Possible Candidate for Stefanik’s House Seat Helps Police Capture Wanted Man

One of the people described as being "on the short list" for Republicans in an upcoming special election to fill a seat expected to be vacated by Rep. Elise Stefanik, helped police in Upstate New York capture a man who was wanted by police.

Joe Rutkowski, a Rome, NY businessman who is being considered as a GOP hopeful candidate to replace Stefanik, thought there was something suspicious about a fully masked man who was lingering around at the New Hartford Shopping Center on Saturday. Rutkowski, former military and a retired Pennsylvania Police Officer, was heading to a local barber shop after eating lunch with his wife when he saw the man a second time, just as he allegedly stole two leather jackets from a leather store display located at the shopping center. Rutkowski told WIBX's Keeler Show on Monday he immediately yelled at the guy as he was attempting to escape on a city bus. The man then jumped on the bus as it was leaving and Rutkowski said, that's when his police training kicked in and he began running after the bus. He said the bus stopped and he pulled the man from the bus and a scuffle ensued.

"This is when I realized I'm no longer the 22-year-old I used to be," said Rutkowski, who said the man then ran off and he was unable to keep up with him. Rutkowski said he immediately called 911 and described the suspect, who police later apprehended. Meanwhile, an eye witness to the incident picked up the leather jackets an returned them to the store. Rutkowski said he was finally getting his haircut in the Gentlemen's Barber Shop when New Hartford Police came in and asked him to step outside. Rutkowski made a positive identification on the guy police had in custody and later, the owner of the leather store, Charlie Celi of Forever Leather, pressed charges.

According to New Hartford Police, the suspect was 42-year-old Charles Green. After a brief foot chase by police, Green was apprehended in a neighborhood near the popular shopping center and was taken into custody along Genesee St.  It was later determined that Green was wanted by police on two outstanding warrants, an outstanding larceny charge from the New Hartford Police Department and on a parole warrant by The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision - State Parole, as a parole absconder. Green is on parole stemming from an original felony charge of Burglary in the 3rd Degree. At this time Green has been charged with;

1)NYS PL 155.25- Petit Larceny, Class A Misdemeanor.

2) NYS PL 155.25- Petit Larceny, Class A Misdemeanor (Open Warrant)

3) Warrant From NYS Parole-Parole Absconder.

Green was processed at the New Hartford Police Department and transported to the Oneida County Jail where he was turned over to Oneida County Corrections Deputies to be held for arraignment in the Oneida County Centralized Arraignment Part Court. Green remains in custody at this time. Police added as a reminder that "everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."

Listen to Rutkowski's heroic story told on WIBX's Keeler Show YouTube feed on Monday, February 17, 2025.

Stefanik is in the confirmation process to become President Donald's Trump's Ambassador to the United Nations. Stefanik is expected to step down after her confirmation, which is expected to happen after President Trump gets his tax bill passed.

Here are the procedures that need to be followed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul in order to fill the seat, after Stefanik resigns from Congress:

Governor Hochul will be required to call a special election within ten days of the vacancy, with the election held within 70 to 80 days of the announcement. Candidates from both parties would then be nominated by local committees instead of a primary election. Additionally, New York's expanded vote-by-mail and early voting rules will apply, likely boosting accessibility in this special election.

Republicans and Democrats will select their candidates using each of the 13 county chairs throughout the district, using a weighted voting system. These weights depend on the population and registered voter count in each county, with larger or more populous counties holding more influence.

For the Republican Party, the weighted voting process gives priority to counties like Saratoga, which has a significant population base in NY-21, followed by other populous counties such as Oneida, Herkimer Jefferson and St. Lawrence. Smaller counties like Hamilton and Essex, which have fewer voters, contribute less to the overall weighted vote but still play a role.

The 15 Democratic County Chairs of New York’s 21st congressional district recently chose their candidate He is longtime North Country resident Blake Gendebien, who is owner and president of Twin Mill Farms in Lisbon.  Gendebien is also the Vice Chairman of Agri-Mark Dairy Cooperative, covering New York and New England.