BE AN ADMINISTRATOR.
I LOVE TRYING CASES.
I TRIED MORE THAN 100 FELONY
CASES AS A YOUNG ASSISTANT D.A.
AND EVEN AS A BUREAU CHIEF IN
THE D.A.'S OFFICE BECAME I
BECAME FIRST ASSISTANT AND
DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
I'M THE LAST DISTRICT ATTORNEY
IN 45 YEARS TO TRY CASES AS
DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
TODAY IT'S TOO BIG AN
ADMINISTRATIVE JOB TO TAKE A
MONTH OR TWO MONTHS OUT TO TRY
CASES.
NOW, CERTAINLY MIKE GREEN MIGHT
DISAGREE WITH THAT.
I'M SUREHE'S ELECTED DISTRICT
ATTORNEY HE'LL WANT TO KEEP HIS
HAND IN IT AND TRY ONE CASE.
BUT THE REALITY IS I HAVE NO
DOUBT THAT IT'S AN
ADMINISTRATIVE JOB.
ANDY MALONEY AND I USED TO TALK
ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME.
ANDY MALONEY DIDN'T DO
INTERVIEWS OR CONFESSIONS.
HE LEFT THE PROFESSIONALS IN HIS
OFFICE DO THAT.
THE FIRST THREE ASSISTANTS THAT
I HAVE HAD, CHUCK SIRAGUSA, MIKE
KEENAN AND MIKE AND THEIR
RECORDS IN HOMICIDE CASES ARE
135 GUILTIES, THREE NOT
GUILTIES.
JIM DAYTHAN WOULD LIKE THAT
RECORD, I CAN TELL YOU.

>> MIKE GREEN, HE'S GOING TO RUN
AS A DEMOCRAT FOR THE DISTRICT
ATTORNEY.
SOMETHING YOU DID BACK 20 YEARS
AGO.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THOSE WHO
SAY, WELL, THAT PARPY IS
SWITCHING.
THAT'S JUST OPPORTUNISM.

>> I WOULD SAY WHEN I MADE MY
DECISION WHICH WAS ACTUALLY OVER
21 YEARS AGO, I LOOKED AT THE
PARTIES.
I SAID TO MYSELF WHICH PARTY IN
MONROE COUNTY REPRESENTS THE
TRADITION OF HAVING A DISTRICT
ATTORNEY THAT'S A NONPARTISAN
DISTRICT ATTORNEY?
THAT REPRESENTS ALL PEOPLE THAT
ISN'T GOING TO BE STAFFED BY
ONLY REPUBLICAN LAWYERS, WHICH
HAD BEEN THE TRADITION WHEN I
WAS HIRED AS AN ASSISTANT D.A.
IN 1968.
AND IT TOOK ME SEVERAL YEARS TO
GET IT THROUGH MY MIND I HAD
BEEN A REPUBLICAN, MY FATHER HAD
BEEN A REPUBLICAN.
MY FATHER REMAINED A REPUBLICAN,
EVEN AFTER I WAS ELECTED
DISTRICT ATTORNEY AS A DEMOCRAT.
I JUST LOOKED AT IT FROM THAT
POINT OF VIEW, WHAT PARTY WILL
ALLOW ME TO BE THE MOST
PROFESSIONAL, COMPETENT,
NONPARTISAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY?
IT'S TAKEN MIKE A WHILE TO COME
TO THAT CONCLUSION, BUT I THINK
HE'S COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION
THAT I CAME TO, THAT I CAME TO
MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
AND I SUPPORT HIM COMPLETELY FOR
DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
AGAIN, MIKE, THIS IS AN OFFICE
THAT'S A QUASI JUDICIAL OFFICE.
IF MIKE RAN AS A REPUBLICAN, I
WOULD BE VERY HARD PRESSED TO
SAY THIS ISN'T A PERSON WHO
DESERVES TO BE DISTRICT
ATTORNEY.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN A PARTISAN
PERSON.
I'M A DEMOCRAT AND I'D LOVE FOR
THE DEMOCRAT AND INDEPENDENTS
PARTY WHO SUPPORTED ME
THROUGHOUT MY YEARS AS DISTRICT
ATTORNEY, BUT THIS IS A JOB TOO
IMPORTANT TO LET PARTISAN
FEELINGS TO GET INTO THAT.
AND MY WISH WOULD BE THAT THE
REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE PEOPLE
PEOPLE WOULD RISE UP AND SAY TO
THEIR CHAIR, YOU ARE AN IDIOT,
YOU HAVE REJECTED THE BEST
CANDIDATE WE COULD HAVE.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE'RE -- WE WANT HIM TO BE ON
BOTH LINES.
LET'S CROSS ENDORSE MIKE GREEN
SO WE HAVE NO --

