Anonymous Robocalls Targeting Democrat Latimer
George Latimer at one of his "Coffee with George" meetings in Mamaroneck
Have you received an anonymous robo-call opposing George Latimer, the Democratic State Assemblyman representing a District, the 37th, stretching from part of New Rochelle to Port Chester?
The automated calls – which slam Latimer’s record – started just 12 hours after Democratic State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer announced on Thursday that she would not be seeking reelection. The recorded caller never states his name or affiliation. One recipient described the message as “nasty.”
The calls have been traced to an Albany-area law firm, McClung Peters & Simon, that represents the State Senate GOP, says Latimer, who is considering a run for Oppenheimer’s seat. Repeated phone calls to the law firm were not answered.
These calls are also apparently illegal. Anonymous robocalls that are political or advocacy in nature are prohibited under federal law, according to a campaign law expert.
Latimer says he views the calls as “very sad,” as much for what they represent as the skewed message they deliver.
“Attack politics before there is even a campaign underway,” he says.
He added, “It does tell me if I run, it will be an expensive, contentious race; less so because of Bob (Cohen, who already has a 2012 election website up), whom I think is a good guy, and more because of the Senate Republican majority that wants to capture the seat.”
photo courtesy George Latimer
Category: Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, News, Port Chester, Rye, Rye Brook
I received those robocalls, and I HATE them. In the last four years in Larchmont we have received robocalls on various races, all apparently backed by the Republican Party of New York. After this last robocall on Tuesday, March 6, I was finally irritated enough to email the state Republican party’s info address to tell them how much I despise their robocalls and disingenuous postcards in past races (well covered in the local press). No acknowledgement to date.
I then did what I had been intending to do since the last Cohen-Oppenheimer race, and emailed Bob Cohen’s campaign on Sunday, March 11, pleading that he chose his friends carefully and not allow the state party to drag his coming campaign into the dirt. No acknowledgement or response to date.