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March 19, 2008

Local judge "discouraged" by official removal from bench

Ellenburg's LaBombard 'discouraged"

By ANDREA VanVALKENBURG

ELLENBURG -- After more than a decade of service, Ellenburg Town Justice Dennis LaBombard has been officially removed from office.

A few days after the New York State Court of Appeals upheld the Commission on Judicial Conduct's recommendation to have him removed from the bench, LaBombard said he is "discouraged and disappointed by all of this."

The commission recommended several months ago that the 12-year justice should be removed, but the decision was pending review by the Court of Appeals, which LaBombard requested shortly after the initial decision was rendered.

State officials handed down their ruling after, they said, the judge failed to submit the necessary paperwork that would further the review process.

But LaBombard, who was suspended with pay last month pending the review, said the paperwork was submitted but was rejected on a technicality.

He said he spent several long nights preparing the paperwork, only to have it returned because it wasn't bound properly and had to be resubmitted, which he thought his attorney was handling.

"How would I know what the proper way to bind this is? I got the paperwork sent, and all of this was all supposed to be taken care of. It's really a mess.

"I don't understand what they're trying to do me. I'm just fed up with the system. This is just overwhelming what the commission has done to me.

"I'm just exhausted -- totally, totally exhausted -- trying to fight to stay on this bench. I'm very upset and disgruntled about this."

The commission said LaBombard gave his step-grandchildren lenient sentences, tried to get another justice to go easy on a relative and asserted his judicial office after a minor car accident.

LaBombard said he treated his step-grandchildren "the same as anyone else.

"I personally don't feel that I did anything wrong. I am not going to bow my head and be ashamed."

He said the removal order is part a vendetta of to get him out of office.

"I know I have done nothing wrong. If I had, I wouldn't have fought this the way I have. I just can't deal with this anymore. It's damaging my health both mentally and physically. It's basically killing me.

"It's not fair to me for the amount of work I have given to this position and everything I have done for this town. I don't want to give up, but I have to. I just can't keep fighting this anymore."

He said he's had overwhelming support from the community since the recommendation was first issued in December.

As he continues to train the newly elected justice, Kenneth Prevo, who took office Jan. 1, he said he will likely resign to save the town from further turmoil.

LaBombard said he's spent the last few weeks in office "just trying to go forward with what I was elected to do.

"I have to stop this so everyone can move on. I could keep fighting this for another six months or a year, but I just can't do it anymore. This all is just totally, totally absurd. They can say that they removed me, but no, I'm going to resign."

avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com

ON THE WEB
To view the Commission on Judicial Conduct's full ruling against Ellenburg Town Justice Dennis LaBombard, visit www.scjc.state.ny.us.

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