By Kat Leslie

Bonelli and Faggione’s Power Struggles and Fallout

The Orange County Legislature is bracing for a dramatic and pivotal vote on January 2nd, 2025, to determine its leadership for the coming year. At the heart of the turmoil is current Chairwoman Katie Bonelli, a Blooming Grove Republican, who is battling to retain her position amidst a wave of dissent within her own Republican majority and allegations of backroom dealings with the Democratic superminority. This political drama underscores the deep divisions and controversies that have plagued the legislature’s leadership.

Legal Notice Scandal: A Harbinger of Decline

One of the most glaring examples of Bonelli’s flawed leadership came earlier this year when the Orange County Legislature, under her watch, removed the Warwick Valley Dispatch from the list of newspapers eligible to publish legal notices. This decision not only undermined transparency but also severed a vital link between the government and the public it serves. The Dispatch, a newspaper with a 139-year history of serving Warwick and Orange County, was the last local paper meeting the criteria to act as a “paper of record.”

By excluding the Dispatch, the legislature eliminated a longstanding tradition of accountability. Legal notices, once published in widely-read local papers, are now limited to fewer outlets, reducing public access to critical information. This decision, which saved taxpayers a negligible sum, represented a significant blow to transparency. Legislator Faggione, a Port Jervis Republican, claimed the move was “business-driven,” but sources within the chamber revealed it was politically motivated, designed to silence a newspaper that had consistently held the government to account.

Statistics tell the tale: under Bonelli-Faggione leadership, the number of newspapers designated for public notices was slashed from seven in 2022 to just four in 2024.

The exclusion of the Dispatch and the prior removal of the Warwick Advertiser left Warwick—the county’s largest community—without a single local outlet for public notices.This betrayal of public trust set the stage for Bonelli’s current desperate bid to retain power. Decisions like this, made in isolation, have alienated both colleagues and constituents.

Faggione’s Fall from Grace

Adding to the upheaval, former Majority Leader Tom Faggione, a close ally of Bonelli, suffered a  resounding defeat in his re-election bid for majority leader. Legislator Leigh Benton, a Newburgh Republican, secured the position with an 8-6 vote, signaling a rejection of the Bonelli-Faggione faction’s leadership. Faggione’s defeat is a significant blow to the Bonelli-Faggione alliance, which has dominated the legislature since 2022. Their tenure has been marred by scandals, including self-approved pay raises, allegations of “double-dipping” into benefits by members such as Warwick’s Barry Cheney, and a lack of transparency in legislative decisions, including redistricting. Faggione’s loss signals waning influence for the duo, whose leadership has been criticized for prioritizing political expediency over the public good. 

A Leadership Void

The Bonelli-Faggione camp’s legacy is one of secrecy and exclusion. Their decisions—including the elimination of evening legislative sessions that once encouraged public participation, the reduction of designated newspapers for legal notices, and the refusal to address accusations of impropriety related to county vendors—have eroded trust in the legislature. The redistricting process under their leadership was similarly marred by allegations of partisanship and opacity, with final adoption of maps taking place just days before the state imposed deadline.  Fellow Republicans Leigh Benton and Janet Sutherland were both vocally critical of the redistricting process.  “None of my input was taken into consideration, and that is very disappointing,” said Sutherland.  Benton echoed her remarks and expressed concern over the late hour at which the maps were approved.  “It would have been great to do this two months ago,” he said in a June 2024 legislative committee meeting that ended in a bipartisan walk-out after lawmakers from both sides rebelled against the chamber’s leadership for their handling of legislative redistricting.

Bonelli’s Fight for Survival

Chairwoman Katie Bonelli, who has held her post since January 2022, is facing an unprecedented challenge from Legislator Kevin Hines. Bonelli, having lost the support of her 15-member supermajority, now scrambles to secure votes for the upcoming leadership election. With only six Republican legislators supporting her bid for re-election as chairperson, she allegedly has turned to the opposing Democratic camp—currently in a superminority— offering committee chairmanships and other political capital in exchange for their support. The possibility of such brazen outreach to Democrats has drawn condemnation from within her own party.

This egregious prioritization of personal gain over public interest and party values has only deepened the rift within the legislature among the Republican members.

A Critical Vote

As the January 2nd vote approaches, the stakes could not be higher. To secure the position of legislative chair, a candidate must obtain 11 votes. Bonelli reportedly commands seven: her own, Faggione’s, Cheney’s, Ruszkiewicz’s, and three others, including the votes of an Independent and a Conservative who currently caucus with Republicans. Hines, on the other hand, has eight solid votes from Republican legislators aligned with Benton. The outcome hinges on the six Democrats, whose support Bonelli is allegedly aggressively courting with promises of political favors and influence, according to an inside source within the legislature. If Bonelli’s alleged offer of committee chairmanships is accurate, it could signal a significant shift in legislative dynamics, empowering Democrats in a chamber where they have historically held little sway.

The members of the Democratic superminority, however, are suspicious of the move, since it has only been a few months since Bonelli was personally involved in litigation with members she is apparently now wooing for support.

“Bonelli’s recent outreach smacks of desperation,” said a Democratic insider. “After her recent court defeat, it’s clear she’s scrambling to salvage her position by cozying up to those she once opposed.”

In September, a state Supreme Court Judge ruled against Bonelli after she refused to provide legal representation to Democrats in the legislature after they publicly scrutinized a county contract for information technology services.  The judge ruled that not only does Bonelli have an obligation to provide legal services to her Democrat counterparts because they were acting in their official roles as legislators when they questioned the contract but also ordered that county taxpayers reimburse the Democrats for the legal expenses they had incurred related to the case.

