Rockland DA Election: 3-Party Candidate Prevails

Thomas Walsh has won the Rockland District Attorney post for which he had been endorsed by the county's three major parties. The race had turned into one of those pivotal elections, despite the fact that the Conservative, Democratic and Republican committees endorsed Walsh and only a dark horse candidate has opposed him. Mike Diederich, Jr., ran on the independent "Serve Rockland" line.

The race was cast as a sort of referendum on the development pressure on Rockland from the growing ultra-Orthodox community. Walsh is widely seen as the "bloc vote" candidate. Diederich is widely seen as threatening the Hasidic community.

While Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski appeared on the Working Families line, he stopped campaigning when the Democratic committee endorsed Walsh.

Unofficial results from the Rockland County Board of Elections with 234 of 277 districts reporting as of 10:53 p.m.:

• Mike Diederich - 14,688
• Thomas Walsh - 37,005
• Ken Zebrowski - 6,667

Diederich said the most important issue facing Rockland was "public corruption resulting in a panoply of problems including, especially in Ramapo, disregard for housing and fire codes, disregard for the NYS Education Law (hurting public and private school children), and systemic abuse of welfare and Medicaid entitlement programs, all of which I intend to address if elected DA."

Walsh said he thought the opioid crisis was the county's biggest issue. He also said, "Regardless of who votes for me, one thing I can guarantee is that I will be an independent voice for Rockland County and will enforce the law without fear of favor. No one is above the law, and I will ensure that."

Diederich is a retired US Army Judge Advocate General officer (with active duty in Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan). He served as Assistant County Attorney in Rockland. Walsh is also a former assistant county attorney, but has been a judge for most of his career.

An email sent Tuesday from a group called Rockland Politics, using an email address of monseyjewishtimes.com, called on the ultra-Orthodox community to vote for Walsh. It said:

Today’s election is critical for the future of the Orthodox community in Rockland County. As many of you know by now, the hostility to our community is out in the open.

Running for the powerful office of Rockland County District Attorney Michael Diederich does not hide his bigoted beliefs. He promises to persecute the Orthodox and Chasidic community. He says that Orthodox and Chasidic families are too large, and parents will be prosecuted for abuse.

Diederich promises that as a DA he will close Yeshivas that he says underperform his standards. He wants to control the curriculum to force us to teach subjects that are contrary to our beliefs. Diederich plans to bring racketeering lawsuits (the kind used against the mafia) against our community.

Make no mistake. The threat is real. It is serious. This is not a time to stay home.

We must vote, we must get others to vote. It is our responsibility to protest our community, our children, our future.

Vote for Tom Walsh. The polls are open until 9 pm.

The Clarkstown - What They Don't Want You To Know Facebook page filled with references to Walsh as the "bloc" candidate.

SEE:

• Rockland Candidate Profile: Diederich For District Attorney
• Rockland Candidate Profile: Walsh For District Attorney