Judge pick draws fire; GOP, out of power in Bethlehem, says vacancy was filled too quickly.(Capital Region)

Byline: MARC PARRY Staff Writer

BETHLEHEM - He lost the election. But he got the job after all.

Ryan Donovan, a Democrat, will be sworn in today as town justice. The move comes a week after the Town Board appointed him in a vote that Bethlehem's GOP chairman labeled "outrageous."

The squabble arose when Republican Frank Milano resigned as town justice on June 21 after Gov. George Pataki named him to the Court of Claims. Milano, who campaigns with bags of Milano cookies, defeated Donovan in November by 1,794 votes.

One week after Milano quit, the Town Board, without going through a formal interview process, passed a motion from Democrat Kyle …