“Judge McElduff upheld the law and saw through the political theatre and abuse of power put forth by the chairwoman of the legislature in her initial decision to deny us representation and indemnification for doing our due diligence as fiduciary agents of the county who owe our integrity to the county taxpayers,” said Legislator Genesis Ramos, a Newburgh Democrat. Ramos also accused Bonelli of wasting taxpayer money on her political stunt, stating that she “wasted $50,000 of taxpayer money to fight us on our right to use our voice as elected officials.”

In light of her recent defeat at the hands of Democrats, the prospect of possible Bonelli’s re-election with Democratic support has sent shockwaves through the Republican Party. It underscores the lengths to which she is willing to go to retain power, even at the expense of party unity and public trust.

The Stakes for Warwick

Bonelli’s desperation to cling to power knows no bounds. Confidential sources within the legislature have confirmed her direct outreach to Democrats in an effort to solicit support from the chamber’s superminority, allegedly offering them key committee chairmanships in exchange for their votes. This brazen move not only threatens to upend the Republican Party’s unity but also risks empowering a superminority of Democrats to wield outsized influence over the legislature. For a leader who has consistently prioritized her political survival over good governance, such a strategy is as reckless as it is transparent.

For Warwick’s three representatives—Barry Cheney, Paul Ruszkiewicz, and Glenn Ehlers—the upcoming vote represents a defining moment.

The Dispatch reached out to Warwick’s three representatives for their positions on this pivotal vote, but—unsurprisingly—only Glenn Ehlers provided a direct answer. While Cheney and Ruszkiewicz did reply, true to form, both failed to clarify which candidate they intend to support just over 48 hours from now. Ruszkiewicz’s response, “considering both options and we will vote publicly on January 2nd,” offered little insight into his plans, and Cheney’s statement—”if more than one legislator is nominated at the session to be Chair, I will carefully consider the attributes and abilities of each”—was not only equally vague but also misleading. Cheney’s refusal to acknowledge the reality of a contested election is particularly glaring, given that both had reportedly already expressed their support for Bonelli at the recent Republican caucus dinner. Such tactics only serve to obscure their true positions and mislead their constituents.

Ehlers’ response, though measured, reflects a sense of regret over the direction his colleagues have taken. “It’s time for a change in leadership in the Orange County Legislature,” said Ehlers.

“I intend to support Kevin Hines for chairperson because we need a leader who can unite the Republican caucus, restore trust, and prioritize the well-being of both our party and the residents we serve.”

Cheney and Ruszkiewicz, however, remain conspicuously silent about their votes, raising concerns about their intentions. 

Warwick representatives Paul Ruszkiewicz and Barry Cheney have emerged as key enablers of Bonelli’s divisive tactics. Rather than prioritizing the interests of their constituents or upholding party unity, both legislators reportedly have chosen to align themselves with Bonelli’s self-serving agenda and some suspect that their alignment could be related to additional compensation they receive as a result of leadership roles delegated to both men by Bonelli.

                                Barry Cheney, whose long-standing reputation as a “soft Republican” precedes him, has demonstrated a willingness to abandon Republican principles to maintain his personal political standing.  Cheney was the sponsor of legislation earlier in December that increased pay for part-time rank-and-file legislators to $40,956 per year for the next legislative term and compensation for committee chairpersons to $47,099 per year.  The same legislation increased the pay of party leaders to $53,243 annually and to $71,673 for the legislative chairperson.  Additionally, the legislation increases these base-pay figures by a double-digit percentage during the legislators next term of office.                                         

Two of Warwick’s three representatives, Ruszkievich and Cheney, currently are recipients of committee chairmanship which includes additional pay stipends. As such, each currently receives thousands in additional compensation, which is set to grow to over $6,100 of additional annual compensation in the next legislative term, not including the in-term double-digit percentage increase.  Ehlers is Warwick’s only representative that does not receive any additional monetary compensation in form of an additional stipend.

Even local Republican leaders are already questioning the motivations behind Cheney and Ruszkiewicz’s actions. One Warwick Republican Party Committee member stated, “If Warwick’s representatives choose to preserve Katie’s post as Chairwoman and empower Democrats to control key committees, they should NOT be considered for endorsement for re-election by their respective Republican committees early next year, should they seek reelection.”

As the Dispatch continues to report on these developments, one thing is clear: Warwick’s representatives Cheney and Ruszkiewicz owe their constituents more than silence and complicity. They owe them accountability, integrity, and a commitment to the principles of transparency and good governance. Anything less is a disservice to the community they were elected to serve. The upcoming vote will not only shape the future of the legislature but also serve as a referendum on the character and priorities of those who claim to represent Warwick.

The Path Forward

Katie Bonelli’s tenure as Chairwoman has been defined by scandal, secrecy, and self-interest. Her desperate bid to cling to power, aided by the opportunism of local allies like Cheney and Ruszkiewicz, threatens to deepen divisions within the Legislature and undermine public confidence in local government.

The implications of this power struggle extend far beyond the legislature’s internal dynamics. For Warwick residents, the question is not merely who will lead the legislature but whether their representatives will act in their best interests or continue to prioritize personal agendas and political egos. The willingness of Cheney’s and Ruszkiewicz to align with Bonelli’s failing regime—even at the expense of their party’s values and commitments—is a betrayal that should not be overlooked. 

As Warwick and Orange County residents brace for the January 2nd vote, the question remains: will legislators prioritize transparency, accountability, and party values, or will they succumb to Bonelli’s manipulative tactics? The answer will shape the political landscape of Orange County for years to come.