On Thursday, May 8, 2025, the Daily Gazette reported that Ryan Mahan, a candidate for Saratoga County sheriff, filed a judicial complaint against New York Supreme Court Justice James E. Walsh.

Mahan, a registered Republican, alleges Walsh had conflicts of interest that should have disqualified him from presiding over a case involving Mahan and his opponent, Undersheriff Jeff Brown. The complaint, filed on April 30, followed Walsh’s April 29 ruling that invalidated Mahan’s primary petitions, effectively removing him from the Republican primary.

Mahan, who switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican shortly before launching his campaign in February, retains the endorsement of the county Democratic Party.

In his complaint, Mahan claims Walsh’s ties to the Republican Party, including his 2019 election to the state Supreme Court with GOP support, created a conflict. He also pointed to the political activities of Walsh’s wife, Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh, who endorsed Brown for sheriff on March 13. Mahan expressed concerns to his attorney about Walsh’s potential assignment to the case, citing rumors within the legal community and questioning the randomness of the judicial rotation system. He further noted that Walsh’s wife is supported by Joe Suhrada, the county GOP chairman and elections commissioner, who has close ties to the Walsh family.

Two other judges, state Supreme Court Justice Dianne Freestone and Justice Richard Kupferman, both backed by the GOP in their elections, recused themselves from the case.

Mahan alleges Walsh assured his attorney that no conflicts existed, stating he had removed his wife from his social media to avoid perceived bias. However, Mahan later discovered Walsh remained connected to his wife and Suhrada on Facebook, along with other Republicans and politicians from other parties, such as Democrat Michele Madigan. Mahan also highlighted a Facebook post by Walsh praising John Ciampoli, Brown’s attorney, as “legendary.” Walsh acknowledged knowing both Ciampoli and Mahan’s attorney, Joel Abelove, during the proceedings.

Assemblywoman Walsh did not respond to requests for comment. Justice Walsh’s chambers stated that state law prohibits him from commenting on pending or impending court matters. Brown’s campaign declined to comment, describing Mahan’s complaint as a political maneuver to mislead voters. In an email, the campaign noted that Mahan admitted in court to committing fraud, leading to the dismissal of his petitions under established law. They emphasized that Mahan did not raise bias or conflict claims during the case or file an appeal.

Suhrada also did not respond to requests for comment. The county GOP, which has labeled Mahan a Democrat posing as a Republican, refuted his allegations on Facebook, asserting that Walsh delivered a fair judgment. The post claimed Mahan admitted in court to not witnessing petition signatures, accusing him of filing a false instrument, a serious crime for a law enforcement officer. The GOP called for Mahan to end his campaign and seek mental health support, though no charges against him have been announced as of May 8.

Sheriff Michael Zurlo, who endorsed Brown as his successor, declined to comment on potential charges or concerns about Mahan’s mental capacity through a statement from county Director of Public Relations Christine Rush. The Sheriff’s Office does not respond to social media opinions.

Mahan also filed a complaint against Suhrada with the state Division of Election Law Enforcement, alleging Suhrada, as elections commissioner, hired attorneys and investigators to remove unwanted Republican candidates from the ballot. Mahan claimed Suhrada collaborated with Jen Weaver during court recesses to provide information to the attorneys. The outcome of both complaints remains pending.

 

 

Source: Daily Gazette