What to Know
- A NY politician running for re-election is seemingly seen on a doorbell camera taking down an opponent’s flyer — and replace it with his own
- Vincent Bettina is seen approaching the door and tear down a flyer for his opponent Michael Sheehan, just to put up his own
- The local board of elections says removing an opponents’ campaign signs violates election law, but it must be investigated by the state
A New York politician running for re-election is seemingly seen on a doorbell camera taking down an opponent’s flyer — and replace it with his own.
The video begins innocently enough, with a campaign worker dropping off a flyer for Michael Sheehan, who is running for Highway Superintendent in Wappingers Falls.
About an hour later, another man is seen walking up to the door and remove Sheehan’s flyer. That man appears to be Vincent Bettina, Sheehan’s opponent and the incumbent candidate.
The woman who owns the house where the alleged incident occurred wished to remain anonymous, but did report what happened to the state and county police. The local board of elections says removing an opponents’ campaign signs is a violation of election law, but it has to be investigated by the state.
A receptionist at Battina’s office said the candidate has been home sick recently, and Battina did not return any calls himself. Sheehan, who works underneath Battina at the highway department as president of the union, says the two have butted heads for years, but this latest alleged incident is going too far.
“It doesn’t surprise me one bit what that man does,” said Sheehan. “I’m not surprised, at all.”
Local
Sheehan says he has reported the incident to state officials, but in the end hopes justice will be served at the ballot box on Election Day, when the public gets a chance to weigh in.
