Going Silent in the War of Words

Elections Commissoner and county Republican chairman Anthony Scannapieco has written a letter to local media outlets, declaring that he won’t be responding to “any of the infantile rantings of State Senator Vincent Leibell.”

Last week Leibell, who is running for county executive against Mary Ellen Odell, filed a formal letter of complaint with the Putnam County Board of Ethics against Scannapieco. Leibell believes that there is an “inherent conflict of interest” in one person serving as both elections co-commissioner and party chairman.

Leibell and Scannapieco have entered into a war of words in recent weeks, but Scannapieco said he will not engage in any more battles. “I will not answer any questions about myself, whether commissioner or chairman,” he said in the letter issued earlier this week.

Scannapieco wrote that he is not running for office and accused Leibell of using him as a “smoke screen” so that he does not have to campaign. “It is time for Senator Leibell to step up to the plate and campaign,” he wrote. “What is his platform? The people of Putnam County deserve to know what his plans are in these financially difficult times.”

Leibell said that not speaking to the media is a disservice to the public. “I read with great disappointment Mr. Scannapieco’s recent comments,” he said. “All of us who serve in public office have the responsibility to answer questions and to be accountable to the taxpayer. That is what I will do and if elected that is what I will expect every department head to do.”

“He’s playing a game,” Scannapieco told the Courier Wednesday, after issuing the letter. “Responding to his attacks on me [has nothing to do] with being responsible to the tax payer.”

Odell, whom Leibell says has been unjustly assisted by Scannapieco, also thinks that the senator should focus on the campaign. “I strongly believe that enough is enough, it’s time for Mr. Leibell to put his anger aside, and to tell the people why he deserves their vote,” she said. “It’s time for [him] to respect democracy and the will of the citizens of Putnam County.”