Politics & Government

Committee: Astorino Campaign Used Misleading Statements Against Bramson

The Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee ruled Friends of Rob Astorino used misleading or unfair statements against Noam Bramson seven times. County Executive Astorino is running for re-election against Bramson Tuesday.

For the second time in a little more than two months, the Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee has ruled that Friends of Rob Astorino has used unfair or misleading statements against Noam Bramson in the County Executive’s race.

The committee, which was established in 1991 as a way to promote honest, fair and open campaigns, announced its decision earlier today after a hearing on Wednesday at the Scarsdale Library.

"I feel very confident running on the truth, because the facts in this election are on our side,” Bramson said in a statement. “By contrast, it’s clear that Rob Astorino fears the truth, because he both began and ended his campaign with a barrage of lies.”

Astorino, a Republican, is running for his second term as County Executive, against Bramson, a Democrat who has served as New Rochelle’s mayor since 2006.

Bramson complained that despite a ruling made by the Fair Campaign Practices Committee in August that five separate claims by the Astorino campaign were false or misleading, the Astorino campaign has generally refused to alter or modify these claims.

He also complained that the mailer sent out by Astorino’s Campaign made the following false or misleading statements.

  • “While attending Harvard, he [Bramson] arrogantly fought to keep ROTC banned from campus.”
  • “Resisting all efforts to create a Veterans Center at the Armory” was false or misleading and that no source is given for it.
  • “For years he [Bramson] had disrespected Veterans at public hearings by mocking their testimony."
  • “[Rob Astorino] believes as a blessed community we should and could do more for returning warriors. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for his opponent, Noam Bramson.”
Bramson complained that another radio advertisement repeatedly digitally altered remarks made by him to make them unintelligible, then claimed they are proof that he has not answered the hypothetical questions posed.

Bramson also complained that same radio advertisement was edited in a way that suggested that a fictional set of questions had been posed to him and that he had not answered them.

The Committee sided with Bramson for all seven complaints.

"We stand 100 percent behind our mailings,” said William O'Reilly, a spokesman for Friends of County Executive Rob Astorino. “That committee is anything but fair; it consists of 11 Democrats and one Republican. Our mail is properly cited, as are all of our television ads. Noam Bramson is howling at his own bad record."

The Fair Campaign Practices Committee has no power to fine a campaign or stop it from continuing practices that it deems unfair.


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