On Friday’s front page, we featured an article with  endorsements made by the Sullivan County Republican Committee. In the race for District Attorney, the party, by majority vote, gave Acting DA Brian Conaty, a Democrat, a Wilson Pakula authorization, which will allow him to primary his Republican challenger, Deputy County Attorney Tom Cawley, if he so chooses.

Say that five times fast!

If you’re curious like we are, you’d understand that the use of this somewhat obscure rule of order piqued our interest as to how it all came about.

In 1947, two Republicans, State Senator Irwin Pakula, who hailed from Long Island City, Queens, and Assemblyman Malcolm Wilson (who would later become Governor) of Westchester County, sponsored the bill that established this rule.

According to a 2013 NY Times article titled “Wilson-Pakula, Obscure to All but Ballot-Hopping Politicians” explaining its history, it states that the law generally barred candidates from collecting nominating petitions or running in primaries unless they had enrolled in the party before the previous general election or were granted permission by party leaders.

Various sources have claimed that the law sought to keep crossover party candidates from hijacking the primary process – and thus the General Election.

The act has been met with criticism in more recent history, as some have argued that it has allowed for some candidates to buy their way into these primary races. In fact, several New York City politicians were arrested for trying to bribe Republican Party leaders for a place on the ballot during the 2013 Mayoral race.

It appears the registered Republicans of Sullivan County may have to make a decision on Primary Day, June 27, if Brian Conaty, a registered and endorsed Democratic Party candidate, decides to take advantage of his Wilson Pakula authorization and take on Tom Cawley, a registered and endorsed Republican Party candidate, for the Republican slot on the November ballot for District Attorney.

This political gamemanship will certainly be discussed by candidates behind closed doors, for if Conaty takes on Cawley in a primary – and loses – he may give his opponent more momentum going into November’s General Election.

However, if Democratic candidate Conaty challenges Republican candidate Cawley for the Republican Party line on this November’s ballot and wins, he is all but assured winning the District Attorney’s race.

But alas, that’s the excitement of political season and especially one with so much at stake.

If not for the Sullivan County Repubican Committee’s vote last Wednesday, most of us wouldn’t know that a Wilson Pakula authorization even exists!