The PEELED ONION

 The "Endorsed Candidate" 

Something that's been apparent throughout this campaign is that Chris Squitieri doesn't understand what it means to be endorsed by a political party. 

A party endorsement means your loyalty lies with the party, not the people. 

👉 Parties expect their elected officials to support legislation or policies, especially on high-profile votes. 

👉 Voting with the party maintains good standing, which affects leadership positions, committee assignments, and future endorsements.

👉 Going against the party too often can lead to political consequences.

Both Mr. Squitieri and his live-in partner sit on the City Republican Committee, and if he's all about transparency, ethically, he should disclose it in the name of fairness and undue influence. 

Most amusing is what he wrote on his official Facebook page about committee members being chosen by "local community members" and not "party elites." This shows he's clueless about how committee members are chosen. 

In my 30-plus years in the media, rarely have committee seats been on the ballot. If committee races are uncontested, which they often are, they aren't added to the ballot. Vacancies can be filled by the committee. Even when on the ballot, most people don't vote. I've seen committee candidates win by two votes in races when hundreds have cast votes. In towns with fractured committee, there can be some hotly contested committee races, but even that's rare. And sometimes, if the position does make it onto the ballot, the loser will be appointed anyway, espeically if it's someone the town or county chair wanted to win. I wrote a story about this when George Williams was the chairman of the county GOP, and he was open about how the system works.

So, who sits on the county committee? As of the 2025 Republican Handbook, these are the city members. Are they party elites? You be the judge. 

 

First Ward/District 1 – Vacant

 

First Ward/District 1 – Jay Scanlon, Oswego County legislator, District 16

 

First Ward/District 2 – Kyle Walton, Oswego City Council 

 

First Ward/District 2 –   Vacant 

 

Second Ward/District 1 – Brandon Cornelius, son of the late Laurie Cornelius, who worked for William Barclay as the Constituent Liason for the NYS Assembly, majority whip for the Oswego County Legislature District 17, and was chairwoman for the Oswego City Republican Party. She was wonderful and died too soon. 

 

Second Ward/District 1– Shawn Burridge, Oswego City Council vice-president 

 

Second Ward/District 2 – Vacant 

 

Second Ward/District 2 – Wayne Cornelius, the late Laurie Cornelius’s husband

 

Third Ward/District 1 – Tyler Toomey (chairman), works for Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay 

 

Third Ward/District 1 – Miles Becker, long-time politically active resident, former GOP-endorsed candidate for the 3^rdWard council seat 

 

Third Ward/District 2 – Kevin Hill, Oswego County legislator and Oswego City assessor

 

Fourth Ward/District 1 – Jennifer Kline, former Oswego County employee 

 

Fourth Ward/District 1 – Shawn Walker, Oswego City councilor, Oswego County Highway Chief

 

Fourth Ward/District 2 – Pam Palmer, prominent Mitchell family

 

Fourth Ward/District 2 – Jim Cloonan, Oswego County Commissioner of Jurors, former GOP chairman, Oswego Board of Assessment Review

 

Fourth Ward/District 3 – Robert Wilmott, Oswego County legislator, District 18

 

Fourth Ward/District 3 – John Connors, prominent Oswego lawyer 

 

Fifth Ward/District 1 – William Barlow, Jr, former Oswego City mayor

 

Fifth Ward/District 1– Karen (Betsy) Sherman-Saunders – Oswego County Legislature Clerk, registered to vote at 26 Pond Path, the same resident as Christopher Squitieri

 

Fifth Ward/District 2 – Dan Martini, works for Rep. Claudia Tenney

 

Fifth Ward/District 2 – Chelsea Giovo, works for Oswego City Police Department 

 

Fifth Ward/District 3 – Vacant 

 

Fifth Ward/District 3 – Vacant 

 

Fifth Ward/District 4 – Vacant 

 

Fifth Ward/District 4 – Vacant 

 

Sixth Ward/District 1 – Michelle Saunders 

 

Sixth Ward/District 1 – Makayla Walker, daughter of Shawn Walker

 

Sixth Ward/District 2 – Kevin Caraccioli, City of Oswego attorney

 

Sixth Ward/District 2 – Timothy Plunkett, City of Oswego council president 

 

Seventh Ward/District 1 – Phillip Cady, City of Oswego Police Chief

 

Seventh Ward/District 1 – Robert Corradino, City of Oswego mayor

 

Seventh Ward/District 2 – Peter Allen, City of Oswego councilor

 

Seventh Ward/District 2 – Christopher Squitieri, endorsed city council candidate

 

Seventh Ward/District 3 – Carol Reed

 

Seventh Ward/District 3 – Mary Reed

What happens when an endorsed candidate votes against party lines?

Ask John Gosek, Jr., who fought hard against the reassessment. Or any number of Republican office holders who went against the party. 

In the late 1990s. early to mid 2000s, voters rejected endorsed candidates. A prominent and well-respected Oswego lawyer referred to the Republican endorsement as "the kiss of death." 

Mr. Squitieri is supported by the mayor, who ethically, should stay neutral.