The Troubling About Face of Michele Madigan

In a stunning reversal that shocked many of Michele Madigan’s past supporters, Madigan sought and received the endorsement of the Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee to run for Mayor. In doing this, she transformed herself from one of the Committee’s staunchest critics into the most ardent supporter of the people she had previously condemned as corrupt and incompetent.

During the Ron Kim administration with an all-Democratic Council, Madigan, a Democrat, correctly had harsh words for that Council and the Democratic Committee for the chaos at Council meetings and the mismanagement of the city. Following the defeat of then-Mayor Ron Kim and then-Public Safety Commissioner James Montagnino, she focused her criticism on Democrats Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran and Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi for such debacles as the OnCall pay scandal.

In the February 23, 2025, edition of the Daily Gazette, Saratoga Springs Republican chair Mike Brandi documented Madigan’s previously held views by providing screenshots of texts from her.

Regarding the breaking OnCall Pay story Madigan texted Brandi the following:

“It would be great if you could do [a] press release about this as Emma Ralls is on it from the Saratogian,” a text message from Madigan on Jan. 9, 2024, allegedly shows. “This is the only way to get the TU and DG to follow this ridiculous story. I think we may have fraud and theft going on here.”

In other texts she criticized Dillon Moran for hiring a lawyer for $1250 an hour to represent him in the OnCall case.

She described racking up legal fees in the probe as “outrageous and obscene and criminal” and that Moran “refuses to follow his own [department’s] policies.

Gazette February 23, 2025

The texts provided to the Daily Gazette also included unflattering remarks by Madigan about Commissioner Sanghvi and Gordon Boyd, who is active in the current Democratic Committee.

Less than two years ago, the Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee refused to endorse Madigan for one of two Supervisor positions and refused to allow her and two other Democrats seeking endorsement to address the full committee.

That was then. Madigan has now once again become a member of the Democratic Committee she had left, reversed her position on those she criticized, and without explanation issued an apology.

Madigan said that she’s reached out to Boyd, Sanghvi, Moran and SSDC Chair Otis Maxwell to address her past remarks.

“I’ve offered my sincere apologies for my past comments and disagreements and we acknowledge that we have not been united in the past, but we are united now and will move forward together,” she said.

Gazette, February 23, 2025

The new Michele Madigan has now been chosen to head the Democratic ticket in November. There is no evidence that any of the Democrats Madigan criticized have apologized for their behavior.

Moran’s Endorsement Came With Speed Bumps, and Madigan’s Support

Madigan not only apologized to Dillon Moran for her past criticisms of his behavior, but she also joined the majority of the Democratic Committee in voting to endorse him for a third term as Accounts Commissioner.

Moran was challenged for the endorsement by Jessica Troisa. I am told that the turnout for the endorsement meeting was low, with a number of committee members not even represented by their proxies. Of those present, a significant number apparently voted for no endorsement for Accounts, which would have led to a primary between Moran and Troisa. While that vote failed, it is still unclear if those dissident committee members will rally to circulate petitions for Troisa to force a primary. It is clear that Madigan has become a Democratic Committee loyalist who will not join any effort to oppose Moran.

Democrats Endorse Coll

In contrast to the last election cycle, when the Democratic Committee would not allow Tim Coll to address them, he spoke to them at their Saturday endorsement meeting. He received an overwhelming vote, endorsing him for the position of Commissioner of Public Safety. Commissioner Coll, a registered Democrat, has also received the endorsement of the Saratoga Springs Republican Committee and will appear on both lines on the November ballot.

While it is true that no one came forward to run against him, it still seems like a small step forward that the Democrats were willing to hear from him this year.

Sources tell me that Dillon Moran was silent for nearly one hour at the meeting, during which Coll took questions from the audience and engaged with them. Following Coll’s exit, Moran raised his oft-repeated complaint that Coll had an animus toward former Public Works Commissioner Jason Golub and somehow was responsible for the charges brought against him for using public employees to do work on his private home. Moran continues to ignore the facts of the case against Golub and the gravity of the charges brought by the police after DPW whistleblowers produced evidence of Golub’s behavior.

Shafer Gaston for Finance Commissioner

Shafer Gaston has a troubled past with inappropriate and intemperate remarks on social media. Back in 2019, I published a post regarding an ugly, profane, and misogynistic remark that was put up on his Facebook page. Even though numerous people complained to him about this. He did not take it down.

Shafer Gaston is a retired Submarine Training Instructor at the U.S. Navy facility in West Milton and has been a member of the Saratoga Springs Zoning Board of Appeals since 2023. He holds an MBA and a certification in project management.

Bahram “BK” Kermati for Public Works Commissioner

According to the Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee:

The SSDC endorsed Bahram “BK” Keramati for Commissioner of Public Works. Keramati is a retired GE mechanical engineer and has been active in Saratoga Springs politics for quite a while. He has also been on a previous City Charter Review Commission and ran for a state assembly seat in 2010, though was unsuccessful. According to the Committee, Keramati is “passionate about alternative energy and climate change mitigation.”

