Saratoga County Democratic Chair Calls For Republican County Chair To Resign

I received a press release from Todd Kerner, chair of the Saratoga County Democratic Committee. The issue was Republican Chair, Carl Zeilman’s promotion of a story that a vile flyer allegedly of Democratic Party origin had been placed on cars in a Clifton Park parking lot. The flyer had its origins on the web nationally and had been challenged as fake. The Saratoga County Sheriff’s department could find no evidence that the flyer had been placed on cars in Clifton Park.

I emailed Chairman Zeilman for a comment. His response is below. He dismissed Kerner’s statements as a “distration.”

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Saratoga County Democratic Party Press Release

Saratoga County Official’s Actions Must Be Addressed

The Saratoga County Democratic Committee calls on Carl Zeilman to either resign as Saratoga County Commissioner of Emergency Services or resign as Saratoga County Republican Committee Chair.    

Zeilman earlier this month shared a far-right flyer that was clearly fake.  The flyer was also posted on the Saratoga County Republican Committee Facebook page which stated that the flyers were found on vehicles at a local store in Southern Saratoga County.  This flyer made it appear in dangerous language that Democrats wanted to eliminate Republicans.  Zeilman did this immediately before a march in Clifton Park over the murder of George Floyd.  The use of this flyer by Zeilman to cause turmoil is inconsistent with the role of a Commissioner of Emergency Services.  

The Saratoga County Sherriff’s office stated that they could not find anyone who saw or had a copy of such flyer at the Clifton Park Hannaford where it was allegedly distributed.  Rather, it was an image that was found on social media and a Colorado news story debunked the flyer as a phony document being shared on Facebook pages.  We wish to thank the Sherriff’s office for looking into this matter.    

Todd Kerner, chair of the Saratoga County Democratic Committee said “Zeilman’s tweeting and posting this flyer prior to the demonstration was fear mongering and an inflammatory political act.  The residents of Saratoga County are of all colors, faiths, and political ideologies and deserve their County Commissioner of Emergency Services to be above such political partisan actions.  The Emergency Services Department is a vital office and we need it to be above reproach and for the benefit of all county residents.  It is clear from Zeilman’s actions, one cannot serve as both a political party official and a county Commissioner of Emergency Services.  At a time when it is critical that public trust in our institutions remains firm, Zeilman’s resignation would help restore faith and credibility in the county’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities in a way that respects all of its residents. 

Clifton Park Democratic Committee Chair Patrick Lyons noted “last Monday, hundreds of residents of the Town of Clifton Park were honored to join organizers from Black Lives Matter in a peaceful demonstration to advance our common goals of fairness and justice for all.  This action, which was perpetrated by the Saratoga County Republican party chair and salaried employee of the county of Saratoga, requires formal action.”

Todd M. Kerner, Chair

Saratoga County Democratic Committee

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Response From Chairman Carl Zeilman:

“This is typical and par for the course. This is just an attempt to create a distraction from the dangerous policies of defunding our law enforcement, putting dangerous criminals back on the street through Bail Reform and placing COVID19 patients back into nursing homes — all of which Todd Kerner and his Democratic Party stand for.”

Carl Zeilman