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NEWSROOM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ASTORINO CAMPAIGN CALLS ON SPANO DEPUTY TO RESIGN OR GO ON CAMPAIGN PAYROLL
“This is the kind of thing that drives taxpayers crazy”
White Plains, NY—April 1…Deputy Westchester County Executive Susan Tolchin, who is paid more than $157,000 per year by Westchester County taxpayers, has been unethically acting as campaign spokesperson for County Executive Andy Spano, in clear violation of New York State Public Officers Law, Bill O’Reilly, spokesman for County Executive candidate Rob Astorino, today charged.
"Government officials are not supposed to engage in political campaign activities,” Mr. O’Reilly said. "Their salaries are paid by taxpayers."
The Astorino campaign is calling for Ms. Tolchin to resign her position as Deputy County Executive, if she plans to continue speaking on behalf of Mr. Spano’s political operation.
“Westchester residents are the highest taxed people in America,” Mr. O’Reilly said. “This is not where their money is supposed to be going. Using government employees for political work is unethical. It’s the kind of thing that drives taxpayers crazy. The ethical boundary is clear here, and Mr. Spano is crossing it...again,” he continued.
This issue arose in Mr. Spano’s 2005 campaign, when government officials routinely performed political work on the public dime (letter below). And Mr. O’Reilly sent Ms. Tolchin a letter just last week, pointing out the violation. But Ms. Tolchin’s has continued speaking for the Spano campaign while identified as Deputy County Executive (that letter below, too).
Mr. Astorino is running for County Executive to “stop the tax madness; bring smarter, better government to Westchester, and to restore a high standard of ethics to county government.”
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