Garant Officially Out of Town Supervisor Race, Runs for Central New York Judgeship Instead

Brookhaven voters heads were spinning from news that former town supervisor candidate Margot Garant has been nominated to run for a Supreme Court judgeship in Central New York in order to get off the ballot and clear the way for Lillian Clayman, the former mayor of Hamden, Ct., to challenge Councilman Dan Panico for the town’s top spot in November.

The switcheroo was necessitated by state election law that prohibits the removal of a candidate unless they move out of state or run for a supreme court judgeship, which does not require residency in the judicial district. Garant, the former mayor of Port Jefferson, announced she was exiting the supervisor’s race for health reasons. She apparently didn’t want to move out of Port Jefferson, so she went with option two. “I have been dealing with a health issue that requires me to take some time off from my public duties and focus on my recovery,” the Democrat said in a statement when she first bowed out in July. “After much thought and consultation with my doctors and my family, I have decided to withdraw from the race for Brookhaven Town Supervisor.”

But that doesn’t seem to be an impediment to her running for the Supreme Court in the 7th District, which encompasses eight counties south of Lake Ontario. She will be up against Judge Alex Renzi, who is seeking his second 14- year term, and Joe Waldorf, who currently serves as the Principal Court Attorney to Supreme Court Justice Bill Taylor. Both are running on the Republican and Conservative lines. “I really don’t know what’s going to come of that election,” said Garant, who revealed she had suffered a stroke June 20. “I’m just coming out of the woods as far as memory. They didn’t want to leave me on the ballot; I don’t think that would be in anyone’s best interest,” she said, adding, “They did what they did, and I don’t really have anything to say about it.” In the former mayor’s opinion regarding the town race, “The Democrats have a very good chance this year, and they didn’t want to blow that opportunity. If they had this as a legal means, I’m sure they did the right thing.”

The move was engineered by the Democrat leadership on Long Island: Suffolk Chairman Rich Shaeffer, who also serves as Babylon Town Supervisor, and Anthony Portesy, the Brookhaven Democrat chair. Neither of the two political leaders, nor Clayman, responded to the South Shore Press for comment on the ballot musical chairs. “Brookhaven Democrats, devoid of candidates with the qualifications and credibility to put before voters, continue their round-robin political deals,” said town Republican Chairman Jesse Garcia.

“Regardless of the political maneuvering by the Democrats, Dan Panico will be handily elected as our next supervisor because he has the experience, the record of accomplishments to keep Brookhaven affordable, our neighborhoods safe, and maintain the rural character of our communities.” “It is very strange,” commented the current Brookhaven supervisor, Edward Romaine, whose seat is up for grabs as he runs for Suffolk County executive. “I understand her reluctance to run for supervisor. I hope that she is ok and doing well.” Residents of the district south of Rochester were nonplussed by the political shenanigans. “If you can't run for one seat, how are you going to run for another?” wondered Tom Fox, chairman of the Seneca GOP, one of the counties Garant will be campaigning in. “This is just the typical Democrat mentality. It's so sad. That's why we’re putting signs out there saying, ‘Seen enough? Vote Republican,’” Fox said, adding, ”Anything they can do to stack the deck, they're gonna do it.”

Another supporter of the local ticket, Wayne County Conservative Chairman Michael Garlock, said he is “disgusted” by the ballot move. “These people will do anything to stay in power,” he said. “Imagine the gall you need to stick us with a candidate from 400 miles away so you can clean up a mess in an area that you think is more important than we are. It’s ridiculous. This Garant person, she doesn’t stand a chance up here.” “The voters won’t be fooled by these kinds of political antics,” said Trisha Turner, Ontario County Republican Party chair. “This just reflects poorly on the Democrats. We’re definitely not happy with these kinds of backdoor dealings, and it's certainly not reflective of the transparency we need in government right now.” Turner said this is the first time she’s seen this kind of move in the eight years she has served as the Ontario GOP chair.

First elected to the state Supreme Court in 2009, Judge Renzi began his legal career as an assistant district attorney in Monroe County. He served as a Henrietta Town judge and was a justice for Monroe County. He received his undergraduate degree from Syracuse University and his J.D. degree from Emory Law School. As a court attorney, Waldorf is responsible for reviewing motions, researching and drafting decisions, and resolving disputes. He assists the administrative judge by supporting all of the judges and staff in the Seventh Judicial District. He is a former prosecutor who has secured convictions for violent crimes, including murder, and has argued in the highest court in New York State.

Garant served as mayor of Port Jefferson Village from 2009- 2023. She became an attorney in 2000, graduating from Touro Law School, and has maintained a successful practice in the village, specializing in real property and land use, corporations, trusts, and estate planning. To succeed her, Garant supported her deputy, Kathianne Snaden, who filed legal motions to knock her opponent off the ballot. Lauren Sheprow ran anyway as a write-in candidate and defeated Snaden 956-796. “It’s unbelievable the games these people play to stay in power,” said Frank DeNatale of Shirley, a member of the Brookhaven Republican Committee. “The improprieties of the Democrat elite sickens the conscience of the American voter,” he stated. “This is the same party that wants to put former President Trump in jail for 700 years with 90-plus bogus charges in four Democrat jurisdictions to try and keep him off the ballot.”

Garant was also running for Brookhaven supervisor on the Working Families line, a party that has been criticized for its far-left positions. “Garant was running with a party that supports cashless bail, defund the police, and Biden’s open border policy that brought 110,000 illegal aliens to New York City,” DeNatale said. “No wonder she doesn’t want to run for supervisor anymore.” It was unclear at press time if Garant will remain on the Working Families ballot in Brookhaven.

Clayman, who opted not to screen with the editorial board of the South Shore Press and has turned down numerous requests for interviews, was chair of the Brookhaven Democratic Committee, the seat Portesy currently holds. He has also failed to respond to a number of requests for information or to advocate for his candidates. Clayman, of Port Jefferson, is an adjunct professor at SUNY College at Old Westbury and worked as a political director and union organizer, according to her profile on LinkedIn.