Rockland Democrats "Call Out" Orangetown Council Candidate Morr

The Rockland Democratic Committee held a press conference Wednesday to accuse Republican Tom Morr of buying his way onto the ballot for Orangetown Town Council.

Committee Chairwoman Kristen Zebrowski Stavisky pointed to financial records on the New York State Board of Elections website showing his contributions to the Republican, Conservative and Independence Parties.

It is not unusual for such records to show payments to parties that endorse candidates, as the Orangetown Republicans, Orangetown Conservatives and Orangetown Independents all endorse Morr. Stavisky focused on the wording of the donations to the Independent and Conservative parties, each $1,000, listed as "Conservative Line in Orangetown" and "Independent Line in Orangetown."

"It was just so blatant," Stavisky said. "I've been saying for so long that the problem with minor parties is they corrupt the process. (Candidates) use these minor parties to take voters away from the issues and focus on getting on these lines to stack the deck without really debating opponents. This was the last straw for me. It feels more like a pay for play."

Morr laughed off the accusation, saying that all candidates have similar contributions to parties that endorse them. 

"If that's the worst thing they have," Morr said. "If they are pinpointing me, they are distorting the facts. Every candidate does that."

Morr said the donation to the Conservative Party goes to fund the newsletter it releases before the election and the one that went to the Independence Party pays for advertising.

"It's not like anybody is benefitting from the money the candidates pay in," Morr said. "It's to cover the cost of advertising for candidates.

"They are using this because they are upset that based on policy positions, they are not chosen for those lines."

The Independence and Conservative Parties do overwhelmingly support Republicans, including the Orangetown candidates for supervisor, town council, town justice and superintendent of highways. Town Clerk Charlotte Madigan was endorsed by those three parties and the Democrats.

Stavisky admits the payments to endorsing parties were not unusual and similar payments could be found for Democratic candidates. It is the wording that stuck with her.

"I thought, really? They're going to throw it in our faces," Stavisky said.

The issue also spilled over into the debate sponsored by the Our Town at Orangetown Town Hall Wednesday night when Democratic Orangetown Council candidate Elijah Reichlin-Melnick brought it up.