>> MY GUESS AND I'M NOT GOING TO
SPEAK FOR THE REPUBLICANS, BUT
THEY THINK THEY HAVE A BETTER
CANDIDATE OUT THERE.
THEY THINK THEY HAVE THE
CANDIDATE THAT'S GOING TO WIN.

>> WELL, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE
POLITICAL RACES, MIKE THAT'S WHY
WE HAVE HORSE RACES.
WHEN I RAN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
SAID THE SAME THING.

>> YEAH.

>> THERE WERE SOME SAME
RESENTMENT OF ME HAVING SWITCHED
PARTIES AMONG SOME REPUBLICANS.
THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD A BETTER
CANDIDATE AND THEIR CANDIDATE
WAS A GOOD ONE.

>> LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR A
DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO BE A GOOD
POLITICIAN?
I'M GOING TO ASK THIS IN THE
SENSE THAT SOMEONE SAID HOWARD
RELIN, HE'S TOO GOOD.
HE'S TOO UP-FRONT TO THE MEDIA.
YOU SAID THAT'S PART OF THE JOB.
BUT HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR A
DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO BE A GOOD
POLITICIAN?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S QUITE
IMPORTANT.
YOU INTERACT WITH PEOPLE ALL THE
TIME.
YOU WORK WITH VICTIMS, YOU WORK
WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS.
YOU WORK WITH CITIZENS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
YOU SPEAK OUT ON CRIMINAL
JUSTICE ISSUES.
YOU TALK ABOUT ISSUES LIKE THE
DEATH PENALTY IN 1994, 1995.
REFORM OF THE ROCKEFELLER DRUG
LAWS.
DOLLAR WHOLE GAMUT OF ISSUES
THAT YOU TALK TO IN THE
COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE
A GOOD POLITICIAN.
I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.
YESTERDAY, WHEN I DID MY
ANNOUNCEMENT, I THANKED THE
MEDIA HERE IN MONROE COUNTY, NOT
FOR UNIFORMALLY GOOD COVERAGE,
BECAUSE NO PUBLIC OFFICIAL GETS
UNIFORMALLY GOOD COVERAGE.
YOU REALIZE THAT, BUT FOR
LISTENING TO ISSUES THAT WERE
BROUGHT UP AND FOR AT LEAST
HAVING THE DECENCY TO TALK TO ME
ABOUT ISSUES, WE HAVE A VERY
RESPONSIBLE MEDIA HERE AND I
THANK THEM FOR THE WORK THEY
DID.
TO BE CRITICIZED FOR BEING TOO
MEDIA FRIENDLY OR TOO MEDIA
SAVVY, TO ME THAT'S A BIZARRE
CRITICISM.
YOU ALSO REMEMBER A CRITICISM IN
MY LAST CAMPAIGN IN -- EXCUSE ME
IN 1995, AND MY SECOND LAST
CAMPAIGN WITH THAT CANDIDATE,
THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE SAT --
SAID HOWARD RELIN CARES TOO
MUCH ABOUT VICTIMS.
THAT ISN'T WHAT A D.A. IS ALL
ABOUT.
TO THIS DATE, MIKE, I NEVER
HEARD A MORE IDIOTIC STATEMENT
IN ANY POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.
TO THINK THAT THAT PERSON HAD
BEEN IN MY OFFICE THAT WAS EVEN
MORE SHOCKING.
I HAVE NEVER HEARD A DUMBER
STATEMENT BY A PERSON SEEKING
POLITICAL OFFICE IN ALL OF THE
ELECTIONS I HAVE EVER SEEN.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW THERE'S
SOMEBODY OUT THERE WHO THINKS
THE MEDIA HAS BEEN TOO EASY ON
YOU THAT'S THE CONSERVATIVE
PARTY CHAIRMAN, TOM COOK.
HE THINKS WE'VE BEEN LIGHT ON
YOU.
HE'S BEEN CRITICIZING YOU FOR
SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE STIFF
PARTY ENDORSED YOU.
TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH
THIS RELATIONSHIP.
WHERE DID IT GO WRONG?

