Picente Ends Silence on Opponent’s ‘Made Up Lies’
Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente pulled no punches as he fired back against a political opponent who continues to alleged that Picente carried on an affair with a former staffer.
Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, Dave Gordon, who is scheduled to challenge Picente in a Republican primary on June 25, held a news conference and reiterated old and unfounded allegations; but, this time added that he had proof. When pressed by the media for that proof, he provided one sentence of a conversation that current county employee had with another party - not Gordon. Then when asked if he had spoken directly with the individual who had apparently typed the sentence on social media, he admitted he had not.
WIBX has been unable to substantiate that allegation, as well as all others made by Gordon.
Shortly after, Picente held his own news conference to address Gordon's attack.
''I'm gonna say this once...this is the one time that I will answer this nonsense, and that's exactly what it is,'' Picente said. ''I'm outraged at the level to which this desperate candidate - who has nothing else to stand on because it's only the seventh office he's run for - has to use my family and other people in besmirching their reputation and making up lies. These are made up lies.''
Picente continued, ''This is a man who has abused one woman that we know of, and now has abused two others...He is desperate, it borders on mental illness that this man will say anything to get in front of a camera.''
''To make up these allegations, and that's all they are....there's not one truth in any of the accusations, any of the statements that he made, any of the issues that he brings forth. He talks about proof, there's no proof in here, because you know why - nothing happened...this so called 'issue' of an affair is a lie.''
WIBX has reached out to the former staff member who worked in Picente's office and she had denied having any sort of an inappropriate relationship with the county executive. WIBX will not name the staff member accused by Gordon of having the affair with Picente.
New York Republican Party Chariman Ed Cox issued the following statement regarding Gordon:
"Dave Gordon is a Bernie Sanders supporter who not only has no business in a Republican primary, but he is also totally unfit for public office. His record of domestic violence and outlandish smear campaign should be deeply concerning to the people of Oneida County and voters of all parties should reject his candidacy."