KINGSTON – The Ulster County Independence Party Interim Committee, headed by Kingston resident Joseph DiFalco, has been dissolved by the state party.
DiFalco had taken over the local leadership role from long-time party
Chairman Len Bernardo of Accord months ago. On June 1, the state committee
adopted a resolution stripping DiFalco of his post and shutting down the
interim committee.
State Chairman Frank MacKay said DiFalco did not want to play ball with
the local party members.
“We told Mr. DiFalco that he was to get on the same page with the
local members that we have been working with for about a decade, and failed
to do that, and if he continues to fail to do that, he is not going to
be a leader in this party and I assure that is going to be the case,”
MacKay said. “He is going to have to get along with the other folks
that are there. We are not going to turn our backs on them.”
DiFalco said the charge against him is bogus.
“They accused me of not allowing the other state committee people participation in the selection of candidate practice, which was a total lie,” DiFalco said.
Bernardo tells a different story.
“Where we are is the same we have been for the last decade, in that we will bring the candidates forth through the executive committee and work through the same way,” Bernardo said. “We welcome Joe with open arms if he is willing to participate.”
For now, local party members will recommend candidates to be endorsed
and MacKay said the state party will then formally approve them.
DiFalco said he feels sabotaged in his first season as county chairman.
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