>> WELL, MIKE, HONESTLY, I THINK
WHEN I LOOK BACK THE ONLY REGRET
THAT I HAVE IN POLITICS IS EVER
HAVING ACCEPTED THE ENDORSEMENT
OF A PARTY THAT MR. COOK IS
CONNECTED WITH.
I NEVER NEEDED THAT ENDORSEMENT.
AND FRANKLY, AFTER THE FIRST
TIME WHEN HE TOOK THAT
ENDORSEMENT AWAY FROM ME, WHEN I
RAN IN 1983, NEVER SHOULD HAVE
ANY CONTACT WITH HIM AFTER THAT.
THAT'S MY ONLY REGRET IN A
WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL GREAT
POLITICAL CAREER.
I USED TO GET UPSET WHEN
MR. COOK WOULD PUBLISH HIS
BOOKLETS ABOUT THE RELIN RECORD
AND MISSTATE MY RECORD AND DO
THAT.
AND A FRIEND OF MINE TALKED TO
ME SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND SAID,
HOWARD, FORGET TOM COOK.
WHO CARES.
HE'S INCONSEQUENTIAL.
EVERYONE KNOWS THAT HIS LIVING
IS REPRESENTING DRUNKEN DRIVING.
YOUR DUTIES ARE PROSECUTING
DRUNKEN DRIVERS IN THE COMMUNITY
KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING
AND WHAT YOU STAND FOR.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, SINCE I HAD
THAT CONVERSATION WITH A VERY
GOOD FRIEND, I -- WHEN MR. COOK
PUBLISHES HIS TOMES, HE JUST
RECENTLY PUBLISHED ANOTHER ONE
WHICH IS A REHASH OF HIS '99
BOOK.
JUST LAUGH AT IT.
MY QUOTE WAS WHEN I SEE TOM COOK
MAKING A COMMENT OR WRITING AN
ARTICLE ABOUT ME OR PUTTING SOME
TRASH IN THE CONSERVATIVE
NEWSLETTER, I JUST LAUGH AT IT
WITH A CAPITAL L.

>> IS THERE ANYTHING THAT HE'S
EVER SAID THAT MADE YOU THINK
TWICE, WELL, MAYBE I COULD HAVE
DONE THAT BETTER OR MAYBE I
COULD HAVE DONE THAT
DIFFERENTLY?
OR DO YOU DISMISS ALL OF THAT?

>> I FRANKLY DISMISS ALL OF IT
COMPLETELY BECAUSE SADLY, THAT
PERSON IS INTO CONTROL.
CONTROLLING PUBLIC OFFICIALS,
CONTROLLING COUNTY LEGISLATORS
AND HONESTLY HE CONTROLS THE
REPUBLICAN CHAIR.
THIS REPUBLICAN CHAIR DOESN'T
HAVE THE GUTS TO STAND UP TO
THAT PERSON.
HOW BIZARRE IS THAT, MIKE?
YOU HAVE 140,000 REGISTERED
VOTERS IN YOUR PARTY, ANOTHER
PERSON HAS 8,000 REGISTERED
VOTERS AND YOU LET HIM BULLY YOU
AND TELL YOU WHAT TO DO AND
CITIZENS AND REPUBLICANS HAVE TO
LOOK AT THIS AND SAY THE TAIL IS
WAGGING THE DOG.
HOW STUPID IS THAT?

>> I'VE GOT LIKE FIVE SECONDS.
YOU GOING TO CAMPAIGN FOR MIKE
GREEN?

>> YOU BETTER BELIEVE.
I'LL BE AT THE PUBLIC MARKET,
I'LL BE EVERYWHERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
WE WANT YOUR THOUGHTS AND
OPINIONS ON THE SE, THE SHOW.
YOU HAVE TWO DAYS TO DELIVER
THEM.
BY VISITING THE WEBSITE,
wxxi.org/ntk.