Yorktown GOP Rips Democrats for Missing BOE Deadline
The political season in Yorktown is in full swing as the Yorktown Republican Committee last week criticized rival town Democrats for failing to file a financial report with the Board of Elections.
Slates in both parties are vying for the potentially pivotal Independence Party line in a September 12 primary leading up to the November 7 general election, and a 32-day pre-primary report was due on August 11.
“The Yorktown Democratic candidates talk about transparency but their actions show they are leaving voters in the dark,” said Yorktown GOP Chairman Matt Slater. “The Democratic Committee has a long, undignified history of mocking Yorktown residents by skirting both the letter and spirit of campaign finance laws. People are tired of the Democrats ‘do as I say, not as I do’ attitude. For a group of candidates who have collectively held office for nearly 40 years, it’s amazing they didn’t know they had to file a standard form with the Board of Elections.”
The Republican slate consists of Supervisor Michael Grace, Councilman Gregory Bernard, Town Board hopeful Robert Puff and Town Justice Sal Lagonia. The Democrats have put together a team of former town justice Ilan Gilbert for supervisor, Councilman Vishnu Patel and former town clerk Alice Roker for two seats on the board and Aviah Cohen Pierson for town justice.
Yorktown Democratic Committee Co-Chair Elliott Krowe responded to the Republican’s attacks on behalf of the Democratic slate.
“Wow. Making an issue of a minor procedural error? A clever way to steer the discussion away from the dishonesty that is the hallmark or the Republican let Town Board. Their arrogance and rude behavior is a much greater violation of open government,” Krowe stated. “Argue the real issues. How about a little truth when it comes to the real costs for the new ball field? How about listening when it comes to public hearings? How about paying your taxes? The people of Yorktown want to hear about the real issues.”
Grace, who is vying for a third two-year term, also took a swipe at the Democrats.
“That’s not a good thing. The party of transparency, they should practice what they preach,” he remarked.
Technically, failing to file the filing with the Board of Elections could result in the committee and each candidate facing a $5,000 criminal penalty under state law, but that punishment is seldom enforced.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