I know very little about Mr. Kermati. He is a quiet-spoken gentleman who occasionally appears before the City Council to praise its Democratic members.

8 thoughts on “The Troubling About Face of Michele Madigan”

  1. I am not so shocked or stunned by Michele Madigan’s repaired relationship with the City Democratic Committee. Given the significant enrollment advantage that Democrats now have over Republicans, and especially given the recent bump in salary for the position of Mayor starting next term, it was the smart thing to do. She will have a much better chance of winning this race than she did for her last political campaign, where she was at a significant disadvantage due to the county-wide Republican enrollment advantage.

    Michele has always had support of many Democratic voters and well as a number of influential Republicans. It remains to be seen whether those Republicans will support her in this race or back Mayor Safford. Mayor Safford should theoretically have an advantage as the incumbent who seems to have brought civility and an even-handed approached back to the Council table, although the continued loss of Republican enrollment in the City and the ‘Donald Trump effect’ especially on unaffiliated voters could hamper his campaign.

    It would be great to see a Democratic primary for Accounts Commissioner. There seems to be a general consensus throughout the community that a change is in order.

    Commissioner Coll deserves another term so it’s nice to see that he will be getting one.

    I don’t know Shafer Gaston personally. I do remember that he expressed his strong opposition to my last campaign for mayor so it is probably better that I refrain from commenting on him. Hopefully, other qualified candidates will come forward to run for very important and powerful position of Finance Commissioner.

    I do know BK Keramati. He is a very nice and honorable man. Chuck Marshall is also a very nice and honorable man so I expect an interesting but fair campaign for the position of Public Works Commissioner. If Commissioner Marshall does an effective job and if he continues to oppose the potentially devastating downtown parking fee system, he will have a good chance of retaining his Council seat, despite the enrollment advantage of Democrats.

    Chris Mathiesen

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    1. Yes, the “Donald Trump Effect”. The effect on Democrats and unaffiliated voters who might have voted for a Republican in a local election had the party not become the Party of Trump. There are so many reasons. The Donald J Trump of his first term was a very mild version of what we are seeking this time around. President Trump changed the name of an international body of water simply because he thought that Gulf of America sounded better. Then he punished the venerable AP international news service because they would not go along. He is advocating for taking possession of the Panama Canal and Greenland while turning Canada into our 51st state. His tariff policies change by the hour and have been criticized by reputable economists. He has blamed Ukraine for causing the Russian invasion of that country. He advocates for removing those pesky Palestinians from Gaza so that area can be turned into a Mediterranean resort. He is tearing apart our federal government with little regard for the important functions that the various departments fulfill or for the hard working career federal employees who are losing their jobs. I could go on but brevity is a virtue.

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      1. As the Democrats continue to support open borders, giving sanctuary to murderers and rapists, allowing males to compete in women’s sports, supporting terrorist organizations like Hamas, supporting a bloated federal bureaucracy. Enrollment numbers aside I believe the “Trump Effect” will help Mayor Safford win reelection. The democrats have lost their way.

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  3. John, Your determination to denigtrate Michele and perhaps are part of the anonymous group on Facebook – Democrats against Madigan. I saw that as this pretty much mirrors what is being posted there. The only reason you may not be part of that group is that you are generally not shy in taking credit for your thoughts.

    That said, I’ll respond here as I have on their page.

    The only time Michele so-called turned her back was after THEY turned their back on her (after several years for outstanding managing of the Finance Department) and chose to ignore the by-laws THEY had set up. It was understood for a long time that if one is on the committee, they pledge to support (or at least not do anything to harm) the endorsed candidate. So, they endorse Michele, then several of them choose to support another committee member to primary her. This was done not in the party’s or city’s best interest. It was done on a petty, personal agenda. By the way, Madigan won the general election.

    A person can be loyal to their party yet stand up for themselves when needed. Add to that, and I know this is really had for many to understand, sometimes one needs to do what is best for the City as opposed to party. Michele has always worked across the aisle, and that has upsetsome who are too myopic to put City first.

    Perhaps, if the Republicans at the National level had the guts to stand up for what’s right regardless of party and knowing they would get consequences, this Country would be in much better shape. Democrats have been begging those Republicans who support their party despite the danger or even mild negativity to stand up. Yet, here you all are, demanding blind loyalty and raging against someone because they disagreed and stood up. The hypocrisy it astounding.

    Michele has worked in recent years to support Democrats, as indicated in the recent special election. Apparently, the committee believes she is the best candidate, so if you are really a Democrat (maybe this is a shell page only pretending to be democrats – thus the anonymity), why are you working against your own party? Who’s turning their back NOW?

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      1. I’m sorry i wasn’t clear though you apparently prefer some degree of anonymity. I was referring to the authors of Democrats Against Madigan. That was the post I shared.

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