A Tangled Web

The DeStefano letter, dated March 23, to the board of elections; see transcript below. A former Putnam County sheriff candidate who has admitted to election fraud has written a letter seeming to claim he was forced to perjure himself last fall. Last October, Andrew DeStefano, a former NYPD captain, pleaded guilty to charges that he filed fraudulent signatures in connection with the heated GOP primary. But on March 23, he sent a letter to Anthony Scannapieco, one of Putnam County’s two elections commissioners, claiming that he was the victim of a “corrupt, dishonest, hair-brained scheme concocted by three lawyers in Southeast.”

Seeking to remove himself from the ballot last fall, he sent a letter dated September 9 to the Putnam County Board of Elections. In this letter, DeStefano claimed he had changed his residency from Putnam County to New York County and, consequently, would be ineligible for election in Putnam.

In his latest letter to the elections board, he now claims that the “September 9 letter, and the contents of that September 9 letter, is completely false and has always been completely false.”

He added, “I was directed to write this letter even though I had repeatedly made it clear the contents of this letter were false. I was never moving to New York County.”

DeStefano says he was “directed to write a false statement,” though he never says why he felt compelled to lie in writing to authorities. He alleges that the letter “was nothing but a CORRUPT, DISHONEST, HAIRBRAINED SCHEME concocted by three lawyers in Southeast, the purpose of which was to help their fellow southeaster James Borkowski campaign for Sheriff against incumbent Don Smith by removing my name from the Republican ballot under false pretenses.”

Borkowski is a former southeast judge who, like DeStefano, was challenging Smith for the Republican nomination in the sheriff’s race. With DeStefano out of the race, though still on the ballot due to his late withdrawal, Smith still won the primary with 2,469 votes to Borkowski’s 2,236 and DeStefano’s 380.

In the weeks following the primary, Borkowski would not say whether or not he would challenge Smith in the general election on the Working Families ballot line, which he also held. In end, Borkowski opted to sit out the November election.

In response to an email from the Courier, Borkowski said, “Last year, Andy pleaded guilty to criminal conduct during his campaign to become Sheriff. He admitted his guilt under oath and was sentenced by the court. In writing this letter, he is digging himself a deeper hole. Andy seems to be admitting that, in addition to committing other crimes, he also submitted a false sworn statement to the Putnam County Board of Elections. Last year’s election is over. Andy should just try to move on with his life.”

“I pray for Andy’s mental health,” he added.

There has been speculation in recent months that Borkowski might seek the Assembly seat being vacated by Greg Ball, who is seeking Vincent Leibell’s spot in the state senate. Sen. Leibell has not yet said whether he will seek reelection, and thereby a primary battle with fellow Republican Ball, or whether he will run for another post such as Putnam County Executive.

There has also been buzz that Borkowski might challenge his known rival Ball for the state senate seat.

In the March 23 letter, DeStefano never identifies the “three lawyers” he claims forced him to claim he was moving to New York County.

“Essentially, I was directed to lie to the Putnam County Board of Elections and to submit a false instrument,” DeStefano wrote. “At no time was I ever relocating to New York County or any other county, and I made this crystal clear to the person who ordered me to write this fraudulent letter. Nor did I ever tell anyone, including my former lawyer that I in fact moved to New York County, despite whatever perjured testimony was given under oath to a Supreme Court Judge on Sept. 14, 2009, both orally and in written motion form.”

The Courier tried to reach DeStefano at a number thought to be his, though the voicemail included no identifying information and the mailbox was full. TEXt OF tHE DEStEFANO LEtt ER

[address redacted by THE COURIER] March 23, 2010

Putnam County Board of Elections 1 Geneva Road Brewster NY 10509

Dear Commissioner Scannapieco:

As you know, on September 9, 2009, I submitted a letter to the Putnam County Board of Elections, which claims I am going to move to New York County, and further, request to remove my name from the Sheriff ballot. No voter registration card was ever filed or filled out, either in Putnam County or New York County.

Please be advised that September 9 letter, and the contents of that September 9 letter, is completely false and has always been completely false. I was directed to write this letter even though I had repeatedly made it clear the contents of this letter were false. I was never moving to New York County. The September 9 letter that I was directed to write and submit immediately to the Putnam County Board of Elections was nothing but a CORRUPT, DISHONEST, HAIR-BRAINED SCHEME concocted by three lawyers in Southeast, the purpose of which was to help their fellow Southeaster James Borkowski campaign for Sheriff against incumbent Don Smith by removing my name from the Republican ballot under false pretenses.

It was known by these three lawyers that the contents of the September 9 letter were completely false yet I was directed to write a false statement regardless. Essentially, I was directed to lie to the Putnam County Board of Elections and to submit a false instrument. At no time was I ever relocating to New York County or any other county, and I made this crystal clear to the person who ordered me to write this fraudulent letter. Nor did I ever tell anyone, including my former lawyer that I in fact moved to New York County, despite whatever perjured testimony was given under oath to a Supreme Court Judge on Sept 14, 2009, both orally and in written motion form.

The contents of that Sept 9 letter at all times were completely false then and now and Mr. Borkowski knew this fact when he went to Putnam Supreme Court on Sept 14, 2009.

Very truly yours, [signed] Andrew DeStefano