Assembly Candidate Requesting Investigation Into Deceptive Mailer

A candidate for the 119th District Assembly seat in New York is requesting an investigation by the Board of Elections into a deceptive mailer being circulated about her.

Marianne Buttenschon is a Democrat running for the seat being vacated by Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, who is running for Congress. She has called on the State Board of Elections to look into an anonymous mailer that questions her commitment to the democrat party.

In a release Buttenschon states,

The Election Law has been deliberately broken.  My character has been unfairly judged.  I will tolerate neither act of cowardice. Every piece of political mail leaves a paper trail.  I have written to Risa Sugarman, Chief Enforcement Counsel for the New York State Board of Elections, asking that she follow that trail back to those who don’t have the courage to sign their dirty work nor the decency to meet me face-to-face.

In addition to the State BOE, Buttenschon has also requested United States Postal Service records under the Freedom of Information Act because she feels state law has been violated as well.

In response to the accusations in the mailer regarding her loyalty to the party Buttenschon says, "I am a lifelong Democrat whose every decision places the public good over political expediency.  I work with everyone and anyone who wants to make the Utica-Rome area a better place."

Buttenschon's opponent in the September Democratic Primary, Chris Salatino, issued the following response to Buttenschon's allegations:

“My campaign is following all New York State Election Laws. Someone running for state office should know the laws before they attack others. Candidates hoping to make laws should also be able to read and understand them. If Mrs. Buttenschon doesn’t like her policy positions coming to light, she should re-think them or be honest with the Democratic Party’s voters. Perhaps Mrs. Buttenschon would feel more comfortable just running on the Conservative Party line where her values clearly are.”