JUDGE RAPS SOROS BOO$T AS ILLEGAL

ALBANY - A small political party bankrolled by
billionaire George Soros illegally involved itself in a Democratic
primary for the Albany County district attorney's race, a judge ruled
yesterday.

The Working Families Party, which had received a whopping $81,500 from
the Soros-backed Drug Policy Alliance Network, used the money for
mailings in support of DA candidate David Soares -- who upset incumbent
Paul Clyne in a Democratic primary.

Soros backed Soares because Soares supports eliminating the tough
Rockefeller-era drug laws.

The highly unusual involvement of Soros in the local race drew harsh
criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, who charged Soros was
trying to buy the outcome with his big bucks to promote drug
legalization.

After the defeat of Clyne, who opposed weakening the drug laws, Soros'
allies said they hope their victory at the polls would send a message
to other DAs and officials around the state who are standing in the
way of abolishing the Rockefeller drug laws.

Supreme Court Justice Bernard Malone said the party had filed
pre-primary campaign disclosure filings even though there was no
Working Families Party primary.

Malone said a state or county fine against the party is appropriate.