Alessandro was elected and last year was the beneficiary of a cross-endorsement deal that got him and Democrat Jonathan Lippman elected to state Supreme Court - even though Alessandro was rated not qualified by the Westchester County Bar Association. Klugman said he was not comparing Devlin to Alessandro, only warning Democratic leaders of the attempted “invasion.” “The Democrats were asleep in 2003. We’re not going to be caught asleep again,” Kugman said. Devlin, 59, readily admits he has switched parties several times. Three years ago, he was urged to run and sought the Democratic nomination for County Court but didn’t get it. The Republicans nominated him and he switched his registration to the GOP “out of gratitude,” he said. He said the Democrats’ executive committee would never have considered him this year. So his decision to force a primary was pragmatic , he said. He has recognized in his two losses in County Court races the past two years that the Democrats’ overwhelming advantage among registered voters makes it all impossible for him to win as a Republican. “I do a good job. the work I do is important and want to continue to do it,” he said. “But I’ve discovered people don’t look at the person or the job they can do. All they do when they go into the voting booth is pull a party lever.” Jordan said she has always been a Democrat and has never switched allegiances. She said Devlin’s effort could be seen to mislead Democrats because they won’t know he is a Republican. She said she must now focus her efforts on letting voters know she was the candidate party leaders wanted for their ticket. “He’s doing what the law allows him to but he’s looking to get on two (major) party lines even before the election,” she said.

Reach Jonathan Bandler at jbandler@lohud.com or 914-694-3520
Republican forces Democratic judgeship primary
GOP incumbent seeks both parties’ lines in Westchester
Jonathan Bandler
the Journal News
For the second time in five years, Westchester Democrats are trying to avoid losing their party line in a countywide judicial election. Charles Devlin, who has run for office the past two years as a Republican and a Conservative, collected enough nominating signatures this summer to force a Democratic primary against Janet Jordan in the race for Family Court judge. Devlin, an appointed incumbent, already has the Republican nomination for the November election. The effort has incensed the chairman of the New Rochelle Democratic Party, Arnold Klugman, who blamed Republican operatives for trying to confuse voters. He sent an e-mail to Democratic leaders last week bemoaning what he called “the Republican invasion of Democratic judicial candidates” and urging them to “be aggressive in battling this emerging cancer before it metastasizes.” He also complained about Republican candidates for town justice in Lewisboro, Pelham and Yorktown forcing Democratic primaries. “If he thought he had superior credentials and wanted to run as a Democrat, he should have come to (the executive committee) and sought the nomination. He never did,” Klugman said of Devlin. But at least one Democratic leader, former state Supreme Court Justice Samuel Fredman, has expressed support for Devlin, a longtime law clerk and special referee who has been appointed County Court or Family Court judge the past three years. He complained about Klugman’s tactics and rhetoric.
“I just want there to be a level playing field,” Fredman said. “I’m not saying it’s not and oddity, but if (Devlin) does what he has to to get on the primary ballot, let the two candidates duke it out.” He said he was less familiar with Jordan but had no problem with a qualified non-Democrat seeking the party line. Jordan is an appointed support magistrate for Westchester Family Court. She makes determinations on child support, paternity, child care, medical coverage and other matters. Candidates in New York judicial races are not required to obtain authorization to run in another party’s primary as they are in other races. In 2003, Democrats were blind-sided by Joseph Alessandro, an unknown in Westchester who forced a primary and won a place on the Democratic ticket in the race for county judge.