Brendan J. Lyons reports in The Albany Times-Union that the election to replace retiring Rensselaer County Executive Kathy Jimino is already a mudfest with months to go before votes are cast. Rich Crist, a longtime Republican political operative in Rensselaer County, was fired June 12 from a $100,000-a-year job with the county legislature. One source told the paper that the removal may have been because of Crist's support of state Assemblyperson Steve McLaughlin (R-Schaghticoke). Jimino, and other Republicans, have thrown their support to Deputy County Executive Chris Meyer. "That was a legislative action, and I cannot answer for their reasons," Jimino said. "However, I will say it was a personnel matter so that's not something that I will comment on. I doubt the Legislature will either." McLaughlin is upset about the firing. "We have a political civil war going on and you see, I think, the thuggish behavior of the Rensselaer County machine," McLaughlin said. Crist kept mum except to say his attorney is, "reviewing the legality of their sudden action." Read the full story in The Albany Times-Union.