Phil Anderson just called and alerted me to a story on his blog that's been bubbling sub rosa for a while.

That said, here's the skinny. Janine S------ was a Robach employee. She worked for Robach until last summer. Her husband, Tom S------, is a deputy sheriff in Monroe County.

He comes home one night to find Robach and his wife in the act. Needless to say, he was less than happy about this. He and (a naked) Robach get into a shouting match that eventually leads to a physical altercation. Let's just say the deputy won. He then kicked Robach, naked and worse for wear out on the front porch and called his wife to come pick his sorry ass up.

The deputy then tells his superiors what has happened and how he just kicked a Senator's ass. He does fully expecting to be in some sort of trouble. The deputy's bosses tell him to just keep quiet about it. He does and he has done so to this day, as far as I can tell.

But, he has suffered. There seems to be every indication that Robach is making the guy's life difficult, especially on the job. I mean, like it was the deputy's fault or something.

This story has been rumbling around out there for over a year and now a number of media outlets have started to make inquiries, one even went so far as to FOIL documents from both the the Monroe County SD as well as from Robach's own office. Which one? Think John Edwards.

The ultimate source for this story, apparently, is here, complete with dramatic atmospherics and a dramatized photo.

I'm going to be fair and not pass judgment on whether this is an accurate rendering of what happened, in part because I just don't know, but maybe someone should just ask?

The Dollinger campaign emails over something I'd heard of previously, but that's now official: their opponent, Joe Robach, is trying to pass himself off as a Democrat. Which makes sense, given that his district is likely to go for Obama two to one.

A STATEMENT FROM DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATE CANDIDATE RICK DOLLINGER BLASTING REPUBLICAN JOE ROBACH’S CAMPAIGN FOR MANIPULATING VOTERS

Rochester, NY – “Over the past several days my campaign has received numerous reports from within the city of Rochester and the town of Brighton alleging that Robach campaign volunteers have been going door-to-door in predominately Democratic neighborhoods asking voters to vote for Barack Obama and, much to my surprise, ‘Democrat’ Joe Robach.

This goes far beyond the typical dirty tricks we have come to expect from Republicans. And, I find the Robach campaign’s general disregard for voters appalling. Chalk this one up as another malicious attempt by State Senate Republicans to deceive voters in an effort to hold onto their slipping majority.

This deliberate manipulation lends further evidence to the argument that Republican Joe Robach will do whatever it takes to win, even if it means deceiving the same community he so frequently boasts his dedication to.

I am demanding that the Robach campaign immediately put a stop to this fraud, and that in the final days of the campaign we return to talking about the issues that matter to our community.”

Democrats need to pay attention to this stuff. It's very gratifying, and arguably a preview of things to come, that our opponents are pretending to be us - but we can't let them get away with it. Democrats need to advertise themselves as just that - Democrats, a part of the winning team that has better ideas for our state and our country.

A reader emails in these photos of Senator Joe Robach's government office. Notice something?

Hmmm, would that be a campaign sign on property leased by the government?

Oh, look, another one.

Say it ain't so, Joe.

Okay, City people, listen up. Yes, there's a primary on Tuesday, one that, per the antics of blog monkeys for challenged incumbents, has generated a bit more heat than light. And yes, it's important whether we have slothful Democrats of the fatigued-by-eternal-incumbency variety, or younger, fresher talents. So go out and vote on Tuesday.

But there's a big state outside of the five boroughs, where the real election happens in November. One race you need to be paying attention to is that between Democrat Rick Dollinger and republican Joe Robach. Think of everything you hate about the republican party: the pride-filled ignorance, the extremism, the opposition to equal rights for anyone who's not a straight white man, the sheer ugliness of a discredited, un-American creed. All of that is made flesh in one single figure, State Senator Joe Robach. Joe Robach is the reason republicans need to go, pure and simple.

Rick Dollinger is now on the air making just that case. Enjoy.

On the web: Rick Dollinger for Senate

Ah, republicans - as ever, unwilling to face the voters or debate their opponents. Remember this?

That's Craig Johnson showing up to debate Maureen O'Connell back in 2007. Craig won that election.

Well, here's Rick Dollinger showing up to debate republican Senator Joe Robach in the 56th Senate District.

When are republicans going to learn that they can't run away from the voters?

The DSCC is hitting republican misfit Senator Joe Robach hard via mail this week. Here are two pieces going out in the 56th District.

One more and some thoughts, over the